Just two days left!

Just two days left before I’m back in the other world. The world of assets and bonds and theories and presentations. University is starting again. The mere thought is drying up my brain juices. But at least, this summer life of internet-ing all night, sleeping all day will end (LOL). And my poor, overworked and underappreciated oven will get some rest (LOL).

No rest for the wicked and the bakers! I have my first ever wedding cake to prepare. Yes folks! You heard it. My very first wedding cake! 😀 It’s for a friend who is getting married next week inshaAllah! I was completely surprised when she asked me (I was the only one surprised apparently). My feelings regarding this immense honor? Ecstatic but more nervous. I’ve never made a cake on this scale before or for something so important. What if it’s absolutely abysmal? Painfully pathetic? Or what if it falls over? Falls in? The frosting melts off? Or gets licked off? Or, I don’t know… a million little things that can go wrong in the enigmatic art of baking.

These wedding cake jitters coupled with the earthshattering, worldending, very melodramatic realization that college is just two days away is precisely why I had the indomitable urge to bake, not one, but TWO batches of brownies. That’s my excuse and I am sticking to it!

And because I am super emo, these brownies are super special. They are… M&M BROWNIES. !!! Brownies stuffed with M&Ms. !!!

A handful (or two) of M&Ms gives these already fudgy dark moist brownies an amazing burst of color and crunch. And of course, extra chocolate don’t hurt no body (unless the body is diabetic, adds my med student sister)!

After seeing the pictures above, some of you might be wondering where the handfuls of M&Ms are in the brownies. No I did not mix them in the batter. I studded the top of my brownie batter with them like a good little follower of instructions. But guess what happened? I had spooned the brownie batter in the wrong pan! A pan that doesn’t fit in my oven! There I was, ready to slide in my perfectly prepared, M&M topped brownie pan into the oven only to realize that the pan DOES NOT FIT. I am not ashamed to say, I cried. My awesome sister saved the day by carefully pulling out all my elegantly arranged M&Ms, pouring the brownie mix in a smaller dish and then trying to stud the M&Ms back on top as neatly as before. So yeah, check your baking pans, kids!

The brownies tasted heavenly though. Well, obviously.

Happy baking and let me know your baking blunders in the comments below! I need a laugh.

M&M Brownies Prep Time: 5 minutes                                                                        Yields: 16 small squares Cook Time: 30 minutes Ingredients: ½ cup (115g) melted butter ¾ cup cocoa powder, sifted 1 cup granulated sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 2 large eggs ½ cup all-purpose flour, sifted ¼ teaspoon baking powder ¼-1/2 cup M&Ms Directions: Preheat oven to 180 degrees C. Butter and line a 8×8 baking dish with parchment paper. In a bowl, combine the melted butter, cocoa powder, sugar, and vanilla. Beat in the eggs. Fold in the flour and the baking powder, till just combined. Pour into the prepared dish. Arrange neatly, or scatter, M&Ms on top. Bake at 180 degrees C for 30-35 minutes. Cool completely before cutting. Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator (as if there will be any leftovers ;)) Adapted from SACO cocoa powder recipe