Mocha Brownies with Coffee Frosting

Mocha Brownies with Coffee Frosting

Prep Time: 20 Minutes Cook Time: 25 Minutes Ready In: 1 Hour 15 Minutes Servings: 48

"Moist and very chocolaty brownies have a coffee frosting for a sophisticated version of the beloved treat."

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 cup shortening 1/2 cup butter 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder 2 cups white sugar 4 teaspoons instant coffee granules, or more to taste 1 tablespoon hot water 4 large eggs 1 cup all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons vanilla extract 1/2 teaspoon salt Frosting: 1/2 cup butter, softened 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 2 cups confectioners' sugar 1 tablespoon instant coffee granules 1 1/2 tablespoons milk

DIRECTIONS:

1.	Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9x13-inch baking pan.
2.	Melt shortening and 1/2 cup butter in a small pan over low heat; pour melted mixture into a mixing bowl. Stir cocoa into butter mixture until well combined, followed by sugar. Dissolve 4 teaspoons instant coffee with hot water in a small bowl; stir into cocoa mixture. Whisk eggs into batter, one at a time, beating each egg in thoroughly before adding the next. Stir flour, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, and salt into batter just until moist. Pour batter into prepared baking pan.
3.	Bake brownies in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with moist crumbs, 25 to 30 minutes. Cool completely.
4.	Beat 1/2 cup softened butter with 1 teaspoon vanilla extract in a bowl. Add confectioners' sugar to mixture and beat until creamy using an electric mixer on medium speed. Dissolve 1 tablespoon instant coffee with milk in a small bowl; add to frosting. Increase mixer speed to high and beat until light and fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes. Frost cooled brownies.

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Key Lime Whoopie Pies

I have a little guy home from school this week because he’s sick.

It’s a little introduction into summer break for me.

I thought I was ready.

I’m not ready.

The endless episodes of Pokemon on a loop…the eating….ALLTHEEATING…the “Can blah blah blah come over?”…the “sleeping in” which is a made up imaginary thing…because my kids seem to like to get up EARLIER on days when they have no school…major fail kids…and the in and out, in and out, in and out…

Don’t get me wrong, I love the bejeezus out of my kids.   But I straight lock my doors when they go outside anymore.

Because without a doubt 2 minutes after they go out, they will be back in.

And then out.

And thennnn back in.

I air condition my back deck, which is really not expensive at all…

So yeah, summer break for us is almost here (I know a lot of you having been dealing with all the things for a few weeks already) and even though I thought I was ready, I’m starting to second guess my sanity.

Pray for me.

And then make these Key Lime Whoopie Pies.

The end.

As you know, I am addicted to Key Lime anything.  Here are some of my past recipes.

Luckily lime is fruit, so I feel 1/8 less guilty about it.

Also these whoopie pies are basically an inside-out cupcake.  Did I just invent something?  An inside-out cupcake?  Don’t google that, I call dibs.

Let’s start.

Get a box of cake mix.  Add some oil, water and eggs…oh and also a cup of graham cracker crumbs…

Mix that up for a minute or so.It’ll get thick and pretty.

On a parchment lined baking sheet, spoon batter into circles about two inches apart…

They’ll bake up nice and domey!

While they’re cooling, go ahead and make your filling.

Start by zesting a few limes…

Then add that into some cream cheese, powdered sugar and key lime juice…I used a piping bag for easy filling…

And squish the filling between 2 cookies…I dipped half of each sandwich into some extra graham cracker crumbs.

I was feeling fancy.

I might have eaten 13 of these.  So good.

Key Lime is in the air over at Confessions of a Cookbook Queen too!  Hop over and check out Kristan’s Key Lime Eclairs… how good do those sound?!

Key Lime Whoopie Pies

Ingredients

Cookie
• 1 box yellow cake mix (or vanilla)
• 1 cup graham cracker crumbs
• 1/2 cup canola oil
• 1/2 cup water
• 3 eggs
Filling
• 1 (8 oz) block cream cheese, room temperature
• 4 cups powdered sugar
• 1 Tbsp Lime Zest (about 2 limes)
• 3 Tbsp Key Lime Juice (about 2 limes)
• *optional ~ graham cracker crumbs for garnish

How to Make

1. Preheat oven to 350°
2. Line baking sheet with parchment paper.
3. In mixing bowl combine cake mix, graham crumbs, oil, water and eggs. Stir to combine and then beat on medium high for 1 minute.
4. Drop batter (approx 2 Tbsp) onto lined baking sheet, 2 inches apart.
5. Bake 9-11 minutes until set and edges are lightly golden. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
6. For filling combine cream cheese, powdered sugar, zest and lime juice in bowl of stand mixer. Mix on low until ingredients combine, Turn mixer up to medium and beat for 1 1/2-2 minutes until smooth and creamy.
7. Fill whoopie pies with about 2 Tbsp of filling.
8. Garnish edges with graham cracker crumbs if desired.

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