candy cane | EASYBAKED

Candy Cane Brownies

Posted on December 22, 2015 by Ruthanne

Nothing says Merry Christmas like peppermint and chocolate! These beautiful little brownies combine those two flavors in a colorful, layered treat!

These brownies are an Easybaked staple. I’ve swapped that peppermint filling up for everything from cookie dough to caramel. I love recipes that can be changed up with different flavors and looks!!! This peppermint candy cane flavor is the most beautiful filling I’ve used in these though. The guests at every party I’ve shared them at have all commented on how pretty and festive they are. They just make me smile- and they really aren’t that difficult to make! Promise.

This recipe makes a lot of brownies. The good news? They freeze really well and can be made ahead for all your Christmas gatherings. Just pop them out of the freezer and thaw!

Here’s how we made them: (printable recipe)

INGREDIENTS:

Brownie:

1cup butter
2 cups sugar
3 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 cups flour
1/2 cup cocoa
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk

Peppermint Filling:

5 cups powdered sugar
8 tablespoons melted butter
2 teaspoons peppermint extract
red and pink food coloring

Fudge Topping:

12oz. semi-sweet chocolate chips
12 tablespoons butter (do not substitute margarine here!)
Wilton Candy melts in Red, Pink and White (if desired for design on top)

DIRECTIONS:

Brownie:

Preheat oven to 350.
Cream butter and sugar together.
Beat in eggs, cocoa, vanilla and salt.
Add flour and milk (alternating them and mixing well in between)
Spread evenly in greased jelly roll pan (12 1/2 x 17 1/2 x 1″).
Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes or until done in center and just starting to pull away from sides.
Cool.

Mint Frosting:

Add melted butter to sugar and extract.
Mix well, using water to bring it to a thick but spreadable consistency.
Divide into 3 parts and use food coloring to color one part red, and one part pink.
Place little dollops of each colored filling all over the cooled brownies (I placed the fillings in small zip-top bags, clipped a corner off and piped these on.
Spread colors together into one even layer that covers entire top of brownies.

Fudge Topping:

Melt butter and chocolate together in the microwave in 30 second increments, stirring in between until completely melted and smooth.
If desired, melt about 1/8cup each of Wilton’s Candy Melts in White, Red and Pink. Place in small zip-top bags and clip corner on each.
Pour melted chocolate and butter mixture over peppermint filling and spread evenly over top.
Immediately, pipes lines in all three candy melt colors across the entire top of the brownies.
Immediately after piping, use a toothpick or a cake-tester to drag across these lines- first one direction and then back the opposite to make the colorful design on top.
Chill until top layer is hard and cut into squares.

My thoughts: Love them! This brownie recipe never fails me, and I love experimenting with different flavors of filling! These will add a festive and fun layer to any dessert tray at your Christmas celebrations! Enjoy!! ~r

Take a look at some of the other fillings we have used in these brownies: (click on a photo to open the recipe)

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Peppermint Brownie Cake

Posted on January 10, 2014 by Ruthanne

This dense chocolate cake is more like a brownie, and full of chopped peppermint patties! This will satisfy your biggest chocolate craving!

This recipe is the perfect solution to the January candy candy dilemma. Although there are no candy canes in this cake (there are gooey York Peppermint patties instead!), this cake is just beautiful decorated with your leftovers from Christmas.

This cake also showcases my theme for the month of January—–melted frosting! I’ve become addicted to melting tubs of ready-made frosting to use in and on various dessert recipes. It changes the consistency of the frosting- turning it into a fudge-like topping or filling and its SO easy– just melt and pour. I can’t wait to show you some of my other melted frosting ideas!

Ok- so you probably want the recipe! Here you go: (click here for a printable version)

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 cup butter
4 oz. unsweetened baking chocolate
1 1/4 cups flour
3/4 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 eggs
1 1/3 cups granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/4 cups of peppermint patties (quartered)
1 tub of pre-made chocolate frosting
3-4 candy canes to decorate with as desired.

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 325F degrees
Cut parchment paper to fit in the bottom of a 9-inch round cake pan.
Liberally grease bottom and sides of pan, and place parchment paper in bottom.
Melt butter and unsweetened chocolate in a small bowl using the microwave in 30 second increments and stirring in between.
Allow this to cool slightly while you prepare other ingredients.
In a medium bowl, stir the flour, baking powder and salt together.
Cut peppermint patties into quarters,
In a large bowl, beat eggs, sugar and vanilla together for about one minute.
Add melted chocolate and beat on low until well combined.
Beat in the flour mixture.
Stir peppermint patties in using a spoon.
Pour batter into pan, smoothing the top, and bake for 30-35 minutes.
Be careful to not over-bake.
Remove from oven and allow cake to cool for about 10 minutes, this will allow the peppermint patties to harden up a little.
Run a small knife around the edge of the pan and tip cake over onto a cake rack.
Remove parchment paper and allow cake to cool completely.
Spoon tub of frosting into a small bowl and melt in microwave for 20-30 seconds.
Stir and pour over cooled cake. Do this while the cake is still on the cake rack, with a plate underneath to catch the drips. You will not need to use the entire tub of frosting to cover the cake. I placed my leftovers in a zip top bag, clipped a corner and made fun zig zags on the plates I used to serve the cake. You could also dip graham crackers or apple slices in it…for a little post-cake-making snack!!! YUM!
Sprinkle with crushed candy canes and ENJOY!!!

My thoughts: This is an old recipe for me- I’ve been making it for years with a terribly complicated glaze recipe over the top. Honestly, this melted frosting is better- and SO much easier! One note: I was in a rush to take my pictures, so I took them right away. Once this sets and cools, the glaze will harden into a fudge like consistency, and it won’t run like it is in my pictures.