For a 9×13 pan. This uses 2/3 of the original recipe for the cake portion (meant to be baked in an 11×17 pan); frosting is the original ratio, so 1/2 for the smaller pan size. These amounts are calculated out below.
Cake portion:
1 1/3 cups flour
1 1/3 cups white sugar
2/3 cup butter
2/3 cup strong coffee (I use instant)
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
1/3 cup buttermilk
1 egg
1/4 tsp salt
2/3 tsp baking soda
2/3 tsp vanilla extract
Frosting:
4 tbsp butter
1 tbsp unsweetened cocoa (or more?)
2 tbsp milk
1 3/4 cups powdered sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Making the cake:
Preheat oven to 400°F. Butter a 9×13-inch baking pan. It does not need to be deep; this is a flat cake.
Combine flour, salt and sugar in a mixing bowl.
Place the butter, coffee, and cocoa in a heavy saucepan. Stir and heat to boiling. Pour the boiling mixture over the flour and sugar in the bowl. Add the buttermilk, egg, baking soda and vanilla. Mix well using a wooden spoon, or with an electric mixer on high speed.
Pour into the prepared baking pan. Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until the brownies test done in the center.
Make the frosting:
While the brownies bake, prepare the frosting. Combine the butter, cocoa and milk in a saucepan and heat to boiling, while stirring.
Mix in the powdered sugar and vanilla and stir until smooth.
Pour the warm frosting over the cake as soon as you take it out of the oven. Cool, then cut into 24 bars.
To make less cake-like brownies:
Omit the baking soda to make a dense, rich, and flat brownie. These are very good, but may look alarming during baking. Mine bubbled up with several very large bubbles, which I pricked with a knife to deflate. I considered them done when the top didn’t appear moist. The end result was flat and very good.
2018