Vegan Brownies with Peppermint Frosting

My friend Crista brought these brownies to a Peppermint feast I held at my house years ago. I think I was pregnant with my first son at the time. Her son was allergic to egg big time. What I remember was how fluffy and just generally awesome this cake was. Crista used Hershey's dark chocolate cocoa powder and it really does make a world of difference. I've used different kinds while making these and I really recommend the Hershey's dark chocolate.

When I make the brownies during the regular time of year (not Christmastime), I don't use the peppermint extract and I make regular buttercream frosting (no peppermint).

What I love about these brownies is they are fluffy and taste so good and you can make them when you don't have eggs in the house (an issue I encountered last week when I found I needed to make something for Tori's school and I had no eggs).

Also, note that I write you can use soymilk or almond milk. I really recommend almond milk because it just has a better consistency. (go for unsweetened to lower the sugar). If you ever feel brave, replace some oil with applesauce. Finally, you can make this non vegan by using butter to make the frosting. Or just go with it...

Ingredients

Brownies:

1 ½ cups flour

½ cup cocoa powder

1 ½ cups brown sugar

½ tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

½ cup water

¾ cup vanilla soymilk or vanilla almond milk

1/3 cup vegetable oil

½ cup chopped walnuts or other nuts (opt, I never use)

Peppermint frosting:

30 small round peppermint candies

1 stick margarine (Fleischmann’s brand is vegan)

2 cups confectioners sugar

2 TBS soymilk (or almond milk)

½ tsp peppermint extract

To make brownies: Stir flour, cocoa, sugar, baking powder, baking

soda, and salt together. In a separate bowl, combine water, milk

and oil. Add liquid ingredients to dry and mix. Stir in walnuts (opt).

Pour batter into greased 9x9 (or 8x8) pan and bake at 325 for 25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Warning, if you don't convect...which I forget to do on my oven...it may take twice as long...

To make frosting: Unwrap candies and crush them into powder.

Heat the margarine and soymilk in a saucepan on low to melt the

margarine. Stir in other ingredients. Pour on top of already-baked

brownies.