The Pioneer Woman Cooks (71 page)

10. While the cake is baking, make the icing:

Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat. (I just wash out the same one I used for the cake. Makes me feel responsible and productive.)

11. Add the cocoa powder and stir until smooth.

12. Add the milk and vanilla…

13. And powdered sugar. Stir together.

14. Dump in the chopped pecans and stir until well combined.

15. Immediately after removing the cake from the oven, pour the warm icing over the top. You’ll want to avoid doing much spreading, so try to distribute it evenly as you pour.

Please make this cake today. I don’t want you to live another day without it.

VARIATIONS: For a child’s birthday, omit pecans in the icing. Serve the cake with a large bowl of M&M’s and allow kids to decorate it themselves.

This recipe can also be made into cupcakes: Just fill muffin tins a little less full with the batter than you normally would so the baked cupcakes remain below the upper rim. That way, the thin icing can be poured right into each tin.

MOCHA BROWNIES

Makes 16 brownies

Brownies, brownies, brownies. There are so many different recipes for brownies, it makes my head spin around, fall onto the floor, and roll down the street. Do you like your brownies fudgy? Cakey? Moist? Crackly? Crumbly? Do you use any ol’ baking chocolate, or do you break out the big guns and buy the top-of-the-line stuff from San Fran? Or do you use cocoa powder instead? Or do you just throw up your hands and buy a box mix?

Me? I don’t like to overthink it. I just want some brownies, okay? These from-scratch brownies are delicious—even more so when you top them with Mae’s Mocha Icing and chill them before serving.

And call me excessive, but I like to really lay the icing on thick so that it’s almost as thick as the brownies themselves. I apologize to all mankind!

BROWNIESFour 1-ounce squares unsweetened chocolate½ pound (2 sticks) butter2 cups sugar4 large eggs3 teaspoons pure vanilla extract1¼ cups all-purpose flourMAE’S MOCHA ICING½ pound (2 sticks) butter, softened5 cups powdered sugar¼ cup cocoa powder¼ teaspoon salt3 teaspoons pure vanilla extract½ to ¾ cup brewed coffee, cooled to room temperature

1. Preheat the oven to 325ºF. Spray an 8-inch square baking pan with nonstick baking spray.

2. To make the brownie batter, place the chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl.

3. Melt the chocolate in the microwave in 30- second increments, being careful not to let it burn. Set it aside to cool slightly.

4. In a medium mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar. Beat in the eggs.