Do you like the texture of a chocolate cake, but don’t want the frosting? If so, these cakey brownies are going to knock your socks off.
Cakey Brownies
I’m one of those weird people that loves chocolate cake, but I could do without all the frosting that goes on it. If you are like me, these cakey brownies are just for you! While they are still moist, you can expect to have a more fluffy, cake-like brownie rather than a fudgy or chewy brownie.
Why You’ll Love this Homemade Brownies Recipe:
- Homemade is always better. These brownies are completely made from scratch which means you’ll have a more chocolatey flavor than making them from a box.
- Simple ingredients. You probably already have all the ingredients at home. But, if you don’t, you can easily grab them on your weekly trip to the grocery store.
- Super chocolatey. If you have a sweet tooth like me, these brownies come out super chocolatey.
How to Make Cakey Brownies From Scratch
Be sure to see the recipe card below for full ingredients & instructions!
- Preheat the oven to 350°F, and line an 8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper.
- Place your butter and chocolate in a microwave safe bowl, and heat until melted in 30-second intervals.
- Whisk the sugar into your melted butter and chocolate, and then set aside to cool.
- Add eggs and whisk well until batter thickens.
- Add coffee and vanilla and mix for for 1-2 minutes, until combined.
- Whisk in the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt until well combined.
- Fold in nuts or chocolate chips, if using, then transfer the batter to the prepared baking pan.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes until the top is dry, then remove to cool completely.
Cakey brownies are brownies that have more of a cake-like texture to them. You get cakey brownies by aerating your batter. Ultimately, a cakey brownie is when you whisk your batter more than necessary, creating air in your batter. This air creates a fluffy and cake-like interior to your brownies.
While you can use any unsweetened cocoa powder you prefer, I like to use Dutch-process cocoa powder here because there isn’t any baking soda to neutralize the acidity of natural cocoa powder.
This recipe calls for coffee…sounds weird right?! Well, coffee actually enhances the flavor of the chocolate you are using. For this recipe, it deepens that rich chocolatey flavor you want from your delicious brownies.
The center of your brownies should be moist, but not necessarily gooey. You want to make sure that the batter is cooked and not still raw in the center before removing them from the oven. Do the toothpick test to make sure they are fully baked.
Recipe Tips and Tricks
- Whisk more. To make sure you get that cakey texture, don’t skimp on the whisking. Whisk as much as the recipe calls for.
- Add more chocolate chips. If you want these cakey brownies to be even sweeter, use more chocolate chips than the recipe calls for. Or, use milk chocolate chips instead of dark chocolate chips.
- Don’t use baking soda. This recipe calls for baking powder! Don’t get the two confused or your brownies won’t come out right.
These delicious cake-like brownies make the perfect afternoon snack or after dinner dessert. If you have a potluck to go to, you can always whip these up to bring with you. Everyone will love them, and you’ll be lucky to have any leftovers!
If you make this recipe be sure to leave us a comment or rating. Enjoy!
Cakey Brownies Recipe
Ingredients
- 6 ounces dark chocolate chips 170 grams
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter 85 grams (¾ stick)
- 1 cup granulated sugar 200 grams
- 2 large eggs 100 grams. room temperature
- 2 tablespoons brewed black coffee 28 grams, hot (180-200°F)
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract 8 grams
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour 90 grams
- ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder 21 grams
- ½ teaspoon baking powder 2 grams
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ cup chocolate chips 85 grams, optional
- ½ cup chopped nuts 57 grams, optional
Equipment
- Kitchen Scale (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line an 8×8-inch baking pan with parchment paper. Set aside.
- Place the butter and chocolate chips in a heatproof glass bowl and microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring between each blast of heat, until smooth. Add the sugar and whisk well. Set aside to cool for about 5 minutes.6 ounces dark chocolate chips, 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, 1 cup granulated sugar
- Add the eggs to the cooled chocolate mixture and whisk well until the batter thickens.2 large eggs
- Add the coffee and vanilla and mix until combined, about 1-2 minutes.2 tablespoons brewed black coffee, 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- Whisk in the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt until well combined.¾ cup all-purpose flour, ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder, ½ teaspoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- Fold in nuts or chocolate chips, if using.½ cup chocolate chips, ½ cup chopped nuts
- Transfer the batter to the prepared baking pan.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes until top is dry, then remove to cool completely.
Notes
- To make sure you get that cakey texture, don’t skimp on the whisking. Whisk as much as the recipe calls for.
- If you want these cakey brownies to be even sweeter, use more chocolate chips than the recipe calls for. Or, use milk chocolate chips instead of dark chocolate chips.
- This recipe calls for baking powder! Don’t get the two confused or your brownies won’t come out right.
- Nutritional information does not include optional ingredients
This looks good and I would omit the coffee from my brownies.
Do you suppose the cream cheese swirl in your Cream Cheese Brownies would work here, or could I add a bit more flour to that recipe to make those brownies cakier? Thank you!
I think either of those modifications would work! Let me know how it goes!
Your cream cheese swirl layered and swirled into this recipe is perfection! Thank you!
I followed this recipe exactly and the brownies turned out SO fidget they were almost inedible. Very disappointing, not sure what went wrong 🙁
I’m sorry to hear that, Taylor! It sounds like either your baking powder was expired or the batter was overmixed. Both of these issues can cause the brownies to come out dense. I hope you’ll try these brownies again!
I’ve made these 3 times now and they are so good. I usually omit the coffee in chocolate but I followed the recipe and added it and it definitely gives it a little different flavor I was wanting. The first time I made them I cut into them too soon and they flattened, definitely make sure they are cooled before cutting into them. They are both fudgy and cake like, I’ve had lots of compliments and made them for my daughter’s graduation party.
I’m so happy to hear you loved them, Deanna!