Recipe Requests

Guiness Chocolate Cake (thanks Erica!)
cake:
2 cups Guiness
2 cups unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups unsweetened cocoa powder (dutch process preferred)
4 cups all purpose flour
4 cups sugar
1 Tbsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp salt
4 large eggs
1 1/3 cups sour cream

icing:
2 cups whipping cream
1 pound bittersweet chocolate or semisweet chocolate chips

preparation:
for cake: preheat oven to 350 degrees
butter three 8-inch round cake pans with 2-inch high sides. line with parchment paper. butter paper.
bring Guiness and butter to simmer in heavy large sauce pan over medium heat.
add cocoa ppowder and whisk until mixture is smooth. cool slightly.
Whisk flour, sugar, baking soda and salt in large bowl to blend.
Using electric mixer, beat eggs and sour cream in another large bowl to blend.
Add Guiness-chocolate mix to egg mixture and beat just to combine.
Add flour mixture and beat briefly on low speed.
Using rubber spatula, fold batter until completely combined.
Divide batter equally among prepared pans. Bake until toothpick inserted into center of cake comes out clean, about 35 minutes. Transfer cakes to rack, cool 10 minutes. Turn cakes out onto rack and cool completely.

For icing:
Bring cream to simmer in heavy saucepan. Remove from heat. Add chopped chocolate and whisk until melted and smooth. Refrigerate until icing is spreadable, stirring frequently, about 2 hours.

Place 1 cake layer on plate. Spread 2/3 cup icing on top. Top with second layer. Spread 2/3 cup icing on top. Top with third layer. Spread remaining icing over top and sided of cake.


YUM!