Cake-like Brownies with Fudge Frosting

My husband loves brownies.

This is a fact that I was not made aware of until a few weeks ago when he casually mentioned it in passing.  How did I not know this?  In all the times I have asked for suggestions on what to make, brownies never made the list, so I naturally had no idea that they made his giant (he's 6'7") heart happy.

I used to make brownies from scratch all the time when I was a teenager...actually, probably more of a pre-teen.  In college, it was far easier to use a mix, and I had a roommate who loved the Betty Crocker Fudge Brownies, so it was easy to avoid making them the long way.

While I prefer a fudgier brownie, these cake-like ones are suuuper good.  They are dense, and I highly recommend them with the frosting and a tall glass of milk (which, considering I don't even like milk, speaks of their rich, chocolatey nature).

Cake-like Brownies with Fudge Frosting

Ingredients:

Brownies:

4 oz. unsweetened chocolate
3/4 c. butter
1 1/2 c. sugar
2 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 c. flour
1/2 c. milk
3 eggs

Frosting:

4 oz. bittersweet chocolate
1/2 c. butter
4 c. powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 c. milk

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350.  Line a 13x9 pan with aluminum foil and spray lightly with cooking spray.

In a medium microwave-safe bowl, heat the unsweetened chocolate and butter until the butter melts, stir the butter/chocolate mixture until the chocolate has completely melted (additional microwave time may be needed).  Stir in the sugar, vanilla, eggs, and milk until all ingredients are fully incorporated.  Add the flour and mix until the batter comes together.

Pour the batter into your prepared pan.  Bake for 30-35 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.

Allow the brownies to cool before frosting.

To make the frosting, heat the butter and bittersweet chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl and mix until both ingredients are melted and smooth.  Whisk in the powdered sugar alternately with the milk and vanilla until you reach your desired consistency.

Spread over the cooled brownies.

Store in an air-tight container to preserve freshness.

Enjoy!