Monday 26 August 2013

A Chocolate Guinness Celebration

One of Nigella Lawson's books 'Feast' is all about food that celebrates life and nothing says celebration to me like her Chocolate Guinness Cake!

Look at that chocolatey, bubbly goodness!



I have often looked at this recipe and it has been on my ever growing list of things I'd like to try but this week I was inspired by the beautiful pictures of this very cake shared by Emma on her blog, She Sows Seeds. I put Guinness on my shopping list, dusted off my Nigella recipe book and got to work.





Chocolate Guinness Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Cake:
250ml Guinness
250g unsalted butter
75g cocoa powder
400g caster sugar
3/4 cup or 142 ml sour cream
2 large eggs
1 tbsp vanilla essence
275g plain flour
2 1/2 tsps bicarb soda


Topping:
300g cream cheese
1 cup icing sugar
125ml cream

Pre-heat oven to 180 degrees Celsius. Combine Guinness and butter in a saucepan, heat until butter is melted then whisk in the cocoa and sugar. Set aside.
Beat the sour cream, eggs and vanilla together, fold in the flour and bicarb. Combine with the Guinness mixture and whisk then pour into a greased or lined spring-form cake tin. Bake in oven for 45 minutes to an hour, until a skewer comes out clean from the centre and the cake springs back when touched.
Cool the cake on a wire rack, still in the pan. Whip the cream cheese, sieve over the icing sugar gradually and beat it in too. Add in the cream and beat. Spread generously on your cake (and don't forget to lick the beaters!)







My house smells fantastic and everyone is waiting with eager anticipation for the first slice! I must confess that my cake sunk in the middle a little but this just means there is a generous amount of the cream cheese topping which should make up for any structural shortcomings!

Nigella goes on about this cake looking like a pint of Guinness with the rich darkness of the cake and the pale icing on top looking like the frothy head. What do you think?




Are you inspired by reading about what others are cooking or their foodie pics?

Kate x

Linking with Alicia at One Mother Hen

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15 comments

  1. This looks like a great cake Kate, yum! It does look like a pint of Guinness. I admired it on Emma's blog too. Oh yes...I am constantly inspired and distracted by what other people are cooking and blogging!

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  2. Chocolate Guinness cake?!? wow, that does sound like a celebration! Love your photographs too :)

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  3. I would have never thought of putting Guiness and Chocolate together, but it looks delicious!

    Visiting via #openslather

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  4. Oh. My. God. I don't need to see this at a time I've decided to cut my dessert intake! :P It looks amazing!

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    1. Sorry! I won't tell you how amazing it tasted then...thanks for calling in :)

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  5. Oh my goodness that looks so delicious! I have heard only good things of this recipe, I should perhaps give it a go.

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  6. MMM that looks soo good! And the springform worked too. Yum.

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    1. Yes it did but you can't rush getting it out of the tin :)

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  7. It looks like a gorgeous cake, and yes, it does look like a frothy glass of guinness ;) I would most definitely like a piece of this than a pint any day of the week!

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    1. Me too. Guinness is not my favourite drop but Guinness and chocolate...ahhhhh! :)

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  8. Looks amazing. I am glad I am not the only one who at times needs to make the icing a little thicker on parts of a cake.

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Thank you for your comments. I love knowing that you're reading and appreciate the time taken to comment.
Kate x

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