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February 18, 2012

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

*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. 



























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!





17 comments:

Heather S-G said...

Yay - I'm so happy you're a brownie convert! Seriously, these would change the mind of anybody who wasn't a fan. They look awesome, I love that thick layer of frosting. Fabulous job =)

Gerry @Foodness Gracious said...

"Bake her butt off" I love that, Great job baking your butt off!!
Take care..

Lea Ann said...

I am not a frosting fan at all, but seeing everyone's photos and accolades over the flavor, I might just have to give this a try. I made the crackers. :)

Unknown said...

The brownies are amazing! But that frosting takes it to a whoooooole other level of yumminess, right? Im with you on the box vs homemade brownies....big difference :)

Bo said...

I loved these brownies...yours look perfect!

Michelle B said...

Looks like you baked your butt off too! Normally I like warm brownies, but these I loved cold.

Liz That Skinny Chick Can Bake said...

Oh, yeah, my family would love these! Brownies with frosting are the BEST!

Deb in Hawaii said...

Great photos! These brownies were incredible and although brownies have never been my favorite thing, this recipe may have changed all that. ;-)

Allison @ Alli 'n Son said...

I bet you will never go back to boxed brownies again! I'm having so much fun cooking from Joy's book, I can't wait to see what recipe everyone picks for next week.

Cindy said...

I like the addition of brown sugar in the brownies. But I've never met a brownie I didn't like.

Couscous & Consciousness said...

I am a big brownie fan - I love them - but I've never had a brownie with frosting on. Looks amazing and I can't wait to try this.

Thanks so much for sharing this at Cookbook Sundays.

Sue :-)

Kim said...

So glad that you are part of this cookoff! These brownies are absolutely the best. Your frosting looks especially smooth and delicious.

Dwell on Joy said...

CHOCOLATE heaven!!! Thanks for sharing at Dwell on Fridays!

Run DMT said...

Joy ROCKS and so do you because the brownies look FANTASTIC!

I always made boxed brownies too until I made red velvet brownies with cream cheese icing over the holidays. first time I ever had frosted brownies too! Delicious! I can never eat a plain, unfrosted boring old boxed brownie again. Well, I probably could. After all, it is a BROWNIE! But I won't bake them!

Thanks for linking up and playing at Friday Food Fight! I hope to see you in the ring again this week!
http://deniseisrundmt.com/2012/02/24/chicken-sausage-gumbo/

Unknown said...

am i the only dumb-dumb who didn't make these browines!!! they look fantastic :)

Michelle B said...

These look familiar. LOL! Thanks for linking up with See Ya In the Gumbo. Hope to see you again!

Desi said...

@ Lea Ann - I'm not a fan of certain kinds of frosting. Sometimes cakes and cupcakes can have wayyyyy too much frosting. But this seriously is some good frosting. You've gotta try it!

@ Bo - Yours look perfect too! Love your photography!

@ MM - Aww schucks thanks for thinking I baked my butt off too :) I loved these brownies both warm and cold. Now you know that's a good brownie if you can eat it cold or warm!!

@ Deb - Thanks Deb your photos are amazing too!! Brownies didn't used to be one of my fave things but I seriously loved these!!