Foodie Friday: German Chocolate Bars

German Chocolate Bars: So easy & so delicious!

 

Well, well, well. Are you all in for a treat or what?

My recipe today is what I like to call one of my “homespun” recipes – taking ingredients that are already premixed and living in your pantry (or grocery store) and throwing ’em together to make an easy, delicious, totally homemade-tasting delight!

German Chocolate Bars. Mmmm…I’m not saying they’re the most delicious, easiest, crowd-pleasing thing to make but they’re the most delicious, easiest, crowd-pleasing thing to make. Oh wait I did say that?

Well, without further ado or wordiness, here is my go-to, easy, homespun, cheating recipe when I need something fast – like YESTERDAY!
GERMAN CHOCOLATE BARS
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Total time (with cooling): 1 – 2.5 hours
INGREDIENTS: 
2/3 c butter, softened
1 box German chocolate cake mix
1 c semisweet chocolate chips
1 container Coconut Pecan frosting
3 Tbsp milk
  1. Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pan). Lightly grease or spray bottom and sides of 13×9-inch pan. I prefer Baker’s Joy spray as everything comes out beautifully without sticking.
  2. In medium mixing bowl, combine butter and cake mix with fork until crumbly; save 1 cup of combined mixture. Press remaining mixture in bottom of pan so it covers (like a crust).
  3. Bake for 10 minutes. Sprinkle chocolate chips as evenly as possible over baked crust layer.
  4. Drop frosting by tablespoonfuls over chocolate chips.
  5. Stir milk into set aside cake mixture. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto frosting layer.
  6. Bake 24 to 28 minutes or until cake portion is slightly dry to touch; cool 10 minutes. Gently loosen edges of bars with knife.
  7. Cool completely. Refrigerate until firm. Cut into bars. Cover with plastic wrap to keep fresh.

Recipe Box: BeautyFrosting’s CCC Brownies – in honor of my Mom

When I think of moms, I think of my Mom baking brownies when we were growing up. I think of “getting to clean” the beaters from the mixer, licking the spatula, my mom taking a big finger’s worth of buttery brownie batter and my eyes widening in delight as I savored the gooey goodness. YUMMY!

So, on Sunday, when I couldn’t find my Mom’s brownie recipe (which she originally got from her dear friend, Judy Rainey), I decided to make up my own! I tried something out and it just worked beautifully! I love it when that happens. So here are my CCC Brownies. Why CCC? Because the key ingredients are cocoa and cream cheese! And butter, of course! Now, you can share my buttery, brownie recipe with your kids!! May their memories be as sweet as mine looking back on it one day! Happy Mother’s Day!

And, Mom, thanks to you and Nanny for giving me the baking bug! I am forever grateful.

xoxo,

BF

BeautyFrosting's CCC Brownies

CCC Brownies (Cocoa Cream Cheese)


Preheat oven to 325.
2 sticks (1 c.) Butter, softened
1 package (8 oz) Cream Cheese, softened

3 eggs
3 c Sugar
2 tsp Vanilla extract
3/4 c Cocoa
1/4 tsp Baking Powder
1 c all-purpose Flour
1/2 tsp Salt
Line baking pan with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, combine softened butter and cream cheese. Whip ’til light & fluffy.
Add eggs. Add sugar. Add vanilla.
In a small bowl, combine cocoa, baking powder, flour and salt.
Add mixture to creamy mixture. Mix well.
Pour into parchment paper-lined pan.
Bake 30-45 minutes (I bake mine for about 40 but my oven’s a little slow).
Mixing up CCC Brownies in the BF kitchen

Ready for the oven!

Yummylicious!! CCC Brownies