Frosted Fudge Brownies

Yesterday afternoon Miss M was asking for sweets  (nothing new there!), since I was in the mood to bake something, I pulled out a cookbook and handed it to her. "Find some cookies and I'll see if we have the ingredients to make them." She picked Frosted Fudge Brownies from the Taste of Home's Contest Winning Annual Recipes 2005. (By the way, it's a pretty good cookbook, if you're in the market for one).

I'm not a huge brownie fan or even much of a chocoholic, but I had (almost) all the ingredients and was willing to give it a try. I was short an egg, but it didn't seem to matter too much. I was also out of powdered sugar, but since we were doing our fortnightly grocery shopping last night, I figured I'd just pick up some then and frost the brownies afterwards. Miss M loves running the electric hand mixer and she did well this time -- meaning she didn't fling batter all over the walls. She was very excited to announce that "we're making chocolate brownies, Daddy!" the minute hubby walked in the door.

If you like sickeningly over-sweet chocolate desserts, you might want to give this a try. They sure beat brownies from a box!

FROSTED FUDGE BROWNIES

• 1 cup plus 3 tablespoons butter


• 3/4 cup baking cocoa


• 4 eggs


• 2 cups sugar


• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour


• 1 teaspoon baking powder


• 1 teaspoon salt


• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Frosting

• 6 tablespoons butter, softened


• 2 2/3 cups confectioners' sugar


• 1/2 cup baking cocoa


• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract


• 1/4 to 1/3 cup milk

In a saucepan, melt butter. Remove from the heat. Stir in cocoa; cool. In a mixing bowl, beat eggs and sugar. Combine flour, baking powder and salt; gradually add to egg mixture. Stir in vanilla and the cooled chocolate mixture; mix well.

Spread into a greased 13" x 9" x 2" baking pan. Bake at 350°  for 25-28 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean (do not overbake). Cool on a wire rack.

For frosting, in a mixing bowl, cream butter, confectioners' sugar, cocoa, and vanilla. Add enough milk for the frosting to achieve spreading consistency. Spread over brownies. Cut into bars.