Forget Drinking: I'll Be Eating Guinness on St. Patrick's Day
While I have come to appreciate the full-bodied bitter taste of Guinness on tap, I discovered I much prefer eating Guinness off of a plate. My friend Paula, hostess extraordinaire, introduced me to this cake during one of her fabulous holiday parties. After my first bite, I instantly became that girl, you know, the one who lingers alone next to the buffet table, stuffing her face, hoping no one will notice. I must have eaten half of the cake by myself. Needless to say, I demanded the recipe and have been making it ever since. Its light and moist in the center, crunchy on the edges, and the cream cheese frosting on top makes it irresistible.
Chocolate Guinness Cake
Ingredients for the cake:
Butter for pan1 cup Guinness stout
10 tablespoons (1 stick plus 2 tablespoons) unsalted butter
3/8 cup unsweetened cocoa
2 cups superfine sugar
3/8 cup sour cream
2 large eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
Ingredients for the topping:
1 1/4 cups confectioners' sugar8 ounces cream cheese at room temperature
1/2 cup heavy cream
Directions:
1. For the cake: heat oven to 350 degrees-F. Butter a 9-inch spring form 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. 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 one hour. Place pan on a wire rack and cool completely in pan.
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. 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.
Yield: One 9-inch cake (12 servings).
Recipe credit: Nigella Lawson
Photo credit (cake): Ian O'Leary
Do you have a favorite recipe that calls for Guinness? Share it with me.
--StellaCadente*
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Jamie on March 02, 2010 at 03:56 PM
Once I got over the vapors caused by the prospect of baking Guinness into a cake, I started thinking that this cake would look SO cute served in a tallish shotglass - you know, fill the shotglass with cake by cutting down into it with the glass, then frost the top, up to the rim of the glass. Baby Guinness desserts!
StellaCadente* on March 02, 2010 at 05:15 PM
Jamie: Thanks for the comment. You made me laugh! You *really* cannot taste the Guinness at all. I am eating a slice right now. LOVE your serving idea. I might steal that for the next time I make it. Cheers!
The Old Wolf on March 07, 2010 at 08:03 AM
By the dessicated skull of Mogg's grandmother! This recipe is the answer to my prayers. I have two problems, you see: 1) I love Guinness, and 2) I'm teetotal. By the time this cake is baked, it should pass muster... I must try it at once! May you be in heaven 30 minutes before the divvil knows you're dead! :D
Estela on March 08, 2010 at 11:14 AM
This is the best chocolate cake I have ever made!
I have a couple of questions though:
1) Why does the springform pan need to be lined with parchment paper? Is it to prevent leakage?
2) Can I use baking powder instead of baking soda or use less baking soda? I can slightly taste the baking soda but other than that the cake is fabulous and the frosting could be eaten alone. It is so good!!!!
Thanks for the recipe.
hvb on July 08, 2010 at 12:27 AM
Use a better stout. A Russian Imperial-style stout would add the most flavor. I believe Old Rasputin can be found in many places which is a start. I recently had one with Mephistopheles by Avery which was hands down the best birthday-style cake I've ever had (I wanna make one with Older Viscosity soon). The maltier the stout the sweeter and tastier the cake would be. In that territory Guinness, while quite accessible to most people, just doesn't cut it compared to craft and micro russian imperial stouts. enjoy.