Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup shortening
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 cup cocoa
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 tablespoon hot water
• 4 teaspoons instant coffee
• 4 eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 1 cup flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Frosting

• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 cups confectioners’ sugar
• 1 1/2 tablespoons milk
• 2 -3 teaspoons instant coffee

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 13×9 inch pan.
2. Melt shortening and butter in microwave.
3. Remove from heat. Add cocoa & sugar; blend well.
4. Dissolve instant coffee in hot water and mix into creamed mixture.
5. Add eggs one at a time, beat well, by hand, after each addition.
6. Stir in vanilla, flour, and salt.
7. Bake 25-30 minutes.
8. For frosting, cream butter and vanilla.
9. Add powdered sugar and mix in well on medium speed.
10. Dissolve instant coffee in milk and add to mixture.
11. Beat on high until light and fluffy.

The directions say to wait until the brownies are completely cool until frosting. This is greatly advised. If you don’t wait until they’re completely cool, the icing will run and melt all over the brownies. Ask me how I know. 😉

Sometimes, you just gotta have a brownie and you can’t wait until the brownies completely cool to dig in. I mean, I waited at least 20 minutes. But the movie was half over and we had all been smelling this delicious-ness for the past hour. It was time to take action. Completely cooled or not, it was time to ice and eat those babies. (Disclaimer: I confess…my brownies didn’t look amazing, so if I was making these to give away and not eat at home, I probably would have waited until they were cool before icing.)

I must say…it was worth it.