Cherry Chocolate Valentine Heart Brownies

Ingredients

1 cup butter, melted
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 cup dark brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
4 large eggs, room temp
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon almond extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup cocoa powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup chocolate chunks
3/4 cups stemless cherries, chopped (I used a jar of Bordeaux cherries. Marischino, dried, or fresh cherries will also work)

Valentine Heart Brownies
	Preheat oven to 350. Grease an 8x8 or 9x13 baking dish or line with parchment paper (choose pan size based on how thick you want the brownies to be). In large bowl, mix together melted butter, oil, sugars. Add eggs, vanilla and almond extract and mix well, scraping the bottom and sides of the bowl as you go.
	In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, salt, and cocoa powder. Add the dry mixture to the wet mixture, stirring carefully until just mixed. Be careful not to over-mix. Fold in the cherries and 3/4 of the chocolate chunks.
	Pour the batter into the prepared baking dish, spreading evenly. Then top with final chocolate chunks, pressing them into the batter slightly. Bake in the oven for 35-40 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove from the oven and place the pan onto cooling rack.
Chocolate Buttercream
	While the brownies are cooling, prepare the chocolate topping. Cream together all frosting ingredients (butter, cocoa, powdered sugar, milk and vanilla). Mix well until smooth and creamy, adding a touch more milk or powdered sugar as needed. Once the brownies have fully cooled, use a heart cookie cutter to create heart shaped brownies. Place the brownies onto a sheet of parchment paper. Using a piping bag with a star tip, pipe a diagonal design on top of the brownies and place a few heart sprinkles. They can be stored in an airtight container for a few days or up to a week in the fridge.

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