Individual Brownie Cakes with Dark Chocolate and Irish Cream

Recipe inspiration can come from anywhere.  Sometimes my recipes are inspired by a dish I had at a restaurant or by some great ingredients I found at the farmer’s market.  There are also times when a recipe is the result of something in the fridge that I’m just trying to get rid of. This is one of those recipes. But, it’s a good one, so stick with me here.

These decadent individual brownie cakes were the result of some chocolate frosting in my fridge. I made cupcakes for a baby shower last weekend, and I made too much chocolate frosting. I have trouble wasting food in the kitchen, so I put it in the fridge for later. All week long, I would look at it whenever I opened the fridge.  A few times I considered just eating it with a spoon, but I resisted the urge. I wanted to use it for something.

So, when we had friends over for homemade pizza on Friday night, I decided I would make some sort of dessert with the frosting.  I didn’t feel like baking cupcakes again (and didn’t have quite enough frosting for a whole batch of cupcakes).  I contemplated a small cake, but it seemed like a bit much for our casual pizza night.  I was going to just make a pan of brownies and slather the frosting on the top when the idea hit me… I’d make individual brownie cakes. I made them extra rich and added some Bailey’s Irish cream. The individual brownie cakes were perfectly decadent and didn’t even need the frosting in the end.  Of course, I added it for a super chocolatey dessert just so that I could get it out of the fridge.

One of the best things about individual desserts is that they feel special, even though they can be quite simple.  You can mix up these rich brownie cakes in a single bowl.  And, they only take a few minutes.  I baked them in mini casseroles, but you could use small jars or ramekins, too. If you don’t have frosting on hand, you can just dust the cakes with a bit of powdered sugar for an elegant and easy presentation that will make your guests feel special.

Individual Brownie Cakes with Dark Chocolate and Irish Cream
Makes 6 individual brownie cakes
(Adapted from the King Arthur Flour Cookie Companion)

• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup dark cocoa powder
  (I used Hershey’s Special Dark)
• 1/2 teaspoon espresso powder
• 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 cup Bailey’s Irish cream
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup all purpose flour
• Powdered sugar for dusting
• Chocolate frosting (optional)

Preheat the oven to 325°F.  Grease 6 individual baking dishes or ramekins and place them on a baking sheet and set aside.

Place the butter in a large microwave safe mixing bowl.  Microwave on high for about 1 minute, until the butter is melted.  Add the sugar and stir to combine. Microwave again on high for an additional minute.

Stir in the cocoa, espresso powder, sea salt, and baking powder. Add the Irish cream, eggs, and vanilla, and whisk until the mixture is smooth.  Gently whisk in the flour until it is well incorporated into the batter.

Divide the batter between the prepared baking dishes.  Bake for 30 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cakes comes out with just a few moist crumbs.

Serve warm or at room temperature, dusted with powdered sugar or topped with a dollop of chocolate frosting.

Please Note – The link to the King Arthur Flour Cookie Companion provided in this post is an Amazon affiliate link. If you purchase the cookbook (or another item) after purchasing on my link, I receive a small percentage of the sale price, which helps to keep My Kitchen Addiction up and running. Thanks!