Recipe: Hopeless Heavenly Brownies and Fudge Frosting (Hostess Brownies copycat, Gloria Pitzer)

HOPELESS HEAVENLY BROWNIES AND FUDGE FROSTING
(Gloria Pitzer's copycat recipe for Hostess Brownies)

1/2 cup unbleached flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
2 squares (1 oz each) unsweetened baking chocolate
1/2 cup butter
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1/2 cup chopped nuts
1 tsp vanilla extract

Sift the flour and baking powder together into a bowl and set aside.

Melt the chocolate and butter together in a small saucepan over low heat. Remove from the heat and blend in the sugar. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in the chopped nuts and vanilla extract and the sifted dry ingredients. Spread in a well greased 8-inch square pan.

Bake in a preheated 350 degree F oven for 25 to 30 minutes. Cool.

When cold, cut into 2-inch squares. Frost.

HOPELESS FUDGE FROSTING
Sufficient for a 9x13-inch cake or 2 (9-inch) layers

1/4 cup butter
1/3 cup milk
1/4 cup brown sugar (firmly packed),
1 dash salt
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 lb powdered sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla

In a small saucepan, melt butter. Add milk, brown sugar, salt, and unsweetened cocoa powder. Cook and stir over medium-high heat until the mixture boils. Remove from the heat at once. Beat in powdered sugar, using an electric mixer set on high speed, until smooth. Add vanilla extract.

Makes 1 (8-inch) square, 6 servings
Source: Gloria Pitzer