Jack-o'-Lantern Brownies Recipe

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup butter, melted
• 1-1/2 cups sugar
• 1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 3 eggs
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup baking cocoa
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 can (16 ounces) vanilla frosting
• Orange paste food coloring
• Green and black decorating gel
• Candy corn and milk chocolate M&M's, optional

Directions

• In a large bowl, cream the butter, sugar and vanilla until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs. Combine the flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt; gradually add to butter mixture and mix well.
• Line a greased 13-in. x 9-in. baking pan with waxed paper; grease the paper. Spread batter evenly in pan. Bake at 350° for 18-22 minutes or until brownies begin to pull away from sides of pan. Cool on a wire rack.
• Run a knife around edge of pan. Invert brownies onto a work surface and remove waxed paper. Cut brownies with a 3-in. pumpkin cookie cutter, leaving at least 1/8 in. between each shape. (Discard scraps or save for another use.)
• Tint frosting with orange food coloring; frost brownies. Use green gel to create the pumpkin stems and black gel and candy corn and M&M's to decorate the faces if desired. Yield: about 1 dozen.

Jack-o'-Lantern Brownies published in Quick Cooking September/October 2003, p9