Mexican Brownies

My husband came home from work one day a few years ago and told me he'd had a really good dessert at an office potluck. His co-worker, Lisa, had made Mexican brownies. He raved about them all night. Finally, he asked me if I would make them for him sometime, if he was able to get the recipe from her.

I agreed, he got me the recipe (thanks, Lisa!), and it's been a favorite dessert of ours ever since. They're easy to make, and so rich and delicious. I made them again recently when Mike and I went over to our friends' place for dinner. My friend Kelly said they were the best brownies I'd ever made.

Brownie ingredients
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup unsweetened cocoa
1/2 tspn baking powder
1/2 tspn salt
1/2 tspn ground cinnamon
1 cup butter or margarine (2 sticks)
2 cups granulated sugar
4 large eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Coffee Frosting ingredients
1 tablespoon instant coffee powder or granules
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
3 tablespoons butter or margarine
1-1/3 cups confectioners sugar

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degree F. Grease 13 X 9 inch metal baking pan.

2. In medium bowl, combine flour, cocoa, baking powder, salt and cinnamon.

3. In a 3-quart saucepan, melt butter over low heat. Remove saucepan from heat and stir in granulated sugar. Stir in eggs, one at a time, until well-blended; add vanilla. Stir flour mixture into sugar mixture until blended. Spread batter evenly in prepared pan.

4. Bake brownies 25 to 30 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center of pan comes out almost clean. Cool completely in pan on wire rack.


5. When brownies are cool, prepare coffee frosting. In cup, disolve coffee in vanilla and 2 tablespoons of water; set aside. In 1-quart saucepan, heat brown sugar and butter over medium heat until mixture melts and bubbles, about 2 minutes. Remove saucepan from heat. With wire whisk, beat in coffee mixture and the confectioners sugar until blended and smooth.


6. With small metal spatula, spread warm frosting over cooled brownies. Let stand 20 minutes to allow frosting to set slightly. Cut brownies and serve.


Yum!


Source: Good Housekeeping (via Lisa)