I love how pretty this is. Certainly a far cry from the original!

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A happy marriage of chocolate and cheesecake.

I also love how budget-friendly it is… only a handful of choc chips needed, and one egg in the filling. Like its cousin the Wacky Cake, this cake can credit its texture from the combination of vinegar, oil and baking soda.

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24 serves.

And yes, it looks very much like a Cheesecake Brownie recipe, but actually it’s a riff on the Black-bottom Cupcakes posted earlier on this blog. They were very, very good, but sometimes you just want a bite. Or two or three bites. But not two or three cupcakes.

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One piece is never enough!

In this form it’s quicker to make, better for sharing, and just as good…

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Plenty to share.

Black Bottom Marble Cake (or Cheesecake Brownie, if you prefer)

Adapted from the Smitten Kitchen
Makes 24 servings

For the filling:
250g cream cheese at room temperature
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
125g chocolate chips

For the cake:
1 1/2 cups plain flour
1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup whole milk
1/3 cup canola oil
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract

For the filling:
Beat together the cream cheese, sugar, and egg until relatively smooth. Stir in the chocolate chips. Set aside.

For the cake:
Preheat to 180degC. Grease and line a 20x30cm baking tin.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, brown sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. In a separate bowl, use a whisk to beat together the milk, oil, vinegar, and vanilla. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and stir in the wet ingredients until just combined.

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How to make cheesecake swirls.

Pour chocolate batter into baking pan. Spoon small spoonfuls of cream cheese mixture randomly (or in a regular pattern, if you’re OCD like me!) over chocolate mixture and swirl with the tip of a knife. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the top is slightly golden brown. Cool in tin, and then cut into 24 squares.

Will keep well unrefrigerated for 2 to 3 days if stored in an airtight container.

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These may not last 3 days.

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