Chocolate Stout Cake

Photographer: Adam
Serves 12

There has been quite a buzz around beer in the office lately, but being seven months pregnant, I decided that it was only fair that I should be allowed to get in on the action even if it meant putting the beer in a cake!  As it turns out, the beer in the cake trick resulted in a deliciously rich, bittersweet treat, of which I must confess I had a second slice.  Kurt was kind enough to give me a bottle of his best and blackest brew for the job. This little beauty combined with the robust richness of the molasses sugar gave the cake an earthiness that would really make it stand out in a line up of chocolate cakes.

 

INGREDIENTS


250g unsalted butter
2 1/2 cups flour
¼ cup dutch press cocoa (plus extra for the pan)
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup stout beer
350g dark chocolate, chopped
3 eggs
1 cup sugar
1 cup molasses sugar
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup cream

METHOD


1. Preheat oven to 180°C
2. Grease a 12-cup capacity Bundt pan and dust with the cocoa powder, tapping out the excess.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt.
4. In a small pot, combine the butter and stout. Stir over medium heat, until the butter is melted. Remove from heat, add 200g of the chocolate, and whisk until smooth. Set aside to cool slightly.
5. Using an electric mixer (a stand mixer is best if you have one), beat the eggs and sugars on medium-high until light and fluffy. Beat in the chocolate mixture and sour cream.
6. Fold in the flour mixture until just combined.
7. Pour into the prepared pan and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs attached, about 50min.
8. Allow to cool for 15min in the pan then turn out onto a cooling rack.
9. In a small pot, bring the cream just to a boil. Remove from heat, add the remaining chocolate, and stand for 5 minutes. Whisk until smooth.
10. Place the cake on the cooling rack over a tray and slowly drizzle the chocolate mixture over the cake. (You can collect the excess and make repeat applications if you like).
11. Allow to set, then serve!