Mocha Brownies with Coffee Frosting

Ingredients

• 0.5 cups shortening
• 0.5 cups butter
• 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 cups white sugar
• 4 teaspoons instant coffee granules , or more to taste
• 1 tablespoon hot water
• 4 large eggs
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 0.5 teaspoons salt

Instructions

1. 1

   Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9x13-inch baking pan.

2. 2

   Make brownies: Melt shortening and butter in a small pan over low heat; pour melted mixture into a mixing bowl. Stir cocoa into butter mixture until well combined, followed by sugar.

3. 3

   Dissolve instant coffee with hot water in a small bowl; stir into cocoa mixture. Whisk eggs into batter, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir flour, vanilla extract, and salt into batter just until moist. Pour batter into the prepared baking pan.

4. 4

   Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with moist crumbs, 25 to 30 minutes. Cool completely.

5. 5

   Make frosting: Beat softened butter with vanilla extract in a bowl. Add confectioners' sugar; beat until creamy using an electric mixer on medium speed. Dissolve instant coffee with milk in a small bowl; add to frosting. Increase mixer speed to high and beat until light and fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes. Frost cooled brownies.