Chocolate Stout Christmas Cake
Adding dark chocolate and stout makes for a rich, juicy cake that’s livened up with a generous pinch of spice and tangy zest. Deliciously moist, it doesn’t need to be fed while it’s maturing.
Hands-on time 25min, plus overnight soaking, cooling and maturing. Cooking time about 4hr 10min. Serves 20
500ml can Guinness or other dark stout* 300g (11oz) sultanas 300g (11oz) raisins 150g (5oz) dried apricots, finely chopped 75g (3oz) chopped mixed peel 175g (6oz) butter, softened, plus extra to grease 200g (7oz) light muscovado sugar 4 medium eggs, beaten 125g (4oz) ground almonds 50g (2oz) cornflour, sifted 1½tsp ground cinnamon 1tsp ground allspice ¼tsp freshly ground black pepper Finely grated zest 2 oranges 90g bar Green & Black’s dark chocolate, 70% cocoa solids, finely grated or whizzed in a food processor 1 Bring Guinness to the boil in a medium pan over high heat and bubble until
reduced to 200ml (7fl oz). Empty into a non-metallic bowl; cool. Stir in dried fruit and mixed peel, cover and leave to soak overnight.
2 Preheat oven to 150°C
(130°C fan) mark 2. Grease and line a 20.5cm (8in) round, 9cm (3½in) deep cake tin with baking parchment. Next, wrap a double layer of baking parchment around the outside of the tin, securing it with string – this will help prevent the sides of the cake from over-cooking.
3 Using a freestanding mixer, or in a large bowl with a handheld electric whisk, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 5min.
4 Add eggs a little at a time, beating well after each addition and alternating with a small spoonful of ground almonds between each addition. Add remaining almonds, cornflour and spices and whisk briefly to combine. Next, using a large metal spoon, mix in the soaked fruit mixture, orange zest and chocolate.
5 Scrape into prepared tin; level. Bake for 3½-4hr until a skewer inserted into centre comes out clean. Cool in tin for 10min, then transfer to a wire rack (keeping it in baking parchment) and cool completely.
6 To store, wrap cooled cake (still in its parchment) in several layers of clingfilm, followed by a layer of foil. Store in a cool, dark place to mature for up to 3 months.
PER SERVING 311cals, 4g protein, 13g fat (6g saturates), 41g carbs (38g total sugars), 2g fibre