Chocolate Stout Cake

Total Time: 1 hr 5 mins Preparation Time: 30 mins Cook Time: 35 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 12
• 2 cups stout beer (such as guinness)
• 2 cups unsalted butter
• 1 1/2 cups unsweetened cocoa powder (preferably dutch-process)
• 4 cups all-purpose flour
• 4 cups sugar
• 1 tablespoon baking soda
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 4 large eggs
• 1 1/3 cups sour cream
• 2 cups whipping cream
• 1 lb bittersweet chocolate (not unsweetened) or 1 lb semisweet chocolate, chopped

Recipe

• 1 for cake: preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• 2 butter three 8” round cake pans with 2” high sides.
• 3 line with parchment paper.
• 4 butter paper.
• 5 bring 2 cups stout and 2 cups butter to simmer in heavy large saucepan over medium heat.
• 6 add cocoa powder and whisk until mixture is smooth.
• 7 cool slightly.
• 8 whisk flour, sugar, baking soda, and 1 ½ tsp salt in large bowl to blend.
• 9 using electric mixer, beat eggs and sour cream in another large bowl to blend.
• 10 add stout-chocolate mixture and beat briefly on slow speed.
• 11 using rubber spatula, fold batter until completely combined.
• 12 divide batter equally among prepared pans.
• 13 bake cakes until tester inserted into center of cakes comes out clean, about 35 minutes.
• 14 transfer cakes to rack; cool 10 minutes.
• 15 turn cakes out onto rack and cool completely.
• 16 for icing: bring cream to simmer in heavy medium saucepan.
• 17 remove from heat.
• 18 add chopped chocolate and whisk until melted and smooth.
• 19 refrigerate until icing is spreadable, stirring frequently, about 2 hours.
• 20 place 1 cake layer on plate.
• 21 spread 2/3 cup icing over.
• 22 top with second cake layer.
• 23 spread 2/3 cup icing over top.
• 24 top with third cake layer.
• 25 spread remaining icing over top and sides of cake.