Chocolate Stout Cake

Beer cake you say?

No Saint Patrick’s Day dessert would be worthy of the occasion if it didn’t have at least a little booziness going on. That’s the rule, isn’t it? Well, this cake is no exception. With the addition of creamy stout beer, it’s one rich, dense chocolate cake. In the Irish spirit, I probably should have gone with Guinness. But when I spotted this salted caramel stout from Portland’s Breakside Brewery, I couldn’t leave it on the shelf at the liquor store. My instincts, as they usually are with anything having to do with the words “salted caramel,” were correct. It was AMAZING.

Enjoy… and as always, indulge responsibly!

Chocolate Stout Cake

1 1/2 cups (12 fluid ounces) stout beer
1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into cubes
1 cup sifted cocoa powder
3 cups all-purpose flour
3 cups granulated sugar
2 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
3 eggs, at room temperature
2/3 cup sour cream, at room temperature

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour two 9-inch round pans.

2. Place the stout and butter in a large saucepan and heat on medium heat until the butter melts, stirring occasionally. Remove the pan from the heat, and whisk in the sifted cocoa powder until smooth. Let cool.

3. In a medium bowl, whisk together dry ingredients: flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Set aside.

4. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix the eggs and sour cream on medium speed until well combined, about 3 minutes.

5. Add the cooled cocoa mixture, and mix on medium speed until combined, about 1 minute.

6. Add the dry ingredients slowly and combine on low-speed until blended, making sure to scrape the sides and bottom of bowl, and then mix for another minute.

7. Divide batter into prepared pans evenly. Place cake pans on middle oven rack side-by-sides a few inches apart and bake until toothpick inserted into centre comes clean, about 35 minutes.

8. Let cakes cool on wire racks for about 10 minutes, loosen edges with knife or small palette knife, then gently remove from pans to cool completely.

Cake recipe adapted from Sweetapolita.

Cream Cheese Frosting

1 8-ounce package cream cheese, softened
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
4 cups confectioner’s sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Pinch of salt

1. Beat together cream cheese and butter in stand mixer with paddle attachment. Start on low to combine, and then turn mixer to high for about 5 minutes, until mixture is light and fluffy.

2. One cup at a time, mix in confectioner’s sugar. Start slow until just mixed (or sugar will go everywhere!) and then increase speed to fluff up the mixture.

3. Once all the confectioner’s sugar is incorporated, add the vanilla and salt, and beat until combined.

4. Once the cake is fully cooled, frost. Enjoy the leftover stout while you wait!