Deep, dark, heavy and chocolatey with a blanket of fluffy cream cheese icing, this cake is over the top delicious without a lot of work. In fact I was so amazed at how easy it was I read the instructions three times just to be sure. This is a cake to share with a crowd, as you don't need a large piece and it will surely elicit moans of delight from everyone who tastes it-before they lick their plates entirely clean. It's a must try. MUST.
Adapted from The Funky Kitchen (who originally adapted it from Nigella Lawson's Feast)
1 cup Guinness beer
1/2 cup butter
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
2 cups granulated sugar
3/4 cup sour cream
2 large eggs
1 tbsp vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
Icing:
1 1/4 cups powdered sugar
8 oz cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup heavy cream
Pre-heat your oven to 350 F. Grease a 9 inch springform pan well up the sides and all over the bottom, the set aside.
In a large saucepan, melt the butter with the beer. Whisk in the cocoa and sugar until smooth. Set aside to cool until lukewarm.
In a bowl, lightly beat the eggs and then add the sour cream and vanilla, continuing to beat until smooth. Add a little of the lukewarm beer mixture to temper it, and whisk. Add the rest, whisking as you go.
Stir in the flour and baking soda whisking until the batter is smooth.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan, smoothing the top. Bake in the center of your oven for about 45 minutes to 1 hour, until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow to cool completely before frosting.
Icing:
Whip the cream cheese in an electric mixer until fluffy. Add the icing sugar, bit by bit. At this point I had thought that the icing would be enough without the whipping cream, but being the dutiful girl I am, into the bowl it went. Whip up that icing until it is smooth.
Oh my, the addition of whip cream really is delicious in that icing, especially when you whip it for awhile and it becomes all creamy and scrumptious. It was all I could do not to shove my head in the bowl and lick it clean.
Frost the cooled cake; now, you'll probably wonder why on Earth there seems to be SO MUCH icing, but really it's not that much, and it's so good when all is said and done. Put the cake in the fridge for a few hours to chill. Before you serve it, shave some chocolate over top and you are good to go!
Serves 12
