It's a Brownie Kind of Day

I haven't baked anything in a while, have I? I thought it was about time, and what's better than a chocolaty  brownie? (Nothing, that's what).  This is a recipe for a basic brownie that I threw together after some experimentation.  It gets a nice crust around the edges (totally the best part, right?) and stays nice and moist on the inside. I don't like fudgy brownies, myself, so these hover somewhere between fudgy and cake-like. If you like yours even more cake-like, add an extra egg.

What You'll Need

Supplies

Large mixing bowl                                                          Measuring cups

Small mixing bowl                                                           Measuring spoons

Mixing spoon                                                                   13 x 9 inch casserole dish

Whisk                                                                              Cooking spray

Butter knife

Ingredients

2 sticks butter                                                                  2/3 cup cocoa powder

1 cup sugar                                                                      1 cup flour

1 cup light brown sugar                                                  1/2 tsp salt

4 eggs                                                                              1/2 tsp baking powder

2 tsp vanilla

Now Let's Make Brownies!

Start by preheating your oven to 350F.

Mmmm, buttah!

Unwrap your two sticks of butter (that's 8 oz or 1 cup in case you were wondering) and cut them into pieces into your large mixing bowl. Place the bowl in the microwave and melt the butter. About 45 - 60 seconds should do the trick; just watch it carefully and remove it if it starts making popping noises. Set aside.

Crack four eggs into the small mixing bowl. Remove any stray shell and whisk the eggs together until the yolks and the whites are blended. Add the eggs to the butter.  Measure 1 cup of sugar and add it to the butter.  Next, measure 1 cup of light brown sugar, making sure to pack the sugar into the measuring cup; add it to the butter.  Take your spoon and mix the butter, eggs, and sugars together until they are completely blended. The eggs will resist slightly, but you don't want any areas where the ingredients are still separated (put those eggs in their place).

 Click photos to enlarge!

Measure 2/3 cup of cocoa powder, 1 cup flour, 1/2 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp baking powder, adding each to the large bowl as you go.  Mix the ingredients together thoroughly. When you're done check for pockets of dry ingredients; no one likes lumpy brownies. This is also your chance to add any additional ingredients you might want to the brownies. I recommend 1 cup of any of the following: chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, walnuts, pecans.  (Whatever tickles your fancy, really).

 Seriously, click! Who doesn't want a Brownie slideshow?

Prepare your baking pan or casserole dish by spraying it with cooking spray.  Make sure to get the sides as well.  Spoon the batter into the pan, making sure to scrape as much of the batter off the sides of the bowl as possible.  Since the batter is so thick, use the back of your mixing spoon to spread it evenly around the casserole dish. 

Bake at 350F for about 30 - 35 minutes. Mine are always done right between those two numbers.  Test the brownies doneness by inserting your butter knife into the center of the brownies. If the knife come out clean, you're good to go. If not, give the brownies a few more minutes.  You don't want to overcook your brownies (cause tough, burnt brownies are just not tasty), but you don't want to stab them to death either, so use moderation when checking.  Remove and allow brownies to cool before cutting them into squares. Serve and enjoy!

Sorry, the lighting is nonexistent in my living room.