Chocolate Fudge Brownies with Chocolate Buttercream Frosting {Joy the Baker Cookbook Spotlight and Cook-Off}

Hi there my lovelies! 

Today, and for the next few weeks, I'm participating in the Joy the Baker Cookbook Spotlight and Cook-Off hosted by Heather at Girlichef.



I am so stoked to be participating in this challenge, as I love Joy's blog. Can you say AH-MAZING and INSPIRING!? If only I could come within an ounce of her baking talents, I'd be a happy girl. That woman can bake her butt off.

Insert these brownies. You see, I'm used to brownies from a box mix, which I was never crazy about. Thanks to Joy, now I've seen the light and now know how brownies are really supposed to taste.

Rich, topped with a velvety frosting, and homemade!

Chocolate Fudge Brownies with Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

from Joy the Baker Cookbook


*Makes one 8-inch pan

Chocolate Fudge Brownies

• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 stick unsalted butter
• 3 oz unsweetened chocolate
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 large egg yolk
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Place a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees. Grease and flour an 8-inch square baking dish and set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

Bring about 2 inches of water to a boil in a medium saucepan. In a medium heatproof bowl, add butter and unsweetened chocolate. Place the bowl over, but not touching, the simmering water and allow to melt. Stir to incorporate. Once melted, remove the bowl from the simmering pot. Whisk in brown sugar and granulated sugar. Whisk in eggs, yolk, and vanilla. Add the flour mixture all at once to the chocolate mixture. Fold together with a spatula until well incorporated. Fold in the chocolate chips.

Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for 25-30 minutes. Bake until a skewer inserted in the center of the brownie comes out clean. Remove from the oven and cool completely before frosting.

Frost with half recipe of The Best Chocolate Buttercream Frosting (see below) when cooled. Brownies last, well wrapped, without the frosting, at room temperature for up to five days.

The Best Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

from Joy the Baker Cookbook

*Note: this is the full recipe, the  brownies only call for a 1/2 recipe 
*Makes enough to frost one 2-layer 8-inch or 9-inch cake or 24 cupcakes

• 3/4 cup (1.5 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2.5-3 cup powdered sugar, sifted
• 2 tbsp milk
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• scant 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1/3 cup Ovaltine

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream together butter, cocoa powder, and salt. Mixture will be very thick, but cream for about 3 minutes at medium speed.

Turn off the mixer, scrape down the sides of the bowl and add the powdered sugar. Turn the mixer on low to incorporate 2.5 cups powdered sugar while adding the milk and vanilla. As the sugar incorporates, gradually increase the mixer speed to medium-high. Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl as necessary. Beat until smooth.

In a 1-cup measure, stir together cream and Ovaltine. Turn the mixer to medium, and pour the cream in a slow steady stream until the frosting reaches your desired consistency: smooth, creamy, and spreadable. Add more powdered sugar to adjust consistency. Spread or pipe frosting onto cooled cakes or cupcakes (or brownies). 

*Note: Putting the frosting in the fridge for about 30 minutes makes it harden just a little and makes it easier to spread as a frosting.

Frosting will last well wrapped, in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. 

Printable Recipe

I didn't put the frosting in the fridge first before frosting. But I did refrigerate the brownies once they were frosted. You can heat them in the microwave if you like them warm, or let them sit out at room temp for a bit before serving or eating if you like them at room temperature.


I don't think I'll ever eat brownies without frosting again.

Our host Heather is doing an interview with the ever-so-talented author of this cookbook, Joy the Baker herself. I suggest you head on over there, cuz you can enter to win a copy of the cookbook yourself! Do it!!

*This post is part of the Joy the Baker Cookbook Spotlight and Cook-Off sponsored by Hyperion and hosted at girlichef*


Also linking up here and to Cookbook Sundays.

Peace, and bacon grease!