Spicy Brownie Birthday Cake

by Patricia Schraier
(Venice CA USA)

I found candy molds for chili peppers, so using red and green-colored white chocolate, I made the chili pepper decorations. I made a sheet cake using a good quality brownie mix plus 1/2 tsp. cayenne powder.

For the frosting:

4 egg whites, room temperature
1 cup sugar
2 cubes butter
4 oz. unsweetened chocolate
1 tsp. vanilla.

Combine egg whites and sugar in a stainless steel mixing bowl. Heat the mixture, stirring constantly, over medium heat until hot. Be careful, hold edge with pot holder. When the mixture is hot, beat with whisk attachment until the egg whites and sugar are white and fluffy. Slowly add pieces of room temperature butter that has been cut into pieces, mixing constantly until all the butter is added. Meanwhile, melt the chocolate and set aside. When the buttercream is finished, pour in the chocolate and blend thoroughly. Add vanilla. Cover tightly and refrigerate until buttercream is firm enough to spread. Spread over the cake. Add the pepper decorations around the sides. Chill until set.