Red Heart Brownie Teacakes with almond icing

With Valentine’s Day right around the corner, I have a fun recipe all your little ones (and big ones) will love.  Whether for the Valentine’s Tea or mid-morning tea time, this recipe will bring the tea to the occasion.  Actually, it’s not a tea recipe but a recipe for the cutest little Red Heart Brownie Teacakes {with almond icing}.  Close enough, right?  With a delicious chocolate layer and drizzle of sweet creamy almond icing, these dainty Red Heart Brownie Teacakes are perfect for tea time or anytime.  They will be the hit at any party–especially a tea party!

My oldest, LouLaw (check out my ABOUT ME page if you’re wondering about the name 😉 ), loves to play dress up and tea party.  Tea parties are a big deal in our home.  I recently bought some vintage 1950’s glass brunch tea plates from an estate sale for a screaming deal.  I honestly thought they would make for a great tea party piece.  So, last weekend I decided to take them out of their dusty boxes, clean them up and help LouLaw through a little tea party for lunch.

She was thrilled at the idea of throwing her own tea party.  “Oh, mom we can have apple juice for our tea”–because we don’t actually drink tea.  “We can have little sandwiches.”  As I, being almost as excited as she was, made a platter of tuna pinwheel sandwiches, dill pickles, strawberries and cucumber slices, she homemade little invitations to each person she wanted to invite.

We still needed the perfect dessert for the tea party.  I had made a batch of homemade cake-style brownies that morning.  Why not cut these into little finger cakes… a teacake?!  We did.  We cut them into little teacakes, drizzle our super simple almond icing and added a cute little red heart sprinkle.  They were perfect for LouLaw’s little lunch tea party.  They were a hit!

So if you’re looking for a fun finger dessert especially around Valentines or for a tea party, you’ve found it!  These Red Heart Brownie Teacakes with almond icing will be a hit.

Let’s start with the brownie teacakes.  They are pretty easy to whip up and are great because they are like a heavy cake.  They won’t crumble or break even though you will cut them into long strips.  The full printable recipe is below.

In a large mixing bowl, melt the butter then add the cocoa powder.  I like to use dutch processed because it has a darker, richer flavor.

Once the cocoa powder is all mixed in, add the sugar.  Once the sugar is incorporated, add the eggs.

Beat batter until blended.  It should be a fairly runny batter.  Once the eggs are incorporated mix in the vanilla extract and vanilla yogurt.

Next, add the dry ingredients (flour, salt, baking soda, and baking powder).

Mix only until the dry ingredients are incorporated.  It will look something like this.

I like to bake these brownies in a half size baking sheet.  It makes the brownies about 3/4 to 1-inch thick which is perfect for a teacake like these.  Once the batter is mixed, pour it out onto a baking sheet.  I usually flour the bottom or use a silicone mat to help the brownies release when they’re ready to be removed from the pan.

Next, spread the batter evenly over the pan.  Here’s what mine looked like before it hit the oven.

Lastly, bake the sheet brownie for about 20 minutes or until a toothpick poked into the center comes out clean.

Let the sheet of brownies cool completely before cutting.  While the sheet of brownies are cooling, make the simple almond icing.  The full printable recipe is below.  In a mixing bowl, add powdered sugar, cream and almond extract.  Mix until all the sugar has been incorporated.  If the icing is too thick, add 1-2 teaspoons of cream at a time until your preferred consistency is reached.  If too runny, add powdered sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time.  You want the icing to drizzle off a spoon or be squeezed from a bottle BUT you also don’t want it to ooze everywhere once it’s on the teacakes.

I poured the icing into a bottle to make it easier to pipe onto the brownie teacakes.

Once the sheet of brownies are cooled, cut them into 1-inch by 3-inch pieces.  If you bake this recipe in a half size baking sheet and cut into 1 x 3 inch pieces, it will make about 90 teacakes.

Now, for the fun part.  Place all the cut brownies onto a baking sheet lined with parchment or waxed paper.  Drizzle or pipe the icing onto each teacake.

Lastly, place one red heart sprinkle onto each iced teacake.  The icing will act as a glue for the sprinkle.  Let the icing dry a bit before moving to a serving platter.  Aren’t they just so cute?!

Once the icing has sat for a bit, you can move the red heart brownie teacakes to a fun serving platter and get ready for the tea party! 😉

I just love how the brown makes the white and red pop as they are such contrasting colors.  It makes these little cakes look that much more fun.  When LouLaw saw the final tea party setting her giant smile and wide eyes said it all.  We had a fantastic tea party and enjoyed these cute little teacakes for dessert.

What do you like to serve for dessert at a tea party or brunch?

Print

Red Heart Brownie Teacakes with almond icing

With a delicious chocolate layer and drizzle of sweet creamy almond icing, these dainty Red Heart Brownie Teacakes are perfect for tea time or anytime.

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Total Time 40 minutes

Servings 90 teacakes

Author Rachel

Ingredients

Brownie Teacakes:

• 1/2 cup butter melted
• 2/3 cup cocoa powder dutch processed preferred
• 2 cups sugar
• 4 eggs
• 3/4 cup vanilla yogurt
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 cups flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda

Simple Almond Icing:

• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1/3 cup cream
• 1/4-1/2 teaspoon almond extract

• Red heart sprinkles

Instructions

To make the Brownie Teacakes:

1. In a mixing bowl, add melted butter and cocoa powder. Blend.
2. Next, mix in sugar. Once sugar is incorporated, add eggs.
3. Add vanilla extract and vanilla yogurt. Blend well.
4. Add, flour, salt, baking soda and baking powder. Only mix until blended. Do not over mix.
5. Pour onto a half size baking sheet (cookie sheeand spread evenly. You may want to flour the bottom of the pan or use a silicone mat to avoid sticking and provide an easier release after baking.
6. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the sheet comes out clean.
7. Cool completely.

To make the Simple Almond Icing:

1. In a bowl, mix powdered sugar, cream and almond extract. If too thick, add 1 teaspoon of cream at a time. If too thin, add 1 tablespoon powdered sugar at a time. The consistancy should be thin enough to drizzle off a spoon or squeeze out of a bottle AND not ooze off the brownie teacakes.

To assemble:

1. Cut brownie sheet into 1 inch by 3 inch pieces. This recipe will make 90 teacakes if baked in a half size baking sheet (cookie sheet).
2. Drizzle or pipe almond icing onto each teacake.
3. Add red heart sprinkle to each teacake. Icing will act as a glue for the sprinkle.
4. Let icing set a dry a bit before plating to avoid sticking or smearing.