Created especially for Foodism’s Make This column, this Oktoberfest-ready cake incorporates dark stout beer, adding richness to a classic German dessert. Click here to view the recipe on Foodism’s website.
Stout chocolate cake
INGREDIENTS:
½ cup butter, unsalted, room temperature
¾ cup white sugar
¾ cup brown Sugar
3 eggs, large
½ cup dark Stout Beer (e.g. Guiness)
1 ½ cup all purpose flour
1 cup cocoa powder
1 tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. baking powder
¼ tsp. salt
1 cup buttermilk
1/3 cup sunflower oil
Preheat oven to 350F. You will need an 8-inch Cake pan or spring form pan, 3” deep, lightly greased and lined with parchment paper.
METHOD:
- In a bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
- Using a mixer on medium speed with the paddle attachment, beat butter, granulated and brown sugars until well combined and pale in colour. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until smooth after each addition.
- Combine your buttermilk and beer. Add your sifted bowl of dry ingredients alternately with the buttermilk mixture, and blend until smooth.
- Spread the batter into your prepared cake pan, and bake in the center of your preheated oven. Bakes about 1 hour, or until the cake springs back when lightly touched or a cake tester in the center comes out clean.
Let stand to cool or depan after 15 minutes and cool on a wire rack. Meanwhile, prepare your frosting.
NOTES: If you desire a deeper beer flavour, heat one can or bottle of beer on low heat until it reduces down to the ½ cup, let stand to cool before using in the batter.
German Coconut Frosting
INGREDIENTS:
1 cup butter, unsalted, room temperature
1 ½ cup brown sugar, packed
1 cup (35%) Heavy Cream
3 eggs, large
1 cup coconut, long
1 cup walnuts, chopped or pieces
METHOD:
- In a medium saucepan, bring the butter and brown sugar to a light boil.
- Wisk in the 35% heavy cream and bring up to a full boil.
- Pour the mixture into a stand mixer, using the whip attachment, mix on low speed.
- After about 5 minutes, add eggs, one at a time, and continue mixing until cooled to room temperature.
- On a parchment lined tray, tray the coconut and walnuts, and toast in the oven until the coconut is golden brown, for about 8 minutes. Cool.
- Add the toasted mixture to the icing base and mix and stir with a wooden spoon on spatula to ensure all the nuts and coconut are fully coated.
Set aside, at room temperature, and it’s ready to use.
NOTES: If your preference is pecans over walnuts, by all means, replace the walnuts in the recipe with pecans
ASSEMBLING THE CAKE:
Now that your cake is fully cooled, trim the top to make it flat, and cut horizontally into 3 equal layers.
Assemble your cake with the coconut frosting.
Put the bottom layer on your cake plate or pedestal, add 1/3 of the frosting and spread to the edges using a palate knife, repeat this for each layer while reassembling you cake.
GARNISH:
Optional – Garnish the edges of the cake with some whole walnuts and/or drizzle the cake with your melted chocolate or a chocolate ganache.
