Joy's Fudge Brownies with Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

Obviously I have been living under a rock, since I had not even heard of Joy the Baker until last month...when I was invited to participate in a Cookbook Spotlight & Cook-Off to promote her new soon to be released cookbook, Joy the Baker Cookbook:100 Simple and Comforting Recipes.  I didn't even look at her blog until after my copy of the book arrived.  I just committed to this blindly, but now I'm one of Joy's fans!

Now I don't really consider myself a baker...Some things I do well...biscuits, muffins, boxes of brownie mix, Pillsbury crescent rolls...But then other things not so good...crimping a pie crust edge and anything involving frosting.  So this week we had a choice of making Flax Seed and Black Pepper Crackers or brownies with chocolate buttercream or both.  Flax seed anything sounds too healthy for me, so I opted for the brownies even though they have FROSTING!

And I must say these were the richest, most decadent brownies I have ever eaten.  Yes...the frosting looks a HOT MESS as expected, but it tasted wonderful and that is all that matters.

Fudge Brownies with Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

adapted from Joy the Baker Cookbook

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick)

3 oz unsweetened chocolate

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 cup granulated sugar

2 large eggs

1 large egg yolk

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips

1/2 recipe The Best Chocolate Buttercream Frosting, recipe follows

Place a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees.  Grease and flour an 8-inch square baking dish and set aside. (I lined nonstick foil so I could lift it easily from the pan)  In a bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside.  In a medium sauce pan bring 2 inches of water to a boil.  In a medium heatproof bowl, add the 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 a top the simmering water.  Whisk in both the brown and granulated sugars.  Whisk in the eggs, egg yolk, and vanilla.  Add the flour mixture, all at once.  Fold together with a spatula until well incorporated.  Fold in the chocolate chips.  Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake at 25 to 35 minutes.  Bake until a skewer inserted in the center of the brownies comes out clean.  Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely before frosting.  Frost with a half recipe of The Best Chocolate Butter Cream.

The Best Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

3/4 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1/2 tsp salt

2 & 1/2 to 3 cups powdered sugar, sifted

2 tbs milk

1 tsp vanilla extract

scant 1/2 cup heavy cream

1/3 cup Ovaltine powder (I used Chocolate Malt)

In the bowl of a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream together the butter, cocoa powder, and salt.  The mixture will be very thick, cream for about 3 minutes on medium speed.  Turn off the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl.  Turn the mixer on low to incorporate the sugar while adding the milk and vanilla.  As the sugar incorporates, gradually increase the mixer speed to medium-high, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary.  Beat until smooth.  In 1-cup measuring cup, stir together the cream and Ovaltine.  Turn the mixer to medium, and pour in the cream in a slow steady stream until the frosting reaches your desired consistency.  The frosting should be smooth, creamy, and spreadable.  Add more powdered sugar to adjust the consistency.  Spread or pipe onto cooled cakes or cupcakes.  The frosting will keep for up to 5 days well wrapped in the refrigerator.

Joy's note: Putting the frosting in the fridge for about 30 minutes makes it harden just a little and makes it easier to spread as frosting.

*This post is part of the Joy the Baker Cookbook Spotlight and Cook-Off sponsored by Hyperion and hosted at girlichef*