Chocolate Fudge Brownies with Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

By Foodiewife

Ingredients

• CHOCOLATE FUDGE BROWNIES
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
• 3 ounces unsweetened chocolate
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 large egg yolk
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
• THE BEST CHOCOLATE BUTTERCREAM FROSTING
• 3/4 cup (1-1/2 sticks) unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2-1/2 to 3 cups powdered sugar, sifted
• 2 tablespoons milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• scant 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1/3 cup Ovaltine

Details

Adapted from wiveswithknives.net

Preparation

Step 1

BROWNIES;
Place a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. 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 to 30 minutes. Bake until a skewer inserted in the center of the bornies comes out clean. Remove from the oven and cool completely before frosting.
CHOCOLATE BUTTERCREAM FROSTING
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 2-1/2 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 and 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!).

Notes

The full frosting recipe makes enough to frost one 2-layer 8-inch or 9-inch cake or 24 cupcakes. I made 1/2 the recipe to frost brownies.

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.