Chocolate Fudge Brownies with Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
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Raise your hand if you were a teenager during the ’90s. I know there have got to be oodles of you out there. Ahh, the 90′s. When jeans were pegged. When flannel shirts were worn because grunge was the latest fad. When alt rock was the most popular type of music. When Beverly Hills 90210 was can’t-miss-TV. Before smartphones. Before Facebook. Before a completely wired world. A bit of a simpler time, yes? During my teenage years in the mid-90′s, I belonged to our church’s youth group. We’d get together a couple of Sunday nights a month and do youth group-y types of things. Sometimes it was serious and church-related. Sometimes it was flag football. Sometimes it was a service project. No matter what youth group activity was going on, there was one constant – Judi’s chocolate-frosted brownies. They showed up every week, without fail. Sometimes, though, Judi showed up late; when that happened she was immediately accosted by a mad throng of teenagers needing an immediate sugar fix. I have a ton of completely amazing memories from my time spent with youth group, and the friends I made there, but as memories tend to fade with time, the connection my brain makes with youth group and chocolate-frosted brownies is one that will forever stay with me. Therefore, I found it imperative to make this recipe as soon as I saw it.
Pretty much all of my life before and after those high school youth group years has been devoid of frosted brownies. You’d think that since I loved them so much, I would have taken it upon myself to bust open a box of brownie mix and a can of frosting and make it happen. (Those most certainly would have been the steps taken by 18-year-old me; I had yet to appreciate the joys of baking everything from scratch.) It never happened. Even after I began baking regularly, and through all of the brownie recipes that I’ve made, a light bulb never went off. It wasn’t until I was flipping through the Joy the Baker Cookbook and landed on the page with this recipe that my mind raced back nearly 20 years (ouch, that makes me feel really old). I was immediately taken back to Sunday nights in the church basement, with a throwaway tin foil pan of frosted brownies sitting on a table, being devoured square by frosted square.
Aside from the memories they evoke, I can’t tell you how utterly amazing these are. The brownie itself is rich and wonderfully moist, definitely fudge-like. And the frosting. Sweet, heavenly frosting. It’s chocolatey, sweet, smooth, creamy, and perfect in just about every possible way. Joy says that it’s her very favorite chocolate frosting. It might be mine now, too. This is the ultimate combination for anyone who’s a fan of brownies or chocolate frosting. And if you’re a fan of both? You’re in for one amazingly indulgent treat!
One year ago: Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup Ice Cream
Two years ago: Raisin Bran Muffins
Four years ago: Cheesecake Truffles
Chocolate Fudge Brownies with Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
Yield: 12 to 16 brownies
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 25 to 30 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes
Ingredients:
For the Brownies:
¾ cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup unsalted butter
3 ounces unsweetened chocolate
½ cup granulated sugar
½ cup light brown sugar
2 eggs
1 egg yolk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ cup semisweet chocolate chipsFor the Frosting:
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
¼ teaspoon salt
1¼ cups powdered sugar
1 tablespoon milk
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ cup heavy cream
3 tablespoons Ovaltine chocolate malt powderDirections:
1. Make the Brownies: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter an 8-inch-square baking dish and line with parchment paper, letting the excess hang over the edges. Butter the parchment paper; set aside.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside.
3. Bring about an inch of water to a simmer in a medium saucepan. Place a medium, heatproof bowl on top of the saucepan (do not let it touch the water) and add the butter and unsweetened chocolate. Stir occasionally, until the chocolate and butter are completely melted and smooth. Remove the bowl from the saucepan and whisk in the granulated and brown sugars. Whisk in the egg, the yolk, and the vanilla extract. Add the flour mixture all at once, and fold it into the chocolate mixture with a rubber spatula until combined. Fold in the chocolate chips.
4. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a thin knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool completely; meanwhile, make the frosting.
5. To Make the Frosting: Using an electric mixer, cream together the butter, cocoa powder, and salt on medium speed for about 3 minutes (mixture will be thick).
6. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add the powdered sugar. Mix on low speed to incorporate the sugar, and while the mixer is running, slowly add the milk and vanilla extract. Gradually increase the mixer speed to medium-high, beating until smooth, scraping the sides of the bowl as necessary.
7. In a 1-cup measuring cup, or in a small bowl, mix together the cream and the Ovaltine. Reduce the mixer speed to medium, and pour the cream mixture in a slow, steady stream and mix until thoroughly combined. You can add more powdered sugar a tablespoon at a time, if you would like a stiffer frosting.
8. Spread the frosting onto the cooled brownies, and cut into squares. Store brownies in an airtight container, or tightly wrapped, at room temperature for up to 5 days.
(Recipe adapted from Joy the Baker Cookbook)
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Brownies are amazing as is, but adding a buttercream frosting? You are a genius!
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I was a teenager in the 90s, but I actually long for the 80s. And now I’ll long for brownies with frosting until I have some.
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I was at an event with Joy and other bloggers a month or so ago and she made that frosting and we had a cupcake dipping/tasting party and it’s so good. I love chocolate buttercream and I bet your brownies are great!
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Mmm, the only way to make brownies better is to put buttercream on top! I want one.
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Wow, another great recipe to try!! Thanks for sharing!
I am also wondering if I can substitute cocoa for the ovaltine powder.. Thanks
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Michelle on April 26th, 2012 at 12:49 pm
Hi Samantha, I think that would probably work, but you might want to add an extra bit of sugar (go by taste), as the Ovaltine has sugar in it, but cocoa powder does not.
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I too have been eye-balling this recipe in Joy’s cookbook! They look great!
I was in a youth group as a teenager also…we didn’t have chocolate-frosted brownies, but one of the moms always brought brownies with mini-Reese’s cups pressed into them. Sooo delicious.
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Why must you do this too me? I swore I was going to be good today…
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Ahhhh the days of church youth group and being a teen in the 90′s
this recipe made me smile because everytime I had friends over when I was a teen my mom would bake a box of brownies and put canned chocolate frosting on top – my friends were always so impressed. Haha!
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Do not read this post in the morning, it will make you hungry for the rest of the day! But seriously, looks and sounds great!
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Wow that looks so good, I wish I could take a piece!
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The 90s were amazing, pegged pants and all. I wish I’d had these brownies back then!
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That frosting is so dang good – the perfect topping to some amazing looking brownies!
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Chocolaty chocolate with chocolate on top. Drooling..
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You must have a sweet tooth, two delicious dessert recipes in a row! These brownies look amazing!!! Yum!! I need me some chocolate!!
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These sound so yummy!! I love a good brownie.
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These look truly amazing! I could swim in the frosting. Great idea using Ovaltine! Wish I could say I was a teen in the 90′s, more like the 80′s. Had chuckle at pegged jeans! Brings me back.
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Nothing beats a classic. Fantastic!
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Great recipe Michelle! I love your presentation and photography. You have a way of making a very simple recipe look exquisite! On another note. I would very much like to make a recipe you have recently pinned and am having trouble with the quantity conversions. Wondering if you would consider a blog post on it, or if you could just let me know if you have tried it and had success. Any help would be greatly appreciated!ttp://greedygourmand.blogspot.com/2011/08/salted-caramel-vanilla-baked-cheesecake.html
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Michelle on April 26th, 2012 at 12:50 pm
Hi Jeri, I have not tried that one yet, but I will put it on my “to make ASAP” list, and share it here soon!
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Jeri Barry on April 26th, 2012 at 5:04 pm
Thanks Michelle…I love that you always respond to me so quickly. I look forward to seeing what you think of that recipe!
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Someone hold me. Chocolate chocolate chocolate – all topped with more chocolate! This is a perfect recipe for PMS Brownies if ever I did see one.
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I hit teenagerhood in 1997 and I went to youth group too! Sadly there were never any homemade brownies that I recall. I do recall that my fashion icon at the time was Joey from Dawson’s Creek.
These brownies look SO ridiculously amazing. I’ve never made brownies with frosting because it seems like brownies are so indulgent on their own!
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I was also a teenager during the 90s, but most of my favourite memories are from the 80s in Prep school when my best friend was a chubby Asian boy who could cook and always shared his lunch with me. Needless to say but my Mom’s wholesome packed lunch was either discarded or forgotten in my bag. He inspired me to love cooking and baking and whoever is in charge of kharma made sure that during high school my lunch was stolen by my friend daily.
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These look amazing! Nothing wrong with adding a little frosting to a brownie
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Those look so yummy and the serving platter is beautiful. I printed this so I can make it . Thank you for sharing your memory and this yummy recipe.
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Ohhh the 90s! I remember actually getting really excited to go through my dad’s closet and borrow his clothes… mostly his flannel shirts. Um, why I wanted to wear men’s clothing that was 10 times too big for me is beyond me, but I guess that was what the 90s were all about!
You know, I honestly don’t think I’ve had a frosted brownie since the 90s either. What happened to them?? These look incredible!
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The 90′s were awesome and so are these brownies! Man, I wish I had one or 3 of them right now!!
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I make brownies all the time but have never made them with frosting – these look luscious!
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Oh, the 90′s! These brownies used to be a staple in our house growing up! I might have to make them soon to bring back all those high school memories
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oh wow ! Its Mouth watering I wish I could take This
when will you invite for this delicious cake :p
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These look amazing!!!!
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I love when brownies are topped with chocolate buttercream, nothing makes chocolate better than some extra butter in top!
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UGH!! I had the final fitting on my gown for my daughter’s wedding next Friday, and the seamstress did it so that it’s very snug and figure-hugging. So I will just have to wait to try these. Believe me, I’d rather be baking them right now than all that needs to be done still. Can’t believe I’m going to be a mother-in-law. Can I run away and just bake with you for the next couple of weeks????
Seriously, the recipe looks awesome, and I’ll be trying them out after we return from Mexico.
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Michelle on April 26th, 2012 at 12:51 pm
Congratulations on your daughter’s wedding! I should hold a “runaway” baking retreat
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Cat on April 26th, 2012 at 11:04 pm
Michelle, just name the time and place, and I’m SO all over it! Thanks for the congrats.
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Now that’s some double trouble right there!
These look so wonderful. I, too, was a teenager in the 90′s… oh the memories…
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I could so eat most all of this brownie recipe right now. It looks just delicious.
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These brownies look amazing! My son wants brownies for his birthday.
The 90′s were such a magical time. A time when I spent far too much time looking for the Jordan Catalano to my Angela
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Michelle on April 26th, 2012 at 4:37 pm
Ahh, I love the My So-Called Life reference!
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With the frosting they’re obviously different, but how do these compare to the Baked brownie?
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Michelle on April 26th, 2012 at 4:39 pm
Hi Kara, They are very, very similar, although I would say that the Baked brownie is probably a little less thick, and richer. That being said, they are both unbelievably excellent!
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These look wonderful! Love the frosting!
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I want a brownie and a big one:)
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Ha! I wish I was a teenager in the 90′s. I’m dating myself when I tell you my kids were even out of their teens back then. Still, these brownies are timeless, not to mention delicious!
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Oh My Word! These look amazing!
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My sister would love this!
Gorgeous brownies and im sure they are decadent
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These sure do look fabulous! I haven’t frosted my brownies in a long time…I’ll have to change that soon!
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Made these last weekend, used a chocolate glaze on top so haven’t tried the frosting yet. Loved them! Especially cold from fridge!
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I just used your brownie recipe to make malted chocolate brownie fudge ice cream. Heaven served on a spoon. Thank you! If you’re curious, I’ll have the post up soon. Have finally decided to enter the world of food blogging and am a HUGE fan of your site.
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I hate to admit it, but my teenage years spanned the late 70′s and early 80′s. Life was really uncomplicated then, 8 track tapes, big hair, …. you get the picture. Brownies speak to the teenagers in all of us, regardless of our age. These look delicious and I will definitely plan on making them. I only wish I had my teenage metabolism, so I could devour the whole pan without guilt.
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Oh man I was a teenager during the 90s and some of my best memories are of church youth group.
My mom makes brownies like this and they are so great!
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Chocolate brownies + chocolate frosting is a weakness of mine. I’d rather have this for my birthday than any cake in the world.
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These totally remind me of the 90′s and the brownies that my mom used to make! I whipped up a batch last night, and they were delicious. Thanks for a trip down memory lane, BEB!
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I was a teenager of the 70′s, not the 90′s, and my mom made oatmeal cookies, never brownies. I wish she had. I loved those cookies but I would’ve rather had brownies. She baked cookies, otherwise we went to the local bakery for cakes and bread. If there were no cookies, than she wold give us a dollar and tell us to go down the street and buy ourselves somethng (me and my sister).
I love foods that evoke memories. I had an incident like that yesterday -at a Chinese buffet. I took a Shrimp Toast and it brought me right back to 1969 and the local cantonese Chinese restaurant.
These brownies look perfect. Thanks for the recipe.
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Have you tried these without baking powder?
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Michelle on May 11th, 2012 at 11:20 pm
Hi Michael, No, I haven’t.
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Just an FYI for anyone who has read through these posts and made it down to the end-
I just made the frosting for these brownies. Except I tried using it on cupcakes. Bad idea. This frosting is ideal for a dessert like brownies, it’s light and buttery, but the consistency is still fairly soft because it doesn’t need to stand on its own. So needless to say, I thought I knew better and tried it on cupcakes and it doesn’t work! I will attempt the best chocolate buttercream for cupcakes recipe next time. DUH…
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Hey! I love that cake stand! Where did you buy it??? Also, I am a big fan of all your recipes! I just made your peanut butter rice krispie treats last night! YUM!
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Michelle on May 26th, 2012 at 3:56 pm
Thank you, Krista! I actually got it at TJ Maxx!
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I made this today, and OMG it was amazing. Thank you for a truely great recipe! =)
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these look amazing! would you double it if using a 9 x 13″ pan? How long would you bake it for?
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Michelle on June 25th, 2012 at 11:45 pm
Hi Marcy, Yes, you could double this and bake it in a 9×13-inch pan. I would check it at the same time as the recipe indicates, maybe 5 minutes sooner just to be safe.
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I made these yesterday and loved them! I substituted cocoa powder & oil for the baking chocolate and half and half for the cream (didn’t want to make an extra trip to the store). The frosting was thinner than I was expecting, but it set up overnight. I don’t think I’ll change anything the next time I make them – good stuff!
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can you make these ahead of time and freeze them?
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Michelle on June 25th, 2012 at 11:45 pm
Yes, I don’t see why not.
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I made these brownies last night and they are spectacular! So fudgy… so magically delicious. These are my new favorite brownie! I paired it with Bon Appetit’s Mocha Mascarpone Frosting and it made for a fantastic combination. These were loved by all and will be made often. Thank you, Michelle!
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Hugs and blessings!
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Hi, i really want to make these tonight for New Year’s, but i was wondering if it was possible to use semi-sweet baking chocolate instead of unsweetened?
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Michelle on December 31st, 2012 at 5:54 pm
Hi Astrid, If you don’t use unsweetened, the brownies will probably be a little too much on the sweet side. I would use the darkest chocolate you have if you can’t use unsweetened, but I really do recommend unsweetened.
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I made these and loved, loved them. The frosting — I could just eat a bowl of it with a spoon. I plan on trying this frosting with your dark chocolate cupcakes this weekend!
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