Chocolate Guinness cake with coconut cream
Finish off with a moist, dark stout cake with icing that mimics the head on a pint of the Irish classic 1 x 400ml tin coconut milk (not reduced fat)
250g plain flour
120g cocoa powder
2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
220g caster sugar
100g light brown sugar
500ml Guinness
120ml vegetable oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tbsp ground flaxseed
1 tbsp icing sugar
½ tsp vanilla extract
1 Shake the tin of coconut milk vigorously for a couple of mins to combine the water and cream as much as possible, then transfer to the fridge overnight or the freezer for 2 hours.
2 Meanwhile, grease and flour two 20cm loose-bottomed cake tins. Heat the oven to 170C/150C Fan/Gas 3.
3 In a mixing bowl sift together the flour, cocoa powder, bicarbonate of soda and ½ tsp of salt, then stir in the caster sugar and light brown sugar.
4 In a jug, combine the Guinness, oil and vanilla extract. In a small cup, mix together the ground flaxseed with 2½ tsp of water and set aside for at least 5 mins. Pour into the jug with the Guinness mixture and stir to combine.
5 Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl of dry ingredients and whisk until combined.
6 Divide the mixture between the two prepared tins and bake in the centre of the oven for 30 mins or until a skewer inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean. Remove from the oven, leave the cakes to cool in the tins for 20 mins before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
7 To make the icing, open the chilled tin of coconut milk and pour out the coconut water, setting it aside to use if the icing needs loosening. Scrape the coconut cream into a bowl and whisk with a hand blender or mixer. Sift in the icing sugar, add the vanilla essence, and stir together well, loosening with a little of the coconut water if needed.
8 When the cakes are cold, spread half the icing over one cake and sandwich the second on top. Top with the remaining icing. The cake is best eaten fresh, but will keep, covered, in the fridge for up to 3 days.