Brownie Bites with Berry Buttercream

So Valentine’s Day is coming up…umm YAY??? Ok, so i’m not the hugest fan of the holiday. As someone with a spouse that is rarely home on Valentine’s day for me it’s just another day. Valentine’s day and I just do not get along. Heck one year I severely sprained my ankle getting up off the couch. That was a fun year that I will never forget. Through it all though I do try to make it a special day for my kids. I will buy them little Valentine’s and make them heart shaped food and dinner usually includes some sort of dessert. Typically chocolate is involved because after all it is Valentine’s Day after all.

Lately i’ve been pulling my mini muffin pan out to make treats for my kid’s. It has been perfect for portion control  and the fight of who has the bigger piece. Brownies and Blondies have been my recent obsession . If you are a person that likes the chewy edge piece when it comes to brownies, then making these brownie bites in a mini muffin pan is the thing for you. They come out perfectly. Then to put my brownies over the top I top them with a berry buttercream. Can you say brownie perfection?

Brownie Bites with Berry Buttercream perfection is what I call it. Chocolate covered berries like, strawberries, raspberries and cherries are classic Valentine’s day treats. This is all the flavor of those chocolate covered treats in a brownie bite. A much less messy bite. There is no worrying about melting the chocolate and all the problems that sometimes come with melting chocolate. Let alone the problems that sometimes arise when you dip things in chocolate. Your biggest concern with these brownie bites is not overfilling the cups.  Between chocolate that has seized to brownie bites that have overflowed the muffin pan, i’d take the brownies.

Want to know the best part about these brownie bites? They are gluten free and you cannot even tell the difference. Make them yourself and share with your gluten eating friends, they will never know. They will be in shock when you tell them they are gluten free. I know I always get a kick out of surprising people with how good gluten free tastes. Then again you could make them and keep them for yourself and the extra special people in your life. Another special thing about these bites is the berry buttercream. The beautiful pink color of the buttercream is dye free! Which is great if you try to avoid food dyes especially red dye. I can’t help but say, these Brownie Bites with Berry Buttercream really are something special!

Brownie Bites with Berry Buttercream

 

Author:

Country Girl Gourmet

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All of the flavor of a chocolate covered berry in a brownie bite!

Ingredients

• ½ cup butter
• 1 cup white sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ⅓ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• ½ cup all-purpose flour
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon xanthan gum
• For Frosting-
• ½ cup butter (softened)
• ½ cup shortening
• 4 cups confectioners sugar
• 4 tablespoons heavy cream
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• ½ cup seedless raspberry jam, strawberry jam or cherry preserves

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Prepare 2 mini muffin pans with liners or spray with cooking spray.
2. Melt ½ cup butter. Stir in sugar, eggs, and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Beat in ⅓ cup cocoa, ½ cup flour, salt, xanthan gum and baking powder.
3. Place batter in prepared mini muffin pan filling ⅔ full.
4. Bake in preheated oven for 15 to 25 minutes. Do not overcook.
5. Cool in pan for 5 minutes. Carefully transfer brownies to a wire rack; cool
6. For Frosting
7. Using Stand mixer with whisk attachment cream together butter and shortening until fluffy. Once combined add confectioner sugar mixing in one cup at a time. Once well blended add vanilla and milk.Once incorporated add berry jam/preserves. Mixing on high speed until light and fluffy. Frost as desired.

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