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This recipe for Fudgy Brownies is my favorite – one bowl and so easy! Topped with Orange Frosting made with mandarine oranges, these are The Best Orange Frosted Brownies you’ll ever eat!
Happy Easter everyone! I hope you’re having a relaxing Sunday with your family.
We got back last night from a couple of days in San Diego, visiting family. Another word for this trip: the Eating Extravaganza of 2013.
Let me give you a rundown:
We were traveling, so eating a danish at the airport was perfectly acceptable.
So was the bagel sandwich I scarfed at Einstein’s. {Why oh why is there no Einstein’s in Rocklin, CA?}
Then there were hamburgers and chips for dinner.
Friday – now that took the cake. We went out to breakfast with Mel’s dad.
We went to Il Fornaio for lunch.
And I was still hungry for a sandwich at dinner. And frozen yogurt.
We celebrated early Easter Saturday morning with cinnamon rolls and eggs. Which I washed down with two pork carnitas tacos at Old Town.
All interspersed with handfuls of Cadbury Mini Eggs.
Oh, and we went for brunch this morning.
My new name: Fatty McBuffet Pants.
I wore leggings for a reason. None of my pants fit.
So I’m going on a fast for the next week.
As long as the fast includes brownies, I’m good.
I am totally eating crow with these brownies, BTW. I have scoffed at the orange-and-chocolate combo for years. I remember seeing one of those orange chocolate shaped thingies at Christmas when I was like, 12 and thinking EW OMG NO WAY.
People. I was wrong. So very, very wrong.
Orange and chocolate are totally BFFs. Like, they need to get broken heart-shaped necklaces and wear matching color hair ties on their wrists because OMG they can’t live without each other and they have to proclaim their love to everyone.
Orange + Chocolate = Heaven.
This brownie recipe isn’t new. It’s my favorite Fudgy Brownie recipe, the one I paired recently with Coconut Frosting. The same brownies I stuffed truffles inside.
These brownies are rich and fabulous and sinful and the best ever. I use two kinds of melted chocolate and cocoa powder in these brownies for a richness you wouldn’t believe. They are pretty much one bowl and are better than a box. Yes, I said it. They are better than a box brownie.
They’re good even by themselves with a fork, but they are even better with Orange Frosting.
You can use any kind of orange for this frosting, but I used Cuties (mandarin oranges). I had a bag and they were going to go to waste since Jordan decided she won’t eat them. The juice is so fragrant my mouth waters every time I juice them. I don’t like eating oranges (I have texture issues and pulp is a #1 offender) but I like peeling Cuties just so my fingers will smell like them.
The frosting is a basic one: butter and powdered sugar and flavoring. I added orange juice and zest to flavor the frosting. And, my secret for the best frosting ever? Heavy cream. Not milk. Certainly not non-fat milk. The real deal: heavy whipping cream. Just a tablespoon or two makes the frosting rich, creamy, and oh-so-good.
Meh. I’ll start the fast on tomorrow. What’s one more day? 😉
The Best Orange Frosted Brownies
Ingredients
For the Brownies
- 2 ounces unsweetened baking chocolate , coarsely chopped
- 2 ounces semi-sweet baking chocolate , coarsely chopped
- 3/4 cup butter
- 1 3/4 cups sugar
- 3 eggs
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
For the frosting:
- 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 3 tablespoons fresh squeezed orange juice
- 1 tablespoon heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon orange zest
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9x13” pan with foil and spray with cooking spray.
- Place the two baking chocolates and butter in a large, microwave safe bowl. Heat on HIGH power for 2-3 minutes, stirring every 30 seconds, until chocolate is smooth. Stir in sugar. Add eggs, vanilla, and cocoa and stir well. Add flour and stir carefully.
- Spread batter in prepared pan. Bake about 25 minutes, until a toothpick 2 inches from the outside of the pan comes out clean. Let cool before cutting.
- To make the frosting, beat butter in a large bowl with a hand mixer until smooth. Slowly beat in powdered sugar until crumbly. Beat in orange juice, then heavy cream (not together).
- Spread frosting over the top of the cooled brownies.
Recipe Nutrition
Other brownie love:
Fudgy Brownies with Coconut Frosting
Sweets from friends:
Layered S’mores Brownies by Shugary Sweets
Microwave Brownie in a Cup by No. 2 Pencil
Better than Anything Caramel Stuffed Brownies
I was feeling like I need a laugh or at least a smile. So I came over here to do some catch up reading. You never disappoint 🙂
You’re sweet. I hope you’re still smiling. 🙂
Want. these. now! I seriously love chocolate and orange! Great recipe Dorothy!
Mackenzie 🙂
Thanks so much Mackenzie!
These look so good! I love a frosted brownie!
Thanks Ariene!
I, too, have a bag of iffy cuties sitting on the kitchen counter because my dear two year old suddenly decided he doesn’t like them. And I, too, should be eating crow over that whole chocolate/orange combo, thanks to a very successful batch of chocolate orange muffins a while back. The good news is that I think I would eat anything, crow included, if you smothered it in that beautiful frosting. I’ll be making these soon. Thanks for sharing!
LOL! I would too. 🙂 Thanks so much Abby!
Sounds delicious! I am with you on the love of those Christmas oranges!
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