Vegan Brownies with Peppermint Frosting

Ingredients

• 1-1/2 cups flour
• 1/2 cup cocoa powder
• 1-1/2 cups brown sugar OR 1-1/2 cups white sugar + 1 Tablespoon blackstrap molasses
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup water
• 3/4 cup regular soymilk + 1/2 teaspoon vanilla OR 3/4 cup vanilla soymilk
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts or other nuts
Peppermint frosting:
• 30 small round peppermint candies (Starlight mints)
• 1 stick margarine (Fleischmann's brand is vegan)
• 2 cups confectioners sugar
• 2 Tablespoons soymilk
• 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract

Instructions

To make the brownies:
1. Sift flour, cocoa, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together. In a separate bowl, combine water, milk and oil. Add liquid ingredients to dry ingredients and mix. Stir in walnuts. Pour batter into a greased 9"x9" pan and bake at 325 degrees Fahrenheit for 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
To make the peppermint frosting:
2. Unwrap the peppermint candies and crush them into powder. The best way I found to do this was to use a large metal bowl and a glass bottle for pounding; placing the candies in a zipper bag and using a hammer on the countertop was not as effective because the sharp candy bits broke through the bag. Heat the margarine and soymilk in a saucepan on low to melt the margarine. Stir in the other ingredients. Pour on top of already-baked brownies.

Notes