Cappuccino Brownies.

I am not a coffee drinker, unless said coffee is filled with lots of rubbish that is not ideal for daily drinking – think enormous amounts of sugar, heavy cream, syrups, and fabulous whipped toppings.

But, that doesn’t mean I’ll pass up coffee-flavored baked goods or ice cream. Those things are probably healthier than my choice of coffee-flavored beverage. So of course, I will indulge.

 

I made my from-scratch brownie recipe this weekend, without even thinking about adding a frosting. I usually don’t like my brownies frosted. I prefer the flaky, lightly crisp crust that forms on the top – it is the best part.

I have a jar of Trader Joe’s instant coffee. Don’t ask why. Just know that it is because I am infamous for buying things that I don’t need and will never use. Things like running shoes, a french press, and skinny jeans.

But I want to like coffee. All the cool kids like it. Why can’t I?

 

I decided the best way to start liking it would be to top these brownies with coffee-flavored frosting.

It ended up tasting more like a cappuccino, which is even better in my book.

This is the same brownie recipe that I used for the bailey’s brownies, and I don’t think it is even possible to choose a winner. They are both so delicious. What would be even more amazing is making the bailey’s brownies and topping them with this frosting.

 

So incredibly indulgent.

The best part of these brownies is that Mr. Moustache does share my dislike for coffee, but doesn’t share my love for coffee-flavored goodies, which meant he refused these.

I was actually in the process of making them on Sunday when he was upstairs lanscaping that gosh-awful thing on his face.

 

See, the world works in mysterious ways – I was already cooking things that he dislikes. It’s called karma.

 

 Brownies

1 stick unsalted butter

2-3 squares baking chocolate

2 cups sugar

2 eggs

1 cup flour

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350.

Melt butter and baking sqaures in a microwave safe bowl. In the mixing bowl, cream melted butter and chocolate mixture. Add in sugar and vanilla and beat until fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Add in eggs, beating one at a time. Add flour and stir just until combined. Fold in chocolate chips. 

Pour into greased 9 x 13 baking dish (I used a 10 x 10 square cake pan).  Bake for 35-45 minutes, or until just barely done. Cool before frosting.

 

Cappuccino Frosting

2 sticks of butter, softened

1 lb powdered sugar (or more if you want it thicker)

1/4 cup cocoa powder

1 tablespoon instant coffee powder

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Cream butter in an electric mixer. Add sugar, cocoa, and coffee gradually, until desired consistency is reached. Stir in vanilla extract. If frosting is too thick, add milk in 1 tablespoon increments to thin it out. If it is too thin, add more powdered sugar.

Spread on brownies once they have cooled.

 

 

Last night, in a voice that only resembled one of a 5-year old, Mr. Moustache opened the fridge and said ‘but…how do I make…things?’

He tried to bribe me with the promise of daily, 20-minute back massages, but I didn’t cave. He may act like a toddler at times, but his arthritic hands resemble those of an 80-year old. I knew that promise wouldn’t hold up.

Then he tried to remind me that he would starve. I thought I was the dramatic one in the family.

 

For now, I’m enjoying propping my feet up and watching mindless trash on TV while he makes dinners from bags after a long day of work. He must really love that ‘stache.

Tagged as: brownies, chocolate, recipes