CHOCOLATE IRISH STOUT CAKE
A rich velvety stout and chocolate sponge topped with a smooth Irish cream icing. You couldn’t get more Irish or more indulgent!
SERVES 12
PREP TIME 1 HOUR 50 MINS
COOK TIME 70-85 MINS
CAKE
■ 150g dark chocolate, broken into pieces
■ 150g unsalted butter
■ 150g plain flour pinch of salt
■ 40g cocoa powder
■ 1½ tsp baking powder
■ 300g light brown sugar
■ 45ml buttermilk
■ 85ml Irish stout
■ 3 eggs
■ 30ml espresso (or strong instant coffee)
ICING
■ 150g unsalted butter
■ 300g icing sugar
■ 40ml Irish cream liqueur
■ Decoration (optional)
■ a sprig of fresh mint
● Preheat the oven to 160°C/140°C fan/ gas mark 3. Grease a 20cm (8in) cake tin and line the base with baking parchment.
● In a heatproof bowl, melt the chocolate
and butter together in short blasts in the microwave, stirring regularly, and then set aside to cool.
● Sift the flour, salt, cocoa and baking powder into a bowl, add sugar and stir.
● In a separate bowl, whisk the buttermilk, stout, eggs and espresso.
● Make a well in the dry ingredients and pour in the wet mix and chocolate mix. Whisk until smooth. Spoon into the tin and bake for 70–85 minutes until a toothpick or skewer comes out clean.
● Allow to cool in the tin for 10–15 minutes and then remove to a wire rack to cool completely (about an hour and a half).
● While the cake is cooling, make the icing. Using an electric whisk, cream the butter until pale and fluffy. Sift in the icing sugar in two batches and whisk until fully combined (begin at a low speed or the sugar will fly everywhere).
● Add the liqueur and whisk again.
● Place the cake on a serving plate or cake stand and cover the top with icing, using a spatula or palette knife.
● Decorate however you prefer. I leave mine easy and textured, with a sprig of fresh mint as decoration.
● This cake will keep for up to three days in an airtight container.
GILL’S TIP
Don’t want to use liqueur? Swap it for milk and a splash of vanilla extract.