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Easy Orange Brownies with Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

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Orange Brownies

After my last post (the incredibly detailed Chocolate St. Honoré Cake), I decided it was time to make something simple but tasty. Enter Easy Orange Brownies with Chocolate Buttercream Frosting.

They could have been a little easier without the frosting, but Bret really likes frosting on brownies and I’m nothing if not a good frosting wife. OK, I’ll stop saying frosting now.

These are easy because you start with your favorite fudge brownie mix. I use Duncan Hines, but use whatever you like or whatever’s on sale.

Orange Brownies

Make the brownies as usual, substituting a pureed orange (yes, including the peel) for the water. Pour it in the pan, bake, and there you go. You don’t have to make the frosting, but I think it complements the brownies nicely. And what’s not better with buttercream frosting?

You’ll end up with dense, moist orange-flecked brownies slathered with that nice chocolate frosting. Grab a glass of milk or your favorite coffee or hot tea and dig in. What could be easier?

Orange Brownies

Orange Brownies

Orange Brownies with Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

Yield: 16
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 37 minutes
Inactive Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 27 minutes

Thick, chewy brownies with a fresh orange flavor. Easy and tasty. 

Ingredients

  • 1 pkg Fudge Brownie Mix
  • 1 small seedless orange
  • For the Frosting:
  • 1/4 C butter, softened
  • 1 C powdered sugar
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla
  • pinch of salt
  • 3 tbsp milk

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°.  Line an 8" square pan with aluminum foil with extra foil at two of the ends so you can pull out the brownies easily after baking.
  2. Cut a small slice of the orange from one of the ends and set the orange with the cut end down.  With a sharp knife, carefully run the knife down the curve of the orange to slice the peel away.  Try to make sure there's as little pith (white spongy part) attached to the peel as possible.  After the outer peel is cut away, cut as much of the remaining pith away from the orange as you can. 
  3. Cut the remaining orange into quarters and put in a food processor (or blender) along with the outer orange peels (throw the pith away - it's bitter).  Process/puree the orange until fairly smooth - 1 1/2 to 2 minutes.
  4. Prepare the fudge brownie mix as instructed on the package, substituting the pureed orange for the water it calls for.  Stir by hand until completely combined and pour into the prepared pan.  Bake for 34-37 minutes.  Cool in the pan for about 10 minutes, then pull out by the aluminum foil and let cool completely on a rack (30-45 minutes or put in the refrigerator to cool more quickly).
  5. Prepare the frosting:  Combine the softened butter and powdered sugar in a mixing bowl and mix until blended (will be kind of powdery).  Add the cocoa powder and mix on low for 10 seconds.  Add the vanilla and a pinch of salt.  Add the milk, 1 tbsp. at a time until desired consistency.  Spread on completely cool-to-the-touch brownies.  

Notes

Tips and Stuff:

Remove as much of the pith away from the orange as possible, but don't worry if there's a little left here and there.  I also removed a few of the bigger veins on the inside of the orange.

These are thick and moist and rise a little more like a cake than brownie.

Nutrition Information:
Yield: 16 Serving Size: 1 brownie
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 73Total Fat: 4gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 10mgSodium: 44mgCarbohydrates: 10gFiber: 0gSugar: 8gProtein: 0g

Nutrition Values are Approximate

© sblades
Category: Bars