HAPPY EARLY SPRING & ST. PATRICK'S DAY!

This warm spring-like day was perfect for taking on a cooking challenge. I had hoped with little bit of luck that this recipe would be worthy for my company. The main part of the meal Reuben sandwiches was a cinch. I was intrigued by the idea of using Guinness Stout in a chocolate cake recipe. It was not easy repeatedly telling my husband the beer was intended for a cake not the drink of the day! The luck of the Irish was with me and I am sharing the recipe hoping you might like to try it. The added beer seems to intensify the chocolate flavor and a great addition. There are multiple steps but trust me WELL WORTH it!

Guinness Stout Chocolate Cake

Make drizzling syrup

1/3 cup Guinness Stout

1/3 cup dark brown sugar

3 TB. unsweetened cocoa powder

1 tsp. vanilla

Whisk together and cook till simmer. Remove from heat and set aside

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Combine 2 TB. cocoa, 2 TB. sugar and 2 TB. flour

Grease well 2-9 inch round cake pans and dust with cocoa mixture

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Cake

1. In another saucepan whisk 1/3 cup plus 2 TB. unsweetened cocoa into 2/3 cup Stout beer and bring it to a simmer. Remove from heat add 2 oz. bittersweet chocolate( 70% cocoa) stir till melts. Whisk in 3/4 cup buttermilk. Set aside.

2. Beat 3 sticks of softened butter, add in 1- 3/4 cups plus 2 TB sugar and then add in 4 eggs one at a time and lastly add 1-1/2 tsp. vanilla mix well.

3. Combine 2 cups plus 2Tb. cake flour, add 1-1/2 tsp. baking powder, 1 tsp. baking soda, 1/4 tsp. salt

4. Add flour mixture to butter mixture alternately with chocolate mixture, stirring until blended

5. Divide batter among two pans

6. Cook 22 minutes or until toothpick comes clean

7. Cool 10 minutes in pan and invert on two different plates or rack. Poke holes in both cakes with a toothpick and spoon drizzling syrup over the holes. You may not need all of the syrup.

Cool several hours _________________________________________________________________

Bittersweet Icing

1. Bring 1- 1/2 cups whipped cream to simmer, remove from heat and pour cream over 6 oz. bittersweet chocolate broken into chunks, stir till blended , cover and chill in freezer 45 minutes. Chill beaters at the same time

2. Whip cream and add 4- 1/2 TB. powdered sugar and 4-1/2 TB. unsweetened cocoa, 1- 1/2 tsp. vanilla, 1/8 tsp. salt, 2 TB. Kahlua

3. Put frosting on first cake layer and add second cake layer and use rest of whip cream mixture.

Optional crushed nuts

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Refrigerate