*I wrote this post last night just as the hurricane was starting to hit, but my power went out mid-post. If you need a testament to how good these brownies are, there are only 4 left less than 24 hours later!)

Considering my first reaction to most crises is baking, it’s no surprise that I turned to baking in the midst of today’s (mild) natural disaster.

The only issue with rainstorm baking is that running out to the store to grab whatever you’re missing becomes a bit more difficult. So, this evening I went through the pantry and came up with a recipe that used minimal ingredients, with maximum mix-ins.

Hurricane Blondies

Totally worth braving a hurricane for.

adapted from Gracie’s Cake Batter Blondies

Ingredients:

  • 1 box yellow cake mix
  • 1 egg
  • 1/4 cup vegetable oil
  • 1/4 cup milk
  • 1/2 cup roasted salted peanuts
  • 1/2 cup chocolate chips
  • 1/4 cup peanut butter
  • 1/4 cup Nutella
Preheat oven to 350*F. In a mixing bowl, beat together cake mix, egg, oil and milk until well combined. Stir in peanuts and chocolate chips, then evenly distribute batter into 8×8″ pan prepared with non-stick spray. In small bowls, microwave peanut butter and Nutella separately for 30 seconds to 1 minute, or until melted and smooth. Drizzle over the top of blondie batter, then use a knife to swirl into the top. Bake for about 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out mostly clean.
Just imagine: the tastes of cake batter, chocolate, peanuts and Nutella, all rolled into one.Sweet cake batter flavor, crunchy peanuts, dark chocolatey bites and creamy Nutella. What more could you want from a baked good?

My mom and I each had one warm from the oven, but these are actually even better when cooled. They get insanely chewy and dense- perfect for a glass of milk. (If I liked to drink milk straight-up. Sometimes I wish I liked the stuff solo just because it goes so well with cookies and the like.)

Word of warning: don’t be surprised if these magically disappear and you can’t figure out why you feel so icky. No power = lots of nibbling instead of electronic activities!

Currently, I’m still home in PA. The MTA has suspended most forms of public transportation, including subways and trains, so hopefully they get things cleaned up soon and I’ll back in the city in time for school tomorrow!

How did you spend your weekend? Were you at all affected by Hurricane Irene?