Nutella brownie to farewell We Should Cocoa

Nutella is so delicious eaten on a spoon straight from the jar but there are days I want to bake with it.  Such as when the 750g jar is just about the same price as the 500g jar so we bought the bigger one and then it seemed humungus and too many spoonfuls.  So I found a recipe that was quick and easy to make, and simple enough that the taste of nutella did not get lost.

It is one of those 3 ingredient cakes that uses merely nutella, eggs and flour.  With lots more nutella slathered on top.  Because it is all about nutella.  In fact the batter looks like a big bowl of nutella.  Great for a busy day when you are just are wasting time driving to shops without a wallet, and trying to look busy while your mum prunes the roses, and dinner is going to have to wait because you want to bake before racing out the door to after school swimming lessons.  Great because you know you will get home so tired and hungry that Dessert Before Dinner seemed like a good idea.

But before we exhaust ourselves just thinking about how busy life gets, let's look at this cake.  It is a dense fudgy flat cake with pug-dog wrinkles that Sylvia immediately spotted was more brownie than cake.  As with all good brownies, this is more about indulgence than health.

I wondered if it would work with a vegan chocolate hazelnut spread and some aquafaba.  Sadly I don't have time to experiment but check out The Big Man's World for his experiments with homemade chocolate hazelnut butter, almond meal and flax eggs.

Lastly I am sending these nutella brownies to Choclette of Tin and Thyme for the very - sniff - last - sob - We Should Cocoa.  This is a food event that has been running for 8 years from when Choclette's blog was called Chocolate Log Blog and posted the most amazing array of chocolate recipes.  She snow blogs a wider array of (vegetarian) food at her Tin and Thyme blog.  Choclette started We Should Cocoa with Chelle of Chocolate Teapot who does not blog any more (another sigh).  The WSC event has inspired lots of chocolate cooking here at Green Gourmet Giraffe as well as bringing chocolate lovers together.  I am so sad it is finishing but blogging is always changing and I am sure there will still be lots of chocolate goodies here and at Tin and Thyme.

Ten previous We Should Cocoa inspired recipes at Green Gourmet Giraffe:
Cherry Ripe cake pops (gf)
Chocolate chip and honey scones
Chocolate carrot cake   
Chokito fudge
Earl Grey cupcakes and chocolate cashew ganache
Fruitcake with chocolate chunks
Haggis and cheese mole nut roast with chocolate  
Malted loaf with chocolate, figs and brazil nuts (v)
Medieval castle cake for chocolate lovers (v) 
Savoury beetroot, carrot, chocolate and goats cheese muffins

Nutella Brownies
Adapted slightly from Phoodie

1 cup Nutella
2 eggs
1/2 cup plain flour
extra 1/2 cup Nutella for frosting

Preheat oven to 175 C.  Line a 20cm square cake tin with baking paper.  Mix all ingredients together (except frosting) and spread into prepared cake tin.  Bake for 25-30 minutes or until they smell cooked and skewer comes out cleanly when inserted.  (Mine were ready by 20 minutes.)  Cool 5-10 minutes and turn out onto wire rack to cool slightly.  When lukewarm, spread with remaining 1/2 cup of nutella.  Cut into squares and enjoy.  Or cool and store in an airtight container.

On the Stereo:
If you're feeling sinister: Belle and Sebastian