Sour Cream Brownies

Even though I have eaten a ton of sweets over the holidays I only need a short break before I start baking them again. I just love cookies, cakes, brownies, muffins, etc. I think you get the idea. When I was a teenager I could eat anything I wanted and NEVER gain an ounce. Now that I am middle aged (God, did I really just say that) I have to watch everything I eat. I don't think I realized how lucky I was. I was a walking string bean that could eat a box of devil dogs and not think twice about it. If anything, I had to eat a lot just to keep weight on me. Does that make you sick or what? Well those days are gone but the taste buds have stayed the same and so has the appetite. So here is a great recipe for brownies if you like ones that are cake-like. I was very surprised when I tasted them since I thought the sour cream would even make them more dense and moist but not so. They are moist but not dense. Maybe because the recipe calls for 2 eggs. I can't believe that I just typed that. There was a time when I would have absolutely no clue (or even speculate) as to why one recipe would make something moist and one would produce something more dry. I have really learned a lot since I started this blog last June and since reading all the food blogs that I do. But back to the brownies, they are very good as long as you expect them to have more of a cake texture. The frosting is pretty straight forward. Just a basic Hershey's cocoa frosting. Nothing difficult. Most of you probably have these ingredients right on hand, like I did. They are good and pretty simple. I found the recipe in a book called Favorite Brand Names - 100 Best Holiday Cookies. My husband found this on the discount rack at TJ Maxx (along with a few others).

Brownies

1 cup water

1 cup butter

3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 cups granulated sugar

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 (8 ounce) container dairy sour cream

2 eggs

Frosting

4 cups sifted powdered sugar

3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

1/2 cup butter, softened

6 tablespoons milk

1 cup chopped nuts (I omitted this)

For brownies, preheat over to 350 F. Grease 15x10x1 inch baking pan (jellyroll pan); set aside. Combine water, butter and cocoa in medium saucepan. Cook, stirring constantly, until mixture comes to a boil. Remove from heat; set aside. Combine flour, granulated sugar, baking soda and salt in medium bowl; set aside.

Beat sour cream and eggs at medium speed of electric mixer. Gradually add hot cocoa mixture, beating well. Blend in flour mixture; beat until smooth. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until brownies spring back when lightly touched. Cool completely in pan on wire rack.

For frosting: Combine powdered sugar and cocoa in a large bowl; set aside. Beat butter in medium bowl at medium speed of electric mixer until creamy. Add powdered sugar mixture alternately with milk, beating well after each addition. Spread over cooled brownies. Sprinkle nuts over frosting. (A coworker of mine told me instead of using milk when making the frosting, she uses coffee. I may try this. It sounds interesting).