Chocolate Stout Cake

Baking & Desserts
Download Recipe Card

Ingredients

Yields: Makes 1, 9-inch Cake

For Cake Batter:

  • Softened butter for greasing pans
  • 1 cup stout beer
  • 1 cup butter
  • 3/4 cup cocoa powder, Dutch-process
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 cups sugar
  • ½ tablespoon baking soda
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt
  • 2 eggs
  • 3/4 cup sour cream

For Glaze:

  • ½ cup melted butter
  • ½ cup chocolate chips
  • 1 teaspoon water
  • 1 tablespoon corn syrup

For chocolate whipped cream:

  • 2/3 cup sugar
  • 1/3 cup cocoa powder
  • 1 ½ cups heavy cream, cold
  • 1 ½ teaspoon vanilla

Directions

Surprisingly, chocolate and beer are an amazing combination, with the beer giving the chocolate a whole new depth of flavor. Dramatic to look at, each of the four layers of cake are cushioned with a layer of delicious chocolate whipped cream and topped with a light chocolate glaze.1. Preheat oven to 350F.

In a heavy saucepan, heat the stout and butter and bring to a simmer. Add cocoa powder and whisk vigorously until smooth. Remove pan from heat and let cool to room temperature.

Butter two, 9-inch cake pans on sides and bottom. Line the bottom of the pans with parchment paper and then brush the top of the paper with butter.

In a medium mixing bowl whisk together flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt.

Beat the eggs together with the sour cream in a stand mixer. On low speed, slowly add chocolate-stout mixture to eggs until combined. Then slowly add the flour mixture until the batter just comes together.

Using a rubber spatula, fold the batter together until completely combined and smooth.

Divide the batter equally between the two pans and bake 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Remove the cakes from the oven and let cook on a rack 10 minutes. Turn the cakes out onto the rack and let cool completely.

To make the glaze, heat butter, chocolate chips, and water in a small saucepan. When hot, stir in corn syrup until the mixture is smooth. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature.

To make whipped cream, place sugar and cocoa powder in a stand mixer and mix until well combined. Add heavy cream and beat on high speed until cream is light and fluffy. Fold in vanilla with rubber spatula.

Using a sharp, serrated knife, slice the cakes horizontally in half as evenly as possible, creating 2 layers out of each cake.

Using a spatula, spread 1/3rd of the chocolate whipped cream over one layer of cake. Continue doing this two more times, then place the final cake layer on top.

Spread the chocolate glaze over the top layer of the cake, and allow it to drip down the sides.

Slice cake and serve.