Admittedly this is an odd choice for someone who doesn’t like chocolate or Guinness but I had to make something for St Patrick’s Day and didn’t fancy soda bread. However, this cake took me completely by surprise, it’s hands down, one of the best cakes I have ever made. It’s rich without being at all sickly, and chocolatey without being too sweet. Anyway, before I knew it I’d stuffed three big wedges into my face like a greedy little hamster. Classy. Then I washed my hair with it. Double classy.
That actually wasn’t a joke, Guinness makes an excellent hair mask. Simply wash your hair as normal and then massage half a can of Guinness into the roots. Leave for 3 minutes and rinse for a glossy Black Beauty mane… Or you could just drink it, whatever.
Chocolate Guinness cake
Serves 12 / Hands on time 40 mins / Total time 1hr 30 mins + cooling / V ❄
You’ll need: A standing mixer or electric whisk and a 9 inch cake tin
250ml Guinness
60g Green & Black’s organic cocoa powder
350g golden caster sugar
250g unsalted butter
150ml buttermilk
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
280g plain flour
2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
Pinch of sea salt
Cream cheese frosting
150g cream cheese
250g icing sugar
100ml double cream
Method
1. Preheat an oven to 180°C/160°C fan/ 350°F/gas mark 4. Line a 9 inch tin with baking paper and grease the sides with butter.
2. Add the Guinness and the butter to a large saucepan over a medium heat until melted. This could take 5-10 minutes, so use this time to measure and prepare the rest of the ingredients. Once the butter has melted, give it a stir and take off the heat. Tip in the sugar along with the cocoa powder and beat until combined with a hand whisk.
3. In a separate bowl, beat the eggs, vanilla and the buttermilk together with a fork then whisk into the warm mixture using a hand whisk until the batter looks lovely and glossy.
4. Sieve the flour, bicarbonate of soda and the salt straight into the mixture. Whisk for a final time until combined (don’t worry if the mixture is a little lumpy, it’s more important to get the cake in the oven quickly to ensure a good rise).
5. Pour the mixture into the tin and bake for 45 mins. Leave to cool fully in the tin. Once cool, turn the cake out ready to ice.
6. To make the cream cheese frosting, whisk the cream cheese with a hand whisk until smooth before sieving in the icing sugar. Continue to whisk by hand until fully combined before adding the whipping cream. Switch to an electric whisk and whisk on a high speed until the cream has thickened and the frosting is thick and spreadable. Ice the cake generously and serve.
If you’ve had a go at making any of my recipes, I’d love to hear from you. Follow me now @corrieheale and tag your recipe pictures using #corriesrabbitfood.
V – Vegetarian
❄ – This cake is suitable for home freezing once cooled and before icing. Wrap well in cling film and freeze fore up to 3 months. Defrost fully before icing and serving.
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