Intense Guinness® Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Icing and Fine Sea Salt
Serves 8–
15 mins preparation time
1 hour 15 mins cooking time
1 night + 30 mins resting time
FOR THE CAKE:
125g (4½oz) unsalted butter
125g (4½oz) lightly salted butter
250ml (9fl oz) Guinness
75g (2½oz/⅔ cup) unsweetened cocoa
powder
2 eggs
150g (5½fl oz) crème fraîche
1 tsp natural vanilla extract
275g (9¾oz) plain (all-purpose) flour
1 tsp baking powder
350g (12oz) caster (superfine) sugar
FOR THE ICING:
175g (6oz) good quality dark chocolate
75g (2½oz) unsalted butter
1 pinch fine sea salt
- Make the cake: Preheat the oven to 180°C
(350°F/Gas 4). Place the butters and beer in a
saucepan over a low heat. Sift over the cocoa
and gently stir. Once the butter has melted, let
the mixture cool for 5–10 minutes.- Beat the eggs, crème fraîche and vanilla
extract together in a mixing bowl with a
whisk. Add the flour and baking powder,
sifting them first, then the sugar. Finally,
incorporate this mixture into the butter,
Guinness and cocoa mixture. - Butter and flour a tall 24cm (9½”) round
cake tin and pour in the batter. Bake for 60–
minutes. When the cake comes out of the
oven, wait for 15 minutes before turning it
out. Wrap the cake in plastic wrap and let it
rest overnight. - The next day, make the icing. Place all the
ingredients in a bowl with 60 ml (2fl oz/¼
cup) of water and melt them gently in a
microwave or saucepan. Stir well until you
have a smooth and glossy sauce, then let it
cool and thicken slightly.
5. Place the cake on a rack and pour the
chocolate icing on top. Use a flexible spatula
to spread the icing all over the cake, including
the side.
6. Let the icing dry and set for about 30
minutes before serving.
100 Desserts to Die For by Trish Deseine.
Published by Murdoch.