It’s April, and so it was time to celebrate my husband’s birthday by having friends over to share a cocktail, some Thai-Style Stew, rather a lot of wine, and, of course, this tasty take on a chocolate Guinness cake.
The original recipe, from Nigella Lawson, explains that the frosting is supposed to just sort of lay on top of the single layer cake, reminiscent of the head on a properly pulled glass of Guinness. I don’t really know, I don’t much care for beer, but… this cake, though is pretty darned terrific.
INGREDIENTS
Cake:
•1 cup Guinness
•1/2 cup unsalted butter
•2 cups sugar
•3/4 cup baking cocoa
•2 eggs, beaten
•2/3 cup sour cream
•1 tbsp vanilla
•The zest of one orange
•2 cups flour
•1-1/2 tsp baking soda
Frosting:
•1 pkg (8 oz) cream cheese, softened
•1-1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar
•1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
.
Heat your oven to 350º
Grease a nine inch springform pan and line the bottom with parchment paper; set aside.
Heat the Guinness and butter until butter is melted in a sauce pan.
Remove from the heat and whisk in sugar and cocoa until blended. Remove from heat and set aside.
Combine the eggs, sour cream and vanilla in an electric mixer, then stir in the sugar and beer mixture.
Whisk the flour, orange zest, and baking soda together in a bowl, then add to the batter in the mixer bowl on medium speed until you have a smooth batter.
Pour the batter into the prepared springform pan.
Bake for 45-50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.
Cool completely in pan on a wire rack.
To make the frosting, beat the softened cream cheese until fluffy.
Add confectioners’ sugar and cream, then beat until smooth (do not over-beat).
Remove the cake from the springform pan and transfer to a platter or cake stand.
Ice top of cake so that it, as Nigella says, resembles a frothy pint of beer.
Refrigerate any leftovers.