my kind of cake. OR yes, please add some beer to that

Rich, buttery, chocolaty, not too sweet, and, wait ... what's that flavor, is that ... is that Guinness?

Oh yeah.

Chocolate Guinness Cake is from Nigella Lawson's book Feast, and it may be the best chocolate dessert ever. It's incredibly simple to make, but does require some "special equipment": a 9 inch springform pan (the kind with the clamp on the outside and a removable base), and parchment paper. Both of these items should be easy to find at any home goods store, or maybe even a well-stocked grocery. DO NOT try to make this without a springform pan. It is a very moist, heavy cake, and you will have a hell of a time getting it out of a regular cake pan in one piece.

The thing about baking (for those who think they can't do it), is that you have to really follow the recipe. It's an exact science. So don't try for any substitutions here (no yogurt for sour cream, no Budweiser for Guinness) or you won't get a tasty result.

Also, when baking, the end result will only be as good as the ingredients you put into it. So don't be chinsy: spend a few extra dollars and go for a good Dutch cocoa powder. Droste (in a red box) is GREAT if you can find it. And always use REAL vanilla extract, not the imitation stuff.

Ok, enough baking philosophy. Without further ado, here is Nigella's amazing recipe, with a few, hopefully helpful sidenotes from me.




Chocolate Guinness Cake
From "Feast" by Nigella Lawson

Ingredients
Cake
1 cup Guinness stout (not the whole can)
1 stick unsalted butter, sliced
¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 cups granulated sugar (superfine, if possible)
¾ cup sour cream
2 eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 ½ teaspoons baking soda

Icing
8 ounce cream cheese
1 cup confectioners' sugar
½ cup heavy cream

Method
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9-inch springform pan and line bottom with parchment paper.

Pour Guinness into a large saucepan, add butter and heat until melted. Whisk in cocoa powder and sugar. In a small bowl, beat sour cream with eggs and vanilla and then pour into brown, buttery, beery mixture and finally whisk in flour and baking soda.

Pour cake batter into greased and lined pan and bake for 45 minutes to an hour (Check at 45 minutes for doneness, poking a skewer in center.[Mary: if it comes out clean, it's done]). Leave to cool completely in the pan on a cooling rack, as it is quite a damp cake.

When cake is cold, gently peel off parchment paper and transfer to a platter or cake stand. [Mary: Always wait to frost a cake until it has cooled, or you will melt your icing.]

Place cream cheese and confectioners' sugar in a mixing bowl, and whip with an electric beater, until smooth (You may also do this with a food processor.).

Add cream and beat again until you have a spreadable consistency.

Ice top of cake, starting at middle and fanning out, so that it resembles the frothy top of the famous pint.

Yields about 12 slices.

Happy Holidays, everyone!