It’s the holidays, and in my house that means even more booze and chocolate than usual. Hallelujah and amen.
Actually, the inspiration for this Hight Altitude Fudgy Chocolate Stout Cake came from my book club, which meets monthly-ish for dinner and has a tradition of tying the theme of the meal to the book we’re discussing. This month’s book was set in Ireland, and because lately I have been in all-baking-all-the-time mode, I wanted to make something yummy for dessert. I’d seen a recipe for a Guinness-based cake a while back and thought, well. Now that would be just perfect.
This cake is so, so moist and dark and fudgy. Seriously. I have not had much luck getting this kind of luscious texture at high altitude, and this one hit it perfectly on the first try. I’m not sure if it’s the roasted maltiness of the stout that’s responsible, but it could be possible we’ve stumbled upon some kind of magical high-altitude alchemy. Beer in everything from now on!
Not really. But this cake … I wish I could give you a bite right now. It’s so deep, dark, and lush that you almost don’t need the glaze. A little snowfall of powdered sugar on top would be super yummy, as would a scoop of freshly-whipped cream. But really … I do recommend that you try the glaze.
Confession:Â I actually ended up making two glazes for this cake. I mean, the chocolate glaze with its delectable shininess and smooth creamy richness, is just a no-brainer. But I kept thinking about Ireland, and how if you like stout, you might like whiskey too, and then I thought, oooooh. Salted whiskey caramel sauce. So at the last minute (which is why you don’t see it in most of the photos), I whipped some up and poured it right over the chocolate. Please don’t judge. It’s magnificent.
Plain, glazed, or double-glazed, this cake is going to please just about anyone who likes chocolate. If you, like me, really want to go all-out, you can enjoy your Fudgy Chocolate Stout Cake not only with an extra spoonful of whisky-caramel glaze, but with a glass of red wine.
If you’re gonna go for it, go big, right? January is coming for us all soon.
Fudgy Chocolate Stout Cake
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 45
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 12 servings 1x
- Category: dessert, high altitude
Description
This lusciously deep, dark cake combines malty stout and rich chocolate for a gorgeously dense texture. Developed for altitudes above 8,000 feet.
Ingredients
1 cup dark beer, such as Guinness
1/2 lb (2 sticks, 16 TB) unsalted butter
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (dutch-process or European style, such as Valrhona)
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 3/4 cups + 2 TB granulated sugar
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 large eggs
1 cup sour cream
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract (not imitation)
Instructions
Butter a standard-size Bundt pan and coat with powdered sugar or cocoa (rather than flour, which creates a white coating on the finished cake and can create a pasty flavor). Tap out excess.
Place beer and butter in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Remove from heat and whisk into cocoa until the mixture is smooth and uniform. Set aside to cool.
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt.
In a separate bowl, using a stand or hand mixer, beat together the eggs, sour cream, and vanilla until combined. Beat in the cooled butter/beer mixture, then stir in the flour mixture.
Pour into prepared pan and bake at 350 for 40-45 mins, until a cake tester comes out clean. Cool for about 10 minutes in the pan, then invert cake onto a plate and allow to cool fully. Sprinkle with powdered sugar or drizzle with chocolate and/or whiskey caramel glaze.
Store in an airtight container.
Notes
… This cake was delicious the day it was made, but even better the next day, and the day after that.
I’m a huge fan of this cake…and your photos!!! 😉 So enjoying your blog, Robyn! Thanks for sharing your delicious creations!
Thank you, Amy! I had a great photo assistant helping me out that night. 😉
Can this recipe be used at high altitude