Everywhere you look in cyberspace, you can find recipe after recipe for fudgy brownies. The internet loves a fudgy brownie. If brownies were in high school, fudgy brownies would be the effortlessly cool kid who somehow looks perfect in every yearbook photo. And I get it! Fudgy brownies are rich, decadent, and they make you feel like you’re getting away with eating straight-up chocolate frosting but in a socially acceptable way.

I’ve got a couple of fudgy brownie recipes on this site, because I, too, have fallen for their gooey charm. But here’s the thing: Ivy's little brother, Zander, loves cakey brownies. Plain cakey brownies. No nuts, no frosting, just pure chocolate cakey goodness. And what kind of mother would I be if I didn’t make them for him?

So, to all the fudgy brownie loyalists out there, hear me out—cakey brownies deserve a seat at the table too. They’re the underdog, the unsung hero, the brownie that’s here for a good time and a longer shelf life. (Seriously, fudgy brownies can turn into an uncuttable brick in less than 24 hours, while cakey brownies remain soft and tender for days.)

If you’ve got a cakey brownie lover in your life (or if you secretly are one but have been afraid to admit it in this pro-fudge world), this recipe is for you.

Cakey Brownies for the Unsung Heroes

Ingredients:

• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted

• 2 cups granulated sugar

• 4 large eggs

• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

• 1 cup whole milk (or buttermilk if you’re feeling fancy)

• 2 cups all-purpose flour

• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

• 1 teaspoon baking powder

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Instructions:

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and line a 9x13-inch baking dish with parchment paper. Or don’t, and live on the edge when you try to get them out later.

2. Whisk together the melted butter and sugar in a large bowl. Do this for a minute or two until it looks like you’re making some very questionable caramel.

3. Add the eggs one at a time, whisking well after each addition. Tell yourself this counts as an arm workout and you can skip the gym today.

4. Mix in the vanilla extract and milk. At this point, your batter will look very thin, and you may question your life choices. Stay strong.

5. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt. If you skip this step and just dump everything in the wet ingredients, I will not judge you, but I will say you might get some unfortunate cocoa clumps.

6. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, stirring just until combined. The batter should be smooth and much more brownie-like at this point. If you taste it, I won’t tell anyone.

7. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread it out evenly. Give the pan a little shake or tap it on the counter to settle the batter (or aggressively slam it down if you need to work through some emotions).

8. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs. Not wet batter, but crumbs. If the toothpick is too clean, you’ve gone too far, and you may have just baked chocolate biscotti.

9. Let them cool completely before slicing. Or don’t, and accept that your first brownie will be a molten mess but also completely worth it.

Why Cakey Brownies Deserve Love

I get it—cakey brownies don’t have the same drama as their fudgy counterparts. They don’t stretch into gooey ribbons when you pull them apart. They don’t make you feel like you’re starring in a slow-motion chocolate commercial. But you know what they do? They hold their shape. They stack nicely. They pair beautifully with a cold glass of milk without making you feel like you need a spoon.

And most importantly? They make Zander happy. And if there’s one thing I’ve learned in all my years of cooking, it’s that making something you love for the people you love is the best kind of baking there is.

So, if you or a loved one have been waiting for a cakey brownie that doesn’t get second billing to its fudgy sibling—this one’s for you. Enjoy!