Cake Like Brownies

hand grabbing a stack of moist cake brownies

These cake like brownies are made completely from scratch with sweet dried cranberries stirred in, no box mix needed. A rich, chocolate dessert that's easy enough for any night and special enough for your Thanksgiving table.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword cake brownies, chocolate

Prep Time 10

Total Time 55

Servings

Calories 227

Author Gina Dickson

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup dark cocoa Hershey's Special Dark Cocoa
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 eggs large, room temperature
1 cup sugar white, granulated
1 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup butter real butter only, soften or slightly melted butter (1 and 1/2 sticks)
2 teaspoons vanilla real not imitation
1 cup cranberries real dried, not fresh, not imitation raisin-style

Instructions

Prep the Pan and Dry Ingredients

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and spray a 9x13 inch baking pan with non-stick spray.
In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt until well blended.
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, 1/3 cup dark cocoa, 1/2 teaspoon baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon salt

Mix the Batter

Using a stand mixer or hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the eggs, white sugar, brown sugar, butter, and vanilla together until light and fluffy.
4 eggs, 1 cup sugar, 1 cup brown sugar, 3/4 cup butter, 2 teaspoons vanilla
Turn the mixer to low, add the flour mixture, and mix just until a smooth batter forms with no dry streaks.
Remove the bowl from the mixer and stir in the dried cranberries by hand with a wooden spoon.
1 cup cranberries

Bake

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake on the middle rack for 45 minutes.
Check for doneness by inserting a toothpick into the center. It's ready when the toothpick comes out clean.
Let the brownies cool completely before cutting.

Notes

Storage: Cool completely, then cut into 3-inch squares. Store in a container with a tight, sealed lid to prevent drying out, tucking in two pieces of plain white sandwich bread. Keeps soft for 3 to 4 days.
Freezing: Cool the brownies completely before wrapping. Freeze as a whole uncut slab or as individually wrapped pieces, using plastic wrap followed by a layer of foil, or an airtight freezer container. They keep well in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature for a few hours, or overnight in the refrigerator.
Substitutions: Flour: white or whole wheat both work. Cranberries: real dried cranberries only, never fresh (makes brownies soggy and tart) and never imitation raisin-style dried fruit.
Variations: Stir in 1/2 cup white chocolate chips or 1/2 cup mint chocolate chips. Fold in 1 cup chopped pecans, walnuts, or pistachios, or sprinkle them on top of the batter before baking for a nutty crust.

Nutrition