Buttermilk Brownies

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Moist and cake-like, these brownies are sometimes called Texas sheet cake. Because the bars are baked in a 15x10-inch pan, you'll have enough to feed a crowd.

Buttermilk Brownies
Photo:

BHG / Sonia Bozzo

Prep Time:
30 mins
Bake Time:
25 mins
Total Time:
30 mins
Servings:
24
Yield:
24 brownies

Adding tangy buttermilk to this brownie recipe balances the sweetness in each bite. A creamy homemade chocolate frosting is the perfect topper for each homemade bar. This is the best brownie recipe if you're entertaining a crowd—when cut small, a pan will yield up to 72 bars (to do this, make 7 lengthwise cuts and 8 crosswise cuts).

You'll want to frost this Texas sheet cake recipe while the brownies are warm so it gets evenly distributed across the entire pan. If adding pecans to the frosting, make sure they're toasted first to help release the oils and bring out the nutty flavor. Let the brownies cool completely before cutting and serving.

Ingredients

  • 2 cup all-purpose flour

  • 2 cup sugar

  • 1 teaspoon baking soda

  • ¼ teaspoon salt

  • 1 cup water

  • 1 cup butter

  • cup unsweetened cocoa powder

  • 2 eggs

  • ½ cup buttermilk or sour milk

  • 1 ½ teaspoon vanilla

  • 1 recipe Chocolate-Buttermilk Frosting (see recipe below)

Chocolate-Buttermilk Frosting

  • ¼ cup butter

  • 3 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder

  • 3 tablespoon buttermilk or sour milk

  • 2 ¼ cup powdered sugar

  • ½ teaspoon vanilla

  • ¾ cup coarsely chopped pecans

Directions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 15x10x1-inch or a 13x9x2-inch baking pan and set aside.

  2. mixing dry ingredients

    BHG / Sonia Bozzo

    In a medium bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt; set aside.

  3. water, butter and cocoa powder in sauce pan

    BHG / BHG / Sonia Bozzo

    In a medium saucepan combine water, butter, and cocoa powder. Bring mixture just to boiling, stirring constantly. Remove from heat.

  4. adding cocoa mixture to dry ingredients

    BHG / Sonia Bozzo

    Add the cocoa mixture to the flour mixture. Beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until combined.

  5. Add the eggs, buttermilk, and vanilla. Beat for 1 minute (batter will be thin).

  6. fully mixed brownie batter

    BHG / Sonia Bozzo

    Pour batter into prepared baking pan.

  7. buttermilk brownies

    BHG / Sonia Bozzo

    Bake about 25 minutes for the 15x10x1-inch pan, about 35 minutes for the 13x9x2-inch pan, or until a wooden toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

  8. buttermilk frosting for brownies

    BHG / Sonia Bozzo

    Pour warm Chocolate-Buttermilk Frosting over the warm brownies, spreading evenly.

  9. buttermilk brownies

    BHG / Sonia Bozzo

    Cool the homemade brownies completely in pan on a wire rack. Cut into bars. Makes 24 brownies.

    Test Kitchen Tip: The number of brownies a recipe makes is only a suggestion. The size of the bars you cut is up to you. To go up or down on the yield, make more or fewer horizontal and crosswise cuts.

Chocolate-Buttermilk Frosting

  1. In a medium saucepan combine the butter, cocoa powder, and buttermilk.

  2. Bring the mixture to boiling. Remove from heat.

  3. Add the powdered sugar and vanilla. Beat with an electric mixer on medium to high speed until smooth.

  4. If desired, stir in pecans.

Test Kitchen Tip: For this homemade brownie recipe, you'll need sour milk. To make 1 cup of sour milk, place 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or vinegar in a glass measuring cup. Add enough milk to make 1 cup total liquid and stir. Let the mixture stand for 5 minutes before using. Use 1/2 cup sour milk in the brownies and 3 tablespoons sour milk in the frosting. Discard remaining sour milk. Or reconstitute dry buttermilk by following the directions on the powdered buttermilk container.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

237 Calories
10g Fat
35g Carbs
2g Protein
Nutrition Facts
Servings Per Recipe 24
Calories 237
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 10g 13%
Saturated Fat 6g 30%
Cholesterol 44mg 15%
Sodium 185mg 8%
Total Carbohydrate 35g 13%
Protein 2g 4%

*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

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