Dark Chocolate Brownies

I'm late AGAIN!!!!  *Sigh*

Oh to be one of those who is always on time...or even early!  Some good friends of ours has a daughter who recently got engaged.  The engaged couple live in Florida but just came to Texas for an engagement party/wedding shower.  The photo on the right is a picture of the couple.  Aren't they cute together?!  Anyway, I told her mom that I would help her out with the party.  My plan was to go over to their house a little after lunch to help get the house ready for the party.  Well, my oldest son had a fever and I couldn't go anywhere.  I had to wait until my husband got home from work before I could leave.  Another issue with that was that I couldn't go to the grocery store to get ingredients to take a desert I said I would bring!  I took a look through my recipes and pulled out my trusty brownie recipe that has been my 'go to' recipe lately when I need something quick but don't have time to go to the store.  I originally found the recipe on allrecipes.com.  The bride really liked them and asked that I pass on the recipe to her.  So in honor of the bride... (Sing along.  You know you want to.) Here comes the brownieeeeeeees!  All dark and chocolatyyyyyyyyyyyy! ;-)

This is the word for word recipe as I found it, I will note my changes at the bottom.

Brownies

Prep Time: 25 Minutes; Cook Time: 25 Minutes; Ready in 50 minutes; Serves 16

1/2 cup butter

1 cup white sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

Frosting: 

3 tablespoons butter, softened

3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa

powder

1 tablespoon honey

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup confectioners' sugar

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).  Grease and flour and 8 inch square pan.
• In a large saucepan, melt 1/2 cup butter.  Remove from heat, and stir in sugar, eggs, and 1 teaspoon vanilla.  Beat in 1/3 cup cocoa, 1/2 cup flour, salt, and baking powder.  Spread batter into prepared pan.
• Bake in preheated oven for 25-30 minutes.  Do not overcook.
• To make frosting: Combine 3 tablespoons butter, 3 tablespoons cocoa, 1 tablespoon honey, 1 teaspoon vanilla, and 1 cup confectioners' sugar.  Frost brownies while they are still warm.

My tips for this recipe:

• I use dark chocolate cocoa powder vs. the regular.  (Have I ever mentioned that I dig chocolate?)
• When adding eggs, be sure that your egg whites don't cook in the hot butter.  Ew.  Just keep stirring them so they don't have time to sit.
• Mix your frosting while the brownies are baking so that it will be ready when your brownies are. =)
• In the frosting, I like to use tub margarine vs. butter.  It spreads and melts easier.  
• When adding the confectioners' sugar, don't dump the entire cup at once in your frosting.  Add a little bit at a time so that you don't pour too much sugar in.  Too much sugar will make it impossible to spread.  Trust me...I tried it. :-/   You know you have reached the right consistency when you can no longer drizzle it.
• I also like to add about a 1/2 teaspoon of almond extract to the frosting.  Yummmmm!

This recipe has been Nathan approved!