So what does a baker do to celebrate her 60th birthday? She bakes something
SHE really likes!!!
I found this little recipe gem on My Tasty Treasures last winter; she calls them Fudge Brownie Cups; I call them addictive!!! Donna frosts hers with melted Hershey's chocolate, but since I made these for my birthday, I frosted them with my all-time favorite chocolate cream cheese frosting. These little beauties are moist and chocolate-y and so easy to pop in your mouth. My son calls them "wicked good". Fortunately for me...as all bakers know, calories consumed on your birthday do not count!!!
2 sticks butter, room temperature
12 ounces semisweet chocolate chips1 + 1/3 cups firmly packed light brown sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
4 eggs
20 tablespoons flour
Lightly butter mini-muffin pans (I used Bakers Joy spray). Melt together, butter, semisweet chocolate and brown sugar in a pan over low heat, stirring constantly until mixture is smooth (*keep it as cool as possible).
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Remove from heat and beat in vanilla, then eggs, one at a time, stirring until well mixed. Fold in flour and blend well. (*let this batter sit for about 10 minutes before you bake it and it will be easier to work).
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Spoon one (*rounded) measuring teaspoonful into each spot. Bake in preheated 350F oven for 10 to 12 minutes (*my oven took exactly 11 minutes). Remove and cool completely.
NOTE: grease or spray pans between each batches of brownie cups. This recipe makes 60.
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CHOCOLATE CREAM CHEESE FROSTING
1/4 cup soft butter
1/2 cup baking cocoa
8 ounce cream cheese (room temperature)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 cups powdered sugar
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The butter needs to be really warm, but not melted. Stir the cocoa into the butter and mix well; whip in the cream cheese and add vanilla, scraping the sides of the bowl frequently so that you get a nice smooth butter-cocoa-vanilla-cream cheese mixture. Beat in the powdered sugar, one cup at a time, beating until really smooth in between each cup of powdered sugar.
