A couple days ago, my family and I were all sitting in the living room watching TV when we heard this really loud music creeping closer and closer to the house. We paused our TV show and looked around at each other confusedly, only to see a random man on a motorcycle pull into my neighbor’s driveway blasting Beach Boys.
Seriously. Riding a freakin’ Harley and blasting – and I mean blasting – the Beach Boys. What kind of sick joke was this?
Like you can’t even blast AC/DC or Metallica? Something a little more blast-worthy? Beach Boys are more like distorted music that plays on a beach pier or as background music at a Hawaiian-themed restaurant. They’re hardly Harley Davidson-worthy music. But I digress.
It instantly reminded me of back when we lived at our old house in another neighborhood, we had this neighbor who, without fail, would blast ‘Baby Love’ by The Supremes every single time he arrived home. No joke. He was easily in his mid-fifties and was super macho – dude would bench press a ton in his garage regularly – but we’d be minding our own business when our ears would fill with Diana Ross and we’d instantly know our neighbor was home the second we heard her crooning ‘Baby Love.’
I wondered, did he only have one CD in his Jeep which only contained the song ‘Baby Love’? How come we never heard any other Supremes songs? Perhaps ‘Baby Love’ was his ultimate favorite, or maybe the CD skipped every other track except Baby Love. Maybe his CD player got the Supremes CD stuck inside of it and would only play Baby Love. The world may never know, but now when I hear that sweet song, I instantly think of my wrinkly, yolked-up neighbor.
It’s awesome.
Anywho. This has nothing to do with these Fudgy Frosted Brownies but I’ll pretend like it does. Maybe these macho men who have a strange, feminine preference in music like fudgy frosted brownies? God only knows. But there’s nothing wrong with liking these brownies – they’re absolutely incredible, SO FUDGY, and totally rich. It’s like eating a piece of sugary fudge with frosting on top.
And that’s seriously awesome.
*adapted from my Best Ever Fudge Brownies recipe
Fudgy Frosted Brownies
Ingredients
- 1¼ cups unsalted butter
- 3 cups white sugar
- 1 Tbsp vanilla extract I recommend a high-quality vanilla like a Madagascar Bourbon
- 5 eggs
- 1 tsp salt
- 2¼ cups all-purpose flour
- ½-1 tsp instant espresso powder optional but recommended for a flavor boost; start with ½ tsp for a deeper flavor and use 1 tsp if you want something stronger
- 12 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips or baking bar roughly chopped
- 4 oz unsweetened chocolate chips or baking bar roughly chopped
- FOR FROSTING:
- 1/4 cup butter softened
- 1/4 cup cocoa powder
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2-4 Tbsp heavy cream if needed
- About 2-3 cups powdered sugar
- Chocolate candy pieces or rainbow sprinkles
Instructions
- First, make your brownies. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Liberally grease a 13x9" baking pan with cooking spray and set aside. In a large bowl, melt the butter and chocolate together. You can either do this in a microwave-save bowl in the microwave, heating at 45-second increments, stirring after each round until smooth, or you can do it in a glass bowl over a pot of simmering water, like a double-boiler method (just make sure the water is not touching the bottom of the bowl). I did the microwave method and it worked just fine.
- NOTE: if you are using baking bars (such as Baker's), break them up into individual, segmented pieces before melting. This helps expedite the melting process and make for a smooth batter.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat together the sugar, eggs and vanilla with the paddle attachment until creamy, about 2 minutes. Add in the chocolate butter mixture until smooth. Then, add in the flour, espresso powder (if using) and salt until a soft yet thick batter has formed.
- Spread the batter evenly into the prepared pan. Bake for approximately 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out with moist crumbs (not super wet). Brownies will be very fudgy. Do not overbake, as brownies WILL continue to cook and set up once they cool. Allow to cool completely.
- Once cooled, make your frosting: In a large bowl, combine the butter, cocoa, and vanilla. Stir until smooth. Gradually add powdered sugar, about a cup at a time, stirring well after each addition. Add heavy cream only if necessary to thin out frosting. Frosting is done when it is thick yet spreadable.
- Spread evenly over cooled brownies and garnish with rainbow sprinkles or candy pieces. Allow to set for about 40 minutes before cutting into squares to serve.
These brownies are so impossibly fudgy! I know you and your family will adore them!!
Have a super sweet day!
xo, Hayley
Erin @ Miss Scrambled Egg says
Oh, people and their strange tastes in music. Recently, I drove in the car with an acquaintance and the first song on my shuffle music was “I Got Five On It”. She told me she didn’t peg me for a rap fan. Hahaha. To each his own! These frosted brownies look scrumptious. I have not seen those little rainbow candies in forever. I used to love them.
thedomesticrebel says
Lol! I guess music tastes vary very much depending on the person, huh? Haha!
SaraLily says
Oh my heavens! These remind me of those cosmic brownies kids got in their lunchboxes. I say kids because I certainly never got them (thanks, Mom!). Maybe I’ll make these and eat every last one to spite her! 😉
thedomesticrebel says
SaraLily perfect time to make up for lost time!!
Liz says
Oh, my gosh. These are a must make at my house. The family has never met a frosted brownie they didn’t love. And these are over the top!!!
thedomesticrebel says
Totally over the top, Liz, and worth every bite!! Thanks friend 🙂
Amy @ What Jew Wanna Eat says
Frosting on brownies and sprinkles!!! Insane!
thedomesticrebel says
Thanks Amy!!
Renee @ Awesome on 20 says
The Beach Boys are often underrated and had a highly innovative, creative period around the Pet Sounds era. Still, I can see why you wouldn’t expect it from a biker. I would happily eat these brownies while listening to God Only Knows.
thedomesticrebel says
Renee, I think it was more the shock of a biker listening to Beach Boys, haha 🙂
neela manogar says
This recipe sounds amazing. I absolutely love these brownies.
thedomesticrebel says
Thanks Neela!
June @ How to Philosophize with Cake says
Boy do those look fudgy! Such a great nostalgia-inducing treat 🙂
thedomesticrebel says
Thanks June! It totally reminds me of my childhood too 🙂
Kelly - Life Made Sweeter says
These gorgeous brownies would make this slow week so much better! Love the frosting and sprinkles!
thedomesticrebel says
Thanks so much Kelly!! This week HAS been slow, so these brownies definitely make it better!
Laura @ Laura's Culinary Adventures says
If I could only eat one dessert for the rest of my life, it would probably be fudgy brownies. So yummy!
thedomesticrebel says
Laura – I think I agree with you! These would be the ultimate lifetime dessert 😀
Julianne @ Beyond Frosting says
DUDE. These brownies! OMG!
thedomesticrebel says
Thanks Julianne 🙂
Diana says
Everything on your blog looks so yummy! I’m glad that I found your blog!! x
thedomesticrebel says
Thanks so much, Diana!! xoxo!
Kayle (The Cooking Actress) says
now I’m picturing Bruce Willis on the ep of Friends where he sings “Love Machine” heheheeee
and girl these brownies are classic and look SOO danged fudgilicious!!!!
thedomesticrebel says
Super fudgilicious! Thanks Kayle 🙂