These delicious, fudgy, rich brownies are made with cocoa powder only - no chocolate - making them quick, easy and hassle-free. But don’t worry, there’s no compromise on taste! These super easy brownies are made with just 5 basic ingredients: butter, flour, cocoa powder, eggs and sugar. No chocolate needed. The result is utterly delicious - fudgy, squidgy, rich… and very moreish!
I’ve spend years perfecting my recipe to make them just as good as regular brownies. Using cocoa powder is generally cheaper than using chocolate. This cocoa-only approach to brownies means you can be completely flexible.
I suggest 60g cocoa, but if you prefer a more milk chocolate style brownie, cut down to 30g… or if you prefer a super-dark brownie, bump up to 90g cocoa. It makes life simpler. Chocolate typically has lots of random additives (palm oil, vegetable oil, flavourings, stabilisers, emulsifiers…).
Ingredients
- 1 cup (227g) butter, melted
- ½ cup Nestlé Cocoa Powder
- 2½ cups castor sugar
- 4 large eggs
- 1 cup cake flour, sifted
Serving Suggestion
- Vanilla ice cream
- Chocolate sauce
- Fresh berries
The type of sugar you use will also affect the flavour of the brownies. Dark soft brown sugar will give you a richer flavour. If you prefer your brownies less rich, I recommend you use light brown sugar.
Preparation Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 180C / 160C fan / gas mark 4 / 350F.
- Grease and line a 23 x 23cm (9 x 9 inch) brownie pan.
- Preheat the oven to 180°C and line a 20cm square baking dish with baking paper.
Making the Brownie Batter
- All you need to do is melt the butter in a small saucepan over a gentle heat. As soon as the butter is melted, take the pan off the heat and allow to cool - do not allow it to bubble.
- Combine the flour and cocoa in a large bowl.
- Add the melted butter and Nestlé Cocoa Powder to a large mixing bowl and whisk until combined.
- Crack the two eggs into a jug (or another bowl) and whisk lightly.
- Add the sugar to the eggs, and whisk lightly to combine the eggs and the sugar.
- Add the castor sugar and eggs to the bowl and using an electric beater, whisk until light & airy.
- Add the cooled melted butter to the egg and sugar mixture and whisk lightly to combine all the wet ingredients.
- Pour the egg/sugar/butter mixture into the flour/cocoa mixture and gently stir together until just combined.
- Fold in the flour until just combined.
The Best Fudgy Brownies Recipe | Simple Way Of Making The Perfect Fudgy Brownies
Baking the Brownies
- Transfer the brownie batter to the prepared baking dish and bake for 20-25 minutes until cooked, but slightly gooey in the centre.
- Tip the brownie batter into the prepared tray, spread the batter out to the corners and smooth the top.
- Place in your preheated oven for 20-25 minutes depending on how gooey you like your brownies in the middle.
- Allow the brownies to cool slightly and cut into 12 squares.
- Let the brownies cool in the tin for 1 hour to firm up.
- When ready, run a thin knife around the edge of the tin to release the brownie, and use the baking paper to lift the brownie slab up from the cake tin.
Check your brownies after 30 minutes, the top should be dried and flaky but still moist in the middle. You don’t want the brownies to cook all the way through and as they will become dry - so you mustn’t overcook them. The size of your baking pan will affect the cooking time, the smaller the pan the longer you will have to bake the brownies. Personally, I would rather have them slightly underdone and gooey, than dry.
Read also: Brownie Perfection with Chris Morocco
Don’t worry if they seem a little “wet” when you take them out of the oven, the brownies will continue to cook as they cool. Serve with your favourite dessert toppings and ENJOY!
Tips for the Best Brownies
- If you usually find brownies too sweet, you are going to love this recipe!
- This basic brownie recipe is delicious just as it is, but if you want to jazz it up, there are plenty of mix-ins you can add. Any combination of these! I’d love to hear about it if you come up with any really good combos!
- However, if you want to reheat them, you definitely can!
- Absolutely! These super easy brownies are made with just 5 basic ingredients: butter, flour, cocoa powder, eggs and sugar. No chocolate needed. The result is utterly delicious - fudgy, squidgy, rich… and very moreish!
Cape Town Brownies
Cape Town Brownies are chewy and light textured, yet satisfyingly rich. I just wish I knew the origin of the name.
Additional Recipes
Here are some helpful links: Chocolate FAQs, Cocoa powder FAQs, American Baking Ingredients in Paris, and more brownie recipes.
Indulgent Fudgy Brownie Recipe
If you're looking for an indulgent, fudgy brownie that is extremely flavorful and not cloyingly sweet, this recipe is it! Literally one of the best brownies I've ever had! I tried to do some research but I couldn’t seem to find a straight answer. But from what I read, and my own trials and errors, melting the sugar and whipping the eggs helps!
Ingredients:
- ¾ cup (105 g) dark chocolate
- ¾ cup (90 g) flour
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter
- ¼ cup (53 g) unflavored vegetable oil
- ½ cup (100 g) soft brown sugar
- ⅔ cup (75 g) cocoa powder
Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 160 °C (320°F) with the fan on.
- Grease a square 8 inch cake tin and line with baking paper.
- Cut up your chocolate into large chunks and place into a bowl. Sift in your flour and salt. Mix until well combined and set aside.
- In a microwave safe bowl, add in your butter, oil, cocoa powder, soft brown sugar, coffee powder and vanilla.
- Heat in the microwave for 20 second bursts at a time, mixing in between each burst until the mixture is liquid and hot to the touch. Set aside to cool.
- In another bowl add in your white sugar and eggs. Using a hand or stand mixer, mix on a medium-high speed for 3 minutes.
- Add your chocolate mixture into your egg mixture and gently fold it in until just combined.
- Lastly, add in your dry ingredients and chocolate from earlier and gently fold it in until just combined. Do not overmix the batter otherwise your brownies will be less fudgy and more cakey.
- Pour the batter into your pre prepared cake tin and give it a little shake to even out the batter, and a light bang on your counter to get rid of any large air bubbles.
- Bake for 22-25 minutes depending on how fudgy you want your brownies to be (I recommend 22 minutes).
- Once done, poke a toothpick into the center and it should come out dirty.
- Let the brownies cool in the tin for 1 hour to firm up.
- When ready, run a thin knife around the edge of the tin to release the brownie, and use the baking paper to lift the brownie slab up from the cake tin.
| Ingredient | Amount |
|---|---|
| Dark Chocolate | ¾ cup (105 g) |
| Flour | ¾ cup (90 g) |
| Salt | ½ tsp |
| Unsalted Butter | ½ cup (113 g) |
| Vegetable Oil | ¼ cup (53 g) |
| Soft Brown Sugar | ½ cup (100 g) |
| Cocoa Powder | ⅔ cup (75 g) |
Read also: Pilau: A Kenyan Delight
Read also: Authentic Nigerian Buns
Popular articles:
tags: #Africa
