This fudgy and delicious brownie recipe comes together in one bowl in just a few minutes! With crispy edges, fudgy middle, and a rich chocolate flavor, these homemade spooky brownies will disappear in no time!
Now I know homemade baking can be a scary thing for many people. This recipe ideally skips all of the typical fuss and stress around home baking. A simplified base with a perfectly smooth frosting and some simple decorations is all you need.
Be sure to grab the full recipe & check out the full video tutorial in the recipe card below. And if you try this recipe (I mean you totally should be), tag me on Instagram @imancake and use the hashtag #BakingWithMANCAKE.
Brownie Graveyard
prep time: 30 MINUTES cook time: 35 MINUTES additional time: 15 MINUTES total time: 1 HOUR 20 MINUTES
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup granulated white sugar
- 1 cup brown sugar 200g, lightly packed1 cup brown sugar
- 3 eggs room temperature
- 3/4 cup cocoa powder
- 1 cup flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 & 1/2 cups chocolate chips
- 1 cup melted butter
- 2 tbsp coffee
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- 3 sticks butter at room temperature
- 1 & 1/2 pounds powdered sugar, sifted
- 2 cups cocoa powder
- 2 8oz blocks cream cheese at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- a pinch of salt
- 4 cups crushed Oreo cookies
- Halloween sprinkles
- 1 package of gummy worms
- Candy pumpkins
- 5-6 cookies
- Black piping gel
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and prepare your brownie pans.
For the Brownies
- You will need to make two batches or simply double the recipe since we will be using two brownie layers.
- In a large bowl, combine melted butter, eggs, vanilla extract, and coffee then mix together well.
- Add the white and brown sugars to the mixture and whisk together well.
- Sift cocoa powder, flour, and salt into the bowl and mix until just combined
- Toss in chocolate chips (or chunks) and fold into the batter.
- Add batter to pan and smooth to the edges. You can add more chocolate chips to the top before baking if desired.
- Bake for about 30 minutes or until the center is just set. You’ll notice the center does not wiggle when the pan is moved.
For the Cream Cheese Frosting
- Sift confectioners sugar into a large bowl and set aside.
- Cream butter in a large bowl.
- Blend in cream cheese to the creamed butter.
- Add vanilla, cocoa powder, and a pinch of salt. Beat together.
- Add the confectioners sugar 1 cup at a time. Mix until combined. If you’re wanting a thicker frosting, keep adding more sifted confectioners sugar until it’s stiff.
Putting it All Together
- Top your first chocolate brownie layer with chocolate cream cheese frosting.
- Add a layer of 2 cups of crushed Oreo cookies followed by halloween sprinkles. Top with gummy worms.
- Add your top layer of chocolate brownie, inverted (this will help later). Cover your brownie with the remained of your chocolate cream cheese frosting.
- Top your brownie stack with the remaining 2 cups of crushed Oreo cookies.
- With black piping gel, pipe on some fun and festive tombstone messages onto your cookies. Press your cookies into the top of your brownie stack.
- Finish off your brownie graveyard with candy corn pumpkins and some more Halloween sprinkles.
Notes
- Room Temperature Ingredients: Be sure to allow your dairy ingredients to reach room temperature. Room temperature ingredients not only combine more effortlessly (no over-mixing needed) but they also trap air so much better. This trap air will expand and produce a fluffy texture during your baking process.
- Prepared Pan: There will always be the “next best way to prepare your pan” article. Simply put however, the most effective way i find in my kitchen is a light rub of shortening around the sides, parchment paper on the bottom of the pan, & a very light dusting of flour (cocoa powder for chocolate baked goods) all throughout.
