These cake brownies are the best of both worlds—a creamy, rich no-cook chocolate frosting tops the moist brownie base. The frosting is optional, but it makes these treats a standout dessert. Make a pan of these to have on hand when chocolate cravings hit. You'll want a scoop of ice cream on the side. They'll keep in the fridge for a few days, if you have any left. Here's how to make them, plus a few tips for delicious results.
Tips for Making Cake Brownies
Use these tips as a guide for making a pan of chocolatey Cake Brownies.
- A 15x10x1 pan is also known as a jelly roll pan. It’s a large rimmed baking sheet that is smaller than a standard half baking sheet, which is about 18x13x1.
- Alternate adding the dry ingredients and milk to the batter as the recipe suggests to avoid over mixing.
- Let the cake cool in the pan on a wire rack for about an hour before frosting it to avoid tearing the cake.
- To cut the frosted cake into neat squares, use a clean, sharp knife dipped into warm water before each slice. Wipe the blade and dip into warm water for each remaining slice.
Ingredients
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¾ cup butter
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1 ¼ cup sugar
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½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
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2 eggs
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1 teaspoon vanilla
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1 ½ cup all-purpose flour
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1 teaspoon baking powder
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¼ teaspoon baking soda
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1 cup milk
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1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
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1 recipe No-Cook Fudge Frosting
No-Cook Fudge Frosting
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4 cup powdered sugar
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½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
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½ cup softened butter
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⅓ cup boiling water
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1 teaspoon vanilla
Directions
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Combine First Five Ingredients
Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 15x10x1-inch baking pan; set aside. In a large microwave-safe bowl microwave butter on 100 percent power (high) for 1-1/2 to 2 minutes or until melted. (Or melt butter over medium heat in a medium saucepan; remove from heat.) Stir in sugar and cocoa powder until combined. Add eggs and vanilla. Using a wooden spoon, beat lightly just until combined.
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Add Remaining Ingredients
In a small bowl stir together flour, baking powder, and baking soda. Add flour mixture and milk alternately to chocolate mixture, beating after each addition. Stir in walnuts.
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Bake and Frost
Spread batter evenly in the prepared pan. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in pan on a wire rack. Spread cooled brownies with No-Cook Fudge Frosting. Cut into bars.
No-Cook Fudge Frosting
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Combine Ingredients
In a large mixing bowl stir together powdered sugar and unsweetened cocoa powder. Add softened butter, boiling water, and vanilla. Beat for 1 minute with an electric mixer on medium speed. If necessary, let cool about 20 minutes or until frosting reaches spreading consistency. If frosting is too thick, beat in boiling water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until frosting reaches spreading consistency.
Place bars in a single layer in an airtight container; cover. Store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
| 146 | Calories |
| 7g | Fat |
| 19g | Carbs |
| 2g | Protein |
| Nutrition Facts | |
|---|---|
| Servings Per Recipe 48 | |
| Calories 146 | |
| % Daily Value * | |
| Total Fat 7g | 9% |
| Saturated Fat 3g | 15% |
| Cholesterol 23mg | 8% |
| Sodium 72mg | 3% |
| Total Carbohydrate 19g | 7% |
| Total Sugars 15g | |
| Protein 2g | 4% |
| Calcium 40.4mg | 3% |
| Iron 0.5mg | 3% |
| Potassium 27mg | 1% |
| Folate, total 4mcg | |
| Vitamin B-12 0.1mcg | |
| Vitamin B-6 0mg | |
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.