Diana's Guinness Chocolate Cake with Guinness Chocolate Icing

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease 2 9-inch cake pans, and dust with 1 tablespoon cocoa.
2. In a heavy saucepan over low heat, heat 1 cup of stout beer, 1 1/4 cup of unsalted butter, 4 ounces of dark chocolate, and the superfine sugar just until the butter and chocolate have melted; stir to blend mixture, and cool slightly.
3. Beat the eggs and creme fraiche together in a large mixing bowl; gradually stir in the flour and baking soda. Add the melted chocolate mixture in small additions, stirring to blend. Pour half the batter into each prepared cake pan.
4. Bake in the preheated oven until the top of the cake bounces back when touched lightly with a finger, about 40 minutes. Cool the cakes on racks.
5. To make the icing, place 1/2 cup of unsalted butter, 4 ounces of dark chocolate, and 5 tablespoons of stout beer in a heavy saucepan over low heat, and cook, stirring, just until the chocolate has melted; stir to blend mixture. Remove from heat, and cool slightly.
6. Sift the confectioners' sugar. In a mixing bowl, blend the cream cheese, 1/3 cup of cocoa powder, and vanilla extract until smooth; gradually beat in 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar. Pour in the cooled chocolate-stout mixture and mix well. Add confectioners' sugar until the icing is your desired consistency, adding more if you like a stiffer icing.
7. Place a cake on a serving plate, and smooth about one third of the frosting over the cake top. Place the second cake onto the frosted layer, and spread remaining two thirds of the frosting over the top and sides of the cake.

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Reviews (12)

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25

Blondeprincess

Aug. 3, 2011

"The cake is a 5 star cake. I had to knock the frosting down a bit tho, thus the 4 star rating. The only thing I changed was to make cupcakes, but other than that I made this cake EXACTLY as instruct..." See moreed, and I made the frosting EXACTLY as instructed. I'm NOT a beginner cook, and I've taken cake decorating classes before. The problem I had was w/ the frosting. It was the right consistency for a filling, but not for piping work. I ended up using the frosting to fill my cupcakes, but a different recipe to frost them. It's an amazing from scratch cake!"

8

naples34102

Jan. 12, 2013

"I seriously questioned the unusual execution of this recipe but I followed through and was rewarded with a rich and buttery, light chocolate cake. I was so hesitant to make the beer infused frosting ..." See morethat I played it safe and didn't. (Besides, I wanted a white frosting to show off the green and gold Packer colors for our big playoff game tonight!) But I will be the first to admit that this is so light chocolate that it would have been better with a rich chocolate frosting, even if the one included in this recipe isn't used. Recipe notes: I did use Guiness, ordinary table sugar rather than superfine, which really isn't necessary, and sour cream rather than the pricier creme fraiche."

8

Rae

Mar. 11, 2012

"This cake is yummy. The cake isn't very sweet but the icing brings the sweetness in. Loved the dark chocolate...." See more"