I like to bake for the office because that way I get to try new recipes and the cakes will get eaten (by others than me) and most people in my office like something sweet with a cup of tea.

Normally we buy cakes for the office once a month to celebrate that month’s birthdays, but in July I was asked to make them instead.

I suspected these brownies to a crowd pleaser, and they were. The deep chocolate dense brownie together with the sweeter fluffy frosting was absolutely amazing. The brownie would have been nice on its own as well, but the frosting made it so much better. This frosting is the best chocolate frosting I have come across so far. Very chocolatey, but not too sweet because of the cream cheese. In the future I will definitely try this on cupcakes and in other cakes.

The recipe is courtesy of the Hummingbird Bakery, from their first cookbook. The recipe calls for walnuts and some dark chocolate, but I substituted that for hazelnuts and milk chocolate which worked wonders, so use what you like.

Brownies with the best chocolate frosting, makes 18-20

5 eggs

500 g caster sugar

100 g cocoa

120 g plain flour

250 g melted butter

30 g roughly chopped nuts (i.e. walnuts or hazelnuts)

30 g roughly chopped chocolate (I used milk chocolate)

Frosting:

200 g icing sugar

75 g softened butter

30 g cocoa

150 g cream cheese, cold

Bear eggs and sugar fluffy and white. Add flour and cocoa, then the butter. Mix thoroughly. Fold in the nuts and chocolate and pour into a lined baking tray. Bake for 30-35 mins in 170C. Leave to cool completely.

Beat icing sugar, butter and cocoa with an electric mixer. Add the cream cheese and beat for five minutes, not longer. Spread onto the cold cake. Cut into squares and serve.