Chocolate Guinness Cake

Chocolate Guinness Cake

from cooking.nytimes.com

For me, a chocolate cake is the basic unit of celebration. The chocolate Guinness cake here is simple but deeply pleasurable, and has earned its place as a stand-alone treat.

Ingredients

  • Butter, for the pan
  • 1 cup Guinness stout
  • 10 tablespoons (1 stick plus 2 tablespoons) unsalted butter (see Tip)
  • 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
  • 2 cups superfine sugar
  • 3/4 cup sour cream
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 1 1/4 cups confectioners' sugar
  • 8 ounces cream cheese at room temperature
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream

Directions

  1. 1

    For the cake: Heat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9-inch springform pan and line with parchment paper. In a large saucepan, combine Guinness and butter. Place over medium-low heat until butter melts, then remove from heat. Add cocoa and superfine sugar, and whisk to blend.

  2. 2

    In a small bowl, combine sour cream, eggs and vanilla; mix well. Add to Guinness mixture. Add flour and baking soda, and whisk again until smooth. Pour into buttered pan, and bake until risen and firm, 45 minutes to 1 hour. Place pan on a wire rack and cool completely in pan.

  3. 3

    For the topping: Using a food processor or by hand, mix confectioners' sugar to break up lumps. Add cream cheese and blend until smooth. Add heavy cream, and mix until smooth and spreadable.

  4. 4

    Remove cake from pan and place on a platter or cake stand. Ice top of cake only, so that it resembles a frothy pint of Guinness.