Mexican Brownies & Vanilla Whipped Cream

Cinco de Mayo. Yup. I'm doing what we should all be doing today. Embracing the culture, my kinda, sorta roots, drinking tequilla, and eating Mexican food. There's a worm with my name on it, so without further ado...

Mexican Brownies

2 sticks unsalted butter, plus more for greasing
2 cups sugar
4 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2/3 cup good-quality unsweetened cocoa powder
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon ground Mexican cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon or cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with non-stick tinfoil or parchment paper, leaving an overhang on two sides. Press the paper into the corners of the pan and lightly grease the paper with butter.


Melt the 2 sticks of butter over medium-low heat; do not boil. Remove from the heat and let cool slightly. Add the sugar, eggs and vanilla to the saucepan and stir with a wooden spoon until combined.


Add the cocoa, flour, cinnamon, cayenne, salt and baking powder and mix until smooth. Spread the batter in the prepared pan and bake until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out fudgy, 20 to 25 minutes. Cool in the pan on a rack, then use the parchment paper to lift out the brownies before slicing.

Vanilla Bean Whipped Cream

1 cup heavy whipping cream

1 vanilla bean, scraped

3 tablespoons powdered sugar

Mix ingredients on medium speed until soft peaks form.  Chill and serve.