As the ex-pats prepare to head to various Guinness Guzzling venues in the area on Saturday, we turn our minds to the black nectar of Dublin. It is one of those drinks that we either love and get going with “The Goo” within 2 pints, or just one gulp makes you shudder from head to toe.
Vast quantities of Guinness and other Irish tipples to celebrate St Patricks Day will be consumed everywhere on March 17 BUT………….
If you’re not a fan, then be reminded Guinness doesn’t have to just be for drinking.
As well as working well in a range of cocktails, Guinness can also be used to make a creamy, intense chocolate cake.
Here’s what to do to “cakeyfy” the Black Velvet:-
INGREDIENTS – SERVES EIGHT
SPONGE CAKE
225g Unsalted butter, softened
400g Soft dark brown sugar
4 Large eggs, beaten
275g Self-raising flour, sifted
4 Tablespoons of cocoa powder
1 Teaspoon baking powder
125ml GUINNESS
A pinch of salt
BUTTERCREAM FILLING
75g Unsalted butter, softened
75g Icing sugar
75g Soft dark brown sugar
2 Tablespoons of cocoa powder
2 Tablespoons of GUINNESS
SOUR CREAM ICING
150g Plain chocolate
75ml Sour cream
75ml Double cream
4 Tablespoons of soft dark-brown sugar
METHOD
Preheat the oven to 190°C. Grease two 20cm cake tins and set aside.
For the sponge cake cream the butter and sugar together until fluffy. It is important the mixture is beaten well so the dark brown sugar breaks down. Mix in the beaten eggs a little at a time.
Fold in the flour, cocoa, baking powder and a pinch of salt whilst pouring in the GUINNESS at the same time.
Spoon the mixture into the cake tins and bake for 30 minutes. Once baked place the cakes onto a wire rack and leave to cool.
To make the buttercream filling, beat the butter with the icing sugar and dark brown sugar until fluffy. Once fluffy mix in the cocoa and GUINNESS.
For the sour cream icing, break the chocolate into small pieces and melt in a bowl over a pan of simmering water. Once the chocolate has melted add the additional icing ingredients. Stir together and then take off the heat and leave to cool.
Finally, spread buttercream icing on top of one of the cakes and place the other cake on top. Finally, pour the sour cream icing over the cake so it covers the top.
Sláinte
