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Cakey Brownie with Frosting

I actually have the clipping from one of the old Quick Cooking magazines. I hadn't made it in years, but in October of 2020, I had such a taste for frosted brownies. I dug it up. I JUST misplaced it, like I had it in my TWO DAYS AGO, I set it...somewhere...so thank goodness I had already figured out a year ago that it was in the cookbook Taste of Home Winning Recipes. I remembered the blurb from the top of the clipping. Isn't that silly? Of all the things to remember.
The text reads that it should make "2 dozen brownies." If you cut them out all even, that's what you will get. We don't do that. We kind of dig in and cut ridiculous sizes of all kinds. But, if you were bringing them somewhere, that's the amount "they" consider a serving.
Tip: Don't slice brownies until you go to eat them, to keep them from getting dry.
This recipe is slightly adapted (I add salt to the frosting). See? Super slightly adapted. A minimal change.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 1 13 x 9 Pan

Equipment

  • 13 x 9 pan

Ingredients
  

For the Brownies:

  • 1 Cup PLUS 3 Tablespoons Butter, Cubed
  • 3/4 Cup Baking Cocoa
  • 4 Large Eggs
  • 2 Cups Sugar
  • 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
  • 1 1/2 Cups Flour
  • 1 teaspoon Baking Powder
  • 1 teaspoon Salt

For the Frosting:

  • 6 Tablespoons Butter, Softened
  • 2 2/3 Cup Powdered Sugar
  • 1/2 Cup Baking Cocoa
  • 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
  • 1/4 to 1/3 Cup Milk to achieve desired consistency.
  • 1 pinch Salt optional (I always add a pinch of salt to frosting)

Instructions
 

To Make the Brownies:

  • 350* oven. Grease a 13 x 9 pan (Pam for Baking with Flour or Baker's Joy work well).
  • Melt butter and stir in cocoa. Let cool while you proceed with the recipe.
  • In a large bowl, combine the eggs, sugar, and the vanilla extract.
  • In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and the salt. Slowly add to the creamed mixture.
  • Stir in the chocolate mixture and mix until only a few streaks of flour remain. Go slowly, combing the streaks in, and then stop! You don't want to overmix your brownie batter.
  • Spread in your prepared pan. Bake 25-28 minutes or until a toothpick near the center comes out clean (NOT a mushy, gushy mess). DO NOT test the center for zero crumbs or you will overbake your brownies. A center test should reveal a couple of dampened crumbs. Closer to the center should be clean.
  • Cool on a wire rack.

To Make the Frosting:

  • Using an electric mixer, a hand mixer, or a spoon; cream the butter, powdered sugar, cocoa, and the vanilla extract.
  • Pour the full amount of possible milk needed in the measuring cup, but then ONLY stir in the smaller amount (1/4 cup) to make sure you don't add more than you actually need. You want the frosting to be a thicker consistency, yet still spreadable. Add more milk as needed. You should not need more than the full amount of milk.
  • Let them cool completely before eating, as the flavor develops ("best NOT warm" as my cookbook notes say from October 12, 2020, but you do you. Give it a try, and see what you think).
Keyword Brownies, Frostings and Glazes