This is a delicious cake. I mean, chocolate cake is GOOD no matter what but this version made with Guinness stout beer is REALLY, REALLY GOOD!
The recipe is inspired from this book “Irish Cooking” – that has wonderful, easy American-Irish recipes made for the average cook. There are breakfast dishes and homemade breads, desserts and hearty soups, all classic recipes that will take you on a delicious journey .
As you already know, when it comes to baking, I have a problem with the amount of sugar dumped in the American recipes. I do not like overly sweet cakes and when I bake, I tend to cut some of the sugar from butter creams and frostings. I mean, really, for a cup of butter, why do you need four cups of powder sugar to make frosting? Are we trying to glue wallpaper with it, or make a delightful dessert that is not going to throw us into a diabetic coma? I vote for the second option.
Anyway, getting back to our delicious cake, the recipe calls for only a cup of stout and not for an entire bottle(nice, huh?). As Julia Child once said:”I enjoy cooking with wine, sometimes I even put it in the food…” I think that we will do the same with the beer. One cup for the recipe, the rest for us…or maybe you want to keep your husband around, he can help with the dishes, while you are pouring the rest of the bottle in a glass for him. Whatever works…
I made the recipe trying to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day. However, the cake is perfect for any occasion. Make it for a potluck, a birthday party, or anything in between.
The cake is rich and light, smooth and bold. The beer makes the cake incredibly moist and soft. It is the kind of cake that keeps really well for a few days, ready for you to slice a bit off whenever you need an energy boost.
If you are not Irish but you still want to celebrate, bake this cake or a bread, as I did, an awesome American Irish Soda bread that my husband loved. He said that it is one of the best breads I baked so far and it went well with every food he had over the weekend.
And now, let me give you the recipe for the cake. Make sure the ingredients are room temperature, including the butter and the cream cheese for the frosting. You will thank me later, as your life will be much easier while in the kitchen. Enjoy!
- For the cake:
- 2 cups/240g all purpose flour
- ¾ cup/63 g unsweetened cocoa powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ cup/100g brown sugar(packed)
- ¾ cup(1½ sticks)/170g unsalted butter, soft
- ½ cup/100g granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 eggs
- 1 cup/236ml beer stout, room temperature
- For the Cream Cheese Frosting:
- 1 package(8 ounces/226g) softened cream cheese
- ¼ cup(1/2 stick/56g) softened unsalted butter
- 2 cups/227g powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Optional: 1 tablespoon milk
- Cake:
- Preheat oven to 350F/180C.
- Butter a 9x13-inch baking pan and set aside.
- In a medium bowl, combine flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt.
- Separately, in a large bowl, beat the brown sugar, butter and granulated sugar together with an electric mixer, on medium speed until light and fluffy.
- Add the vanilla.
- Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
- Add flour mixture and stout, alternating them, beating until blended after each addition.
- Pour batter evenly into the baking pan.
- Bake about 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean. Cool completely in pan before frosting.
- How To Make Cream Cheese Frosting:
- Beat the cream cheese with butter in a large bowl with an electric mixer(medium speed).
- Gradually add the powder sugar and vanilla and continue beating until smooth.
- If too thick, add the milk and beat until incorporated.
- Spread over the cake and decorate as you like.
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