Chocolate Guinness Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

 

My daughter went to Dublin and sent a photo of a delicious Guinness Chocolate Cake she was eating. What does Guinness have to do with chocolate? I had no idea, but I wanted to find out. What I found was an easy recipe for a dense, dark, rich, delicious chocolate cake with a cloud of delectable frosting. Not bad. Thank you Nigella Lawson for sharing the secret of putting beer in your cake. I've never liked beer, but now when I see a can of Guinness, I think -- cake.

Chocolate Guinness Cake
Serves 12
Recipe from Nigella Lawson

For the cake:

Butter, for the pan

1 cup Guinness stout

10 Tblsp butter

3/4 cup cocoa powder

2 cups sugar

3/4 cup sour cream

2 large eggs

1 Tblsp vanilla extract

2 cups all purpose flour

2 1/2 tsp baking soda

For the frosting:

1 1/4 cup confectioner's sugar

8 oz cream cheese, at room temperature

1/2 cup heavy cream

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 9-inch springform pan and line the bottom with parchment paper.

In a large saucepan combine Guinness and butter over medium-low heat until the butter melts. Remove from heat. Add cocoa and sugar and whisk to blend.

In a small bowl combine sour cream, eggs and vanilla. Mix well. Add to Guinness mixture. Add flour and baking soda and whisk until smooth.

Pour batter into the prepared pan and bake 45-55 minutes, until risen and firm on top. Place pan on a wire rack to cool completely.

In a food processor, or by hand, mix the confectioners sugar to break up any lumps. Add the cream cheese and blend until smooth. Add heavy cream and mix until smooth and spreadable.

Remove the side of the springform pan and transfer cake to a platter or cake stand. Frost the top of the cake only. Chill and serve.