Easy Birthday Brownies are an indulgent treat perfect for a birthday celebration. Topped with creamy cream cheese frosting and colorful sprinkles, these easy chocolate brownies are simple and delicious!
Birthdays are special occasions that call for something sweet and indulgent.
So, what better way to celebrate than with some chocolate birthday brownies topped with a luscious 4 ingredient cream cheese frosting mixed with rainbow sprinkles?
After all, what is a chocolate brownie without a little extra decadence?
Whether it's my Crinkle Top Fudge Brownies or these Vegan Fudgy Brownies, you can turn a quick brownie recipe into something celebratory for your loved ones' special day.
Table of Contents
🍫 Why You Will Love This Recipe
- Easy chocolate brownie recipe.
- Quick cream cheese frosting.
- 10 simple ingredients.
- Perfect for a birthday celebration.
- Has colorful rainbow sprinkles!
These birthday brownies are the kind that makes you close your eyes, tilt your head back, and let out a contented sigh.
They're like a party on your palate, with the easy chocolate brownies bringing the bass and the cream cheese frosting providing the high notes.
And let's not forget about the texture – the fudgy brownie base and the silky smooth frosting make for a dessert experience that's simply unbeatable.
📋 Ingredient Notes & Substitutions
- Salted butter: can also use unsalted butter, just be sure to add a pinch of fine salt, or Kosher salt, to your brownie batter, after you sift in the flour. For dairy-free, try substituting this with dairy-free block butter. This recipe has not been tested using dairy-free substitutions.
- Granulated sugar: use either golden/raw or white sugar. I love to use golden sugar as it offers a slightly more caramelized flavor.
- Olive oil: I recommend using extra virgin olive oil. Or substitute it with another neutral-flavored oil.
- All-purpose flour: is also known as plain flour in Australia.
- Cocoa powder: use unsweetened natural cocoa powder for baking. Dutch-processed cocoa powder can also be used.
- Cream cheese: for dairy-free, try substituting this with a block of dairy-free cream cheese. This recipe has not been tested using dairy-free substitutions.
- Powdered sugar: is also known as icing sugar and confectioners sugar.
- Rainbow sprinkles: can be swapped with any other color or shape sprinkles of your choice.
🥣 Step By Step Instructions (with photos)
There is a full and detailed recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Step one: In the mixing bowl, pour in melted butter, eggs, sugar and vanilla. Beat on medium speed for 2 minutes until well combined.
Step two: With the beater running on low-medium speed, slowly drizzle in the olive oil in a steady stream to emulsify, about 1 minute in total.
Step three: Sift over the flour and cocoa powder. Beat on low-medium speed until incorporated, ensuring not to over-beat.
Step four: Pour batter into the lined tin and spread out evenly. Bake for 18-20 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool in pan.
Allow the brownie to cool completely before starting the frosting, this may take a couple of hours.
Step five: In a large mixing bowl, add both softened cream cheese and butter. Beat on medium speed for 1 minute.
Step six: Sift over powdered sugar and beat on medium speed for 1 minute until well combined and whipped.
Step seven: Add sprinkles and fold through with a rubber spatula or spoon.
Step eight: Spread frosting over the cooled brownie. Allow the brownie to sit at room temperature for several hours until the frosting has set. Alternatively, place it in the refrigerator until set for a faster process.
💭 Expert Tips
- Slowly drizzle in the olive oil: To ensure that the olive oil in the batter is properly emulsified.
- Don't overmix the batter: Overmixing the brownie batter can make the brownies tough and dense. Mix until the ingredients are just combined.
- Let the brownies cool completely: Allow the brownies to cool completely before adding the cream cheese frosting. This will prevent the frosting from melting or sliding off the brownies.
- Allow the frosting to set: Sit the brownies at room temperature or chill them in the refrigerator for 1-2 hours after adding the cream cheese frosting to allow the frosting to set.
- Serve at room temperature: Remove the desired amount of brownies from the refrigerator and let them come to room temperature for the best texture and flavor.
⏲️ Storage Instructions
Store brownies in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 4-5 days.
Freeze brownies by wrapping the sliced brownies tightly in plastic wrap and then in foil before placing them in an airtight container. Label with the name and date. Freeze for 2-3 months.
Thaw frozen brownies simply by removing them from the freezer and letting them sit at room temperature for a few hours until they're soft.
💬 Recipe FAQ's
You can try using a gluten-free all-purpose flour blend perfect for baking, such as a 1:1 flour blend. Although I haven't tested this recipe myself using gluten-free flour.
Try swapping the butter for a block of dairy-free butter and dairy-free cream cheese for the frosting. Keep in mind I have not tested this recipe using these dairy-free substitutions.
Fudgy brownies require more fat/liquid ingredients than dry flour ingredients. To ensure a soft and fudgy texture, slightly underbake the brownies.
Overbaking brownies will dry them out and make them crumbly. To avoid this, bake brownies slightly underbaked to achieve a fudge-like texture.
Yes! Simply use a round 9-inch (22cm) cake tin instead of a square tin.
If you enjoy this recipe, please consider leaving a ⭐️ star rating and a comment review below. I love to hear what you think and it's much appreciated. Thank you! Your email address will not be published. Sam x
Recipe Card
Easy Birthday Brownies with Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients
Chocolate Brownies
- 100 g salted butter, melted
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar, golden or white
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
- ⅔ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 125 g block cream cheese, at room temperature
- 60 g unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
- 1 ½ cups powdered sugar
- 3 tablespoon rainbow sprinkles
Instructions
Chocolate Brownies
- Preheat oven to 180ºC (350ºF). Line a square 9-inch x 9-inch (22cm x 22cm) baking tin with parchment paper and set aside.
- Melt butter and set aside for 5 minutes to cool down or until it's just warm, not hot.
- Prepare a large mixing bowl, using either electric hand beaters or a stand mixer with the paddle attached.
- In the mixing bowl, pour in cooled melted butter, eggs, sugar and vanilla. Beat on medium speed for 2 minutes until well combined.
- With the beater running on low-medium speed, slowly drizzle in the olive oil in a steady stream to emulsify, about 1 minute in total.
- Sift over flour and cocoa powder. Beat on low-medium speed until incorporated, ensuring not to over-beat.
- Pour batter into the lined tin and spread out evenly.
- Bake for 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out with some moist crumbs, not completely clean. Slightly under-baking will create a fudgy texture.
- Remove from oven and allow to cool in tin for 10 minutes.
- Carefully pull brownie out from the tin and transfer to a wire rack, leaving the parchment paper intact as it will still be soft and delicate to handle.
- Allow the brownie to cool completely before starting the frosting, this may take a couple hours.
Cream Cheese Frosting
- Prepare a large mixing bowl, using either electric hand beaters or a stand mixer with the paddle attached.
- In the mixing bowl, add both softened cream cheese and butter. Beat on medium speed for 1 minute. Scraping down the sides after.
- Sift over powdered sugar and beat on medium speed for 1 minute until well combined and whipped.
- Add sprinkles and fold through with a rubber spatula or spoon.
- Spread frosting over cooled brownie.
- Allow to sit at room temperature for several hours until the frosting has set. Alternatively, place in the refrigerator until set for a faster process.
Notes
- Slowly drizzle in the olive oil: To ensure that the olive oil in the batter is properly emulsified.
- Don't overmix the batter: Overmixing the brownie batter can make the brownies tough and dense. Mix until the ingredients are just combined.
- Store brownies in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 4-5 days.
- Freeze brownies by wrapping the sliced brownies tightly in plastic wrap and then in foil before placing them in an airtight container. Label with the name and date. Freeze for 2-3 months.
- Thaw frozen brownies simply by removing them from the freezer and letting them sit at room temperature for a few hours until they're soft.
Did you make this recipe? Let me know!