Guinness Chocolate Stout Cake
Ingredients
Cake:
2 cups stout (such as Guinness)
4 large eggs
2 cups (4 sticks) unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups unsweetened cocoa powder (preferably Dutch process)
4 cups all-purpose flour
4 cups sugar
1 1/3 cups sour cream
1 tbsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp salt
Icing:
2 cups whipping cream
1 lb bittersweet (not unsweetened) or semisweet chocolate, chopped
Directions
For cake:
1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter three 8" round cake pans with 2" high sides. Line with parchment paper. Butter paper.
2. Bring 2 cups stout and 2 cups butter to simmer in heavy large saucepan over medium heat. Add cocoa powder and whisk until mixture is smooth. Cool slightly.
3. Whisk flour, sugar, baking soda, and 1 1/2 tsp salt in large bowl to blend.
4. Using electric mixer, beat eggs and sour cream in another large bowl to blend. Add stout-chocolate mixture to egg mixture and beat just to combine. Add flour mixture and beat briefly on slow speed.
5. Using rubber spatula, fold batter until completely combined. Divide batter equally among prepared pans. Bake cakes until tester inserted into center of cakes comes out clean, about 35 min. Transfer cakes to rack; cool 10 min. Turn cakes out onto rack and cool completely.
For icing:
1. Bring cream to simmer in heavy medium saucepan. Remove from heat. Add chopped chocolate and whisk until melted and smooth. Refrigerate until icing is spreadable, stirring frequently, about 2 hours.
2. Place 1 cake layer on plate. Spread 2/3 cup icing over. Top with second cake layer. Spread 2/3 cup icing over. Top with third cake layer. Spread remaining icing over top and sides of cake.
