Cherry Nutella Brownie Cake

Sometimes you just want to make a cake with brownies.  This was so incredibly rich and good....it just wasn't natural I tell you.  This cake was also insanely full of chocolate.  I actually ended up double glazing this puppy.  I hated the look of the first glaze so I added a dark chocolate glaze on top.....when your cake won't do you what you want....glaze it into submission!

I intended to garnish this cake with chocolate covered tart cherries and small cherry clusters.  One cup of tart cherries, however, is almost the entire 6oz bag and I only had one. Solution...glaze mania.  ;)


Cherry Nutella Brownie Cake

1 cup Smart Balance 50/50 butter blend
4 oz (squares) unsweetened chocolate
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
1 tsp baking soda
2 cups all purpose unbleached flour
Filling:
8 oz reduced fat cream cheese
4 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup Nutella
1 cup dried tart cherries, chopped fine

Melt butter and chocolate together in the microwave. Stir often and be careful not to overheat. Add in sugar and vanilla. Beat the eggs lightly in a small bowl before adding them to the chocolate mixture. Stir in flour and baking soda. Pour batter into three greased 9 inch rounds.  Bake at 350 for 10 to 12 minutes.  Remove from pans and cool.

Mix together cream cheese and nutella until creamy.  Beat in powdered sugar. Add in cherries.  Put one brownie round on a plate and top with half of the cream cheese mixture.  Add another brownie round and top with remaining cream cheese.  Top with final brownie round.

First Chocolate Glaze:
14 oz non fat sweetened condensed milk
6oz milk chocolate chips
6oz semi sweet chocolate chips
1 tsp vanilla
 
Mix together sweetened condensed milk, chocolate chips, and vanilla. Heat on high in the microwave for 30 second intervals, stirring after each interval until mixture is melted and smooth.  Pour glaze over top of the brownie cake, spooning it down the sides.  Chill until chocolate sets.

Second Chocolate Glaze:
14 oz non fat sweetened condensed milk
12oz dark chocolate chips
1 tsp vanilla
1 tbls milk
 
Mix together sweetened condensed milk, chocolate chips, and vanilla. Heat on high in the microwave for 30 second intervals, stirring after each interval until mixture is melted and smooth.  Stir in milk to thin the glaze a bit.  Using a spoon, spread chocolate along the top edge and sides of the cake.

Spoon some of the glaze into a ziplock back with one tip cut off and drizzle lines across the top of the cake.  Chill cake until chocolate sets.  (You will only use about half of this chocolate batch, but the remainder will freeze nicely if you don't find an immediate use for it.)

A couple more pics....

Put this wedge on my plate and just walk away...just....walk...away.  ;)

Just another interior view.  I am wondering how this cake would turn out with some super, fudgy brownies.  I added some baking soda to this version to give the brownies a little poof.  I'm not sure it's possible to make this cake richer...ehehehe.