1/2 lb. butter
Approx. 7 tbsp. cocoa (heaping)
3 c. sugar
6 eggs, room temperature
About 2 tsp. vanilla
2 heaping tsp. baking powder
About 1 tsp. salt
3 c. flour
1/2 to 1 c. chopped walnuts (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In 4 quart or larger pot, melt butter; add cocoa; stir until smooth. Remove from heat; stir in sugar. Add eggs and vanilla; mix and beat thoroughly. Add dry ingredients; mix until smooth. Pour into greased and floured 9x13 inch jelly roll pan (batter should be thick). Sprinkle sugar over the top.

Bake at 350 degrees for 40-45 minutes or until toothpick in center comes out clean (this timing is approximately as I usually smell them when they are finished).

ICING (Optional) :

1 stick butter
1 box 10X sugar

Mix. Add hot black coffee, a little at a time, until you have a spreading consistency. Spread over slightly warm brownies. To make glossy, dip spreader in more hot coffee. (By the way any leftover coffee in pot is fine; don't waste a fresh pot unless you're going to drink it.)