Mocha Brownies with Coffee Frosting

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup shortening
• 1/2 cup 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
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• Frosting:
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups confectioners’ sugar
• 1 tablespoon instant coffee granules
• 1 1/2 tablespoons milk

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9×13-inch baking pan.

Melt shortening and 1/2 cup 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. Dissolve 4 teaspoons instant coffee with hot water in a small bowl; stir into cocoa mixture. Whisk eggs into batter, one at a time, beating each egg in thoroughly before adding the next. Stir flour, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, and salt into batter just until moist. Pour batter into prepared baking pan.

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

Beat 1/2 cup softened butter with 1 teaspoon vanilla extract in a bowl. Add confectioners' sugar to mixture and beat until creamy using an electric mixer on medium speed. Dissolve 1 tablespoon 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.