Share your Iowa Hawkeye spirit with these gold and black cheesecake bars

Heading to Ames for this weekend's Iowa-Iowa State football game? Serve this cheesecake bars recipe to your fellow fans — even the rivals won't be able to resist.

Before you whip up this sweet treat, share your favorite tailgating recipes with The Gazette. Your recipe could win you two tickets to an Iowa footall game next month, plus a Hy-Vee gift card. Two winners will be chosen.

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Now, on to the recipe:

Iowa Hawkeye Cheesecake Swirl Bars

Makes 24 bars.

• 1 white cake mix (15¼ ounce)

• 1/2 cup butter, melted

• 1 large egg

• 2/3 cup milk, plus 4 extra teaspoons (divided)

• 1/8 teaspoon yellow/gold gel food color

• Zest of 1 orange

• 2 tablespoons dark cocoa powder

• 12 ounce cream cheese, softened (1½ 8 ounce packages)

• 1/3 cup sugar

• 1 large egg

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 325 degree. Line a 9-by-13-inch pan with non-stick aluminum foil or parchment paper and spray with non-stick spray; set aside.

In a mixer bowl, combine cake mix, melted butter, 1 egg and 2/3 cup milk. Beat on low speed until smooth. The mixture will be a thick batter.

Equally divide the batter into 2 bowls (about 2 cups each). Add gold food gel and orange zest to one bowl; stir to combine. Add cocoa to remaining batter; stir to combine. Scoop tablespoons of gold and 'black' chocolate dough into bottom of pan, alternating colors as you go. (Reserve 1 tablespoon colored batter in each bowl; set aside.

When you have filled the pan, spray your hands with cooking spray and slightly press down on the batter balls to flatten. Add 2 teaspoons milk to each of the reserved gold and 'black' batters to make a thinner batter; stir until smooth; set aside.

Meanwhile, in mixer bowl, beat together cream cheese and sugar. Add egg and vanilla extract; beat until smooth. Pour over cake batter balls. Drizzle the thinned out colored batter over filling in a decorative design, then swirl using a spoon.

Bake uncovered for 20 minutes. Cover pan with aluminum foil to keep top from browning. Bake another 15 to 20 minutes or until top is nearly set. Cool at room temperature for about an hour, then refrigerate for 1 hour.

When ready to serve, cut into 24 bars. Pack these in a chill-and-tote food carrier to keep cool.

Extra Points

1. Use a football cookie cutter to cut out football shapes instead of bars.

2. To create the design pictured, place gold and black thinned out batters into separate plastic bags. Cut a tip on one corner; pipe on lines of gold and black lines. Then take a wooden pick and drag through every inch or so, reversing your direction each time.

Source: 'Tailgates to Touchdowns: Fabulous Football Foods' by Nina Swan-Kohler