Mint and fudge frosting

Mint frosting:

1 1/2 cups butter, softened
4 cups powdered sugar
2 tablespoons milk
1/4-1/2 teaspoon pure peppermint oil
a few drops of green food coloring (optional)

Beat butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Gradually add powdered sugar beating until light and fluffy. Add milk, oil and food coloring (if using), and beat until you reach spreading consistency. Add more milk as needed in teaspoonfuls.

Spread on the cooled cake brownies and put in the fridge to harden the frosting up so you can easily spread the fudge frosting below.

No-Cook Fudge Frosting

4 3/4 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/3 cup boiling water (may need a bit more to reach spreading consistency)
1 teaspoon vanilla

Combine powdered sugar and cocoa powder. Add butter, boiling water and vanilla. Beat with an electric mixer on low speed till combined. Beat for 1 minute on medium speed. Cool for 20-30 minutes or until it reaches spreading consistency.

The longer you beat the frosting, the less fudgy it will become so add enough water early on that it will be easy to spread over the mint frosting.

Mint brownies

It's not lack of baking that has caused such a long pause between posts, just lack of time. But things should be slowing down after this week...I've had three birthday parties to do, a bridal shower, a spring break trip and this week a wedding, finally.

Since Millie doesn't yet have a favorite cake I chose for her and made mint brownies. She's a frosting girl anyway, so it didn't really matter what I made so long as it had frosting.

First for the cake brownies:

1 1/4 cups sugar
3/4 cup butter
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup milk
1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)


1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Grease a 15x10x1-inch baking pan (I used more like a 9x13); set aside.
3. In a pan heat sugar, butter and cocoa powder over medium heat till butter melts, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Add eggs and vanilla. Using a wooden spoon, beat lightly just till combined.
4. Combine flour, baking powder and baking soda. Add flour mixture and milk alternately to chocolate mixture, beating after each addition. Stir in nuts, if using.
5. Pour batter into prepared baking pan. Bake for about 20 minutes (may be longer with a 13x9 pan) or until a toothpick comes out clean.
Cool completely before frosting. (see next post)


For a printable version of the brownies and frosting, click here.