Because who doesn’t love brownies?!

Today’s beautiful guest post by Charity Brittain Jeane will have your mouth watering and your creative juices flowing! Scroll down for the recipe, directions, and photos.

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Four-Layer Chocolate Brownie

(Using 9 in. round pans)

Ingredients

• 4 Ghirardelli brownie mixes (follow directions on box)
• 4 Tbsp Delallo instant espresso powder
• 4 Tbsp Kahlua
• 1-1/2 tsp Mexican vanilla (pure vanilla is fine)

Instructions

1. Mix all ingredients with mixer, then add in 8 oz. bag of milk chocolate morsels.
2. Spray pans well with Pam baking spray.
3. Add parchment paper to the bottom. See next tip for details.
4. Lay flat four sheets of parchment paper on top of each other on the counter. Place the round pan on top of parchment, then draw with pencil around the pan. Cut out the four circles.
5. After pan is sprayed, place parchment in pan and spray again.
6. Evenly disperse batter between 4 pans.
7. Bake at 325* until cooked, roughly 30 to 40 minutes. Check center periodically with a pasta noodle. When the noodle comes out clean, it’s ready.
8. While cake is hot, place a cooling rack over pan and CAREFULLY flip the warm brownie on the cooking rack.
9. Do not ice until completely cool.

Here’s how you can jazz up your brownie batter:
• Add Delallo instant espresso powder, a spot of Kahlua (the alcohol cooks out just like the alcohol in vanilla), chopped nuts, and Mexican vanilla.
• Top off your brownie with a chocolate American buttercream, and it’s a win every time.
• For the final touches, add a few berries and fresh flowers and people will think you’re a pro.

Chocolate American Buttercream

Icing Prep:
(All these materials can be bought at Walmart in the Wilton section):

- 9- or 10-in. round cake pad (optional, but very helpful when transporting)
- Revolving cake stand (optional, but makes cake decorating MUCH easier)
- 16-in. disposable piping bags (optional, but gives a professional look)
- Large round icing tip #808 (optional, but SO much easier and professional)
- Have out chopped nuts, fresh flowers, berries, and Hershey’s bar

Ingredients

• 4 sticks of room temperature salted butter
• 6 cups of powdered sugar
• 2 tsp of Mexican or pure vanilla
• 2-4 Tbsp cocoa powder
• 1 Tbsp cream (whipping cream **NOT** whipped cream)
• 1/8 tsp of sea or kosher salt

Instructions

1. Beat butter with stand mixer until light and smooth, roughly 7 minutes.
2. Add vanilla, salt, and cocoa powder and mix.
3. Slowly add in powdered sugar. Mix until smooth.
4. Once you’ve added half of powdered sugar, add in cream.
5. While the cake is cooling, place a wet paper towel over the buttercream so it won’t dry out. Keep it covered with the wet paper towel until you’re ready to ice.

Time to ice the cake:

1. Spread a dot of buttercream in center of cake pad.
2. Place a layer of brownie on cake pad evenly.
3. Pipe out large even dots all around the cake.
4. Sprinkle chopped nuts.
5. Add another brownie layer; repeat until all layers are complete.

Time to decorate the cake:

1. Have a pattern of berries, flowers, berries, flowers, until you’ve covered the cake. Final touch: add in Hershey’s chocolate pieces.

And violà! You’re a pro!

Charity “Brittain” Jeane fell head-over-heels for a man she knew she would marry during their first conversation, and marry him she did. They tied the knot in December of 2012.

Brittain and her husband are the small groups pastors at First Church of Pearland under the leadership of Pastors Ken Gurley and Tyler Walea. Brittain also serves as a worship leader, and she is over the Greet Team at FC. She and her husband, Lavelle Jeane, serve the South Texas District of the UPCI as Youth Secretary. Lavelle is in full-time ministry, while Brittain works full-time as an independent contractor caring for dementia patients.

Brittain loves all things art. From performing arts to painting on a canvas, from decorating a cake to decorating a house, from setting a table to arranging a bouquet of flowers, Brittain loves it all. She has a passion for people and ministry.