Chocolate Guinness Stout Cake with Bailey's Irish Cream Frosting

 Chocolate Guinness Stout Cake with Bailey's Irish Cream Cheese Frosting

Chocolate Guinness Stout Cake with Bailey's Irish Cream Cheese Frosting

by Victoria Challancin

My son, who was born and raised in Mexico 23 years ago, always wanted a classic Mexican Tres Leches Cake for his birthday.  Every year, without fail. Since he was home this year for the celebration, I naturally asked him what kind of cake he wanted as I was preparing a birthday dinner for some of his and our friends last Saturday.  Foolishly so.

"Zack, would you like a Chocolate Tres Leches Cake for your birthday this year?"

"No, Mum, I think I would prefer a Chocolate Guinness Stout Cake with a Bailey's Irish Cream Frosting."  Smiling hopefully...

My boy has grown up.

 Chocolate Guinness Stout Cake with Bailey's Irish Cream Frosting

Cook's Notes:  This is a delicious, rich, sweet concoction.  The cake cooked up perfectly (yes, I made a few high-altitude adjustments such as a bit more flour, less sugar, and a tad less baking powder), but the frosting was problematic in that it was way too loose made as the recipe states.  I had to add probably 2 more cups of confectioners' sugar to stiffen it up, and you can see that I ended up just pouring it over the cake and letting it dribble down.  My original intention had been to decorate it, but alas...Regardless, Zack was thrilled, and that is what it is all about.  And it was goooooood.

To make Dutch Process Cocoa, simply add a pinch of baking soda for each 3 tablespoons of regular cocoa.

Recipe:  Chocolate Guinness Stout Cake with Bailey's Irish Cream Cheese Frosting

(Recipe from MercuryNews.com)

Yield:  10 to 12 servings

For the Cake:

1 1/2 cups stout or dark beer, such as Guinness

1 1/2 cups unsalted butter

1 cup Dutch-process cocoa powder 

3 cups all-purpose flour

3 cups granulated sugar

2 1/4 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

3 eggs

2/3 cup sour cream

For the Frosting:

16 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature

1/2 cup butter, at room temperature

7 tablespoons Bailey's Irish Cream Liqueur

6 cups powdered sugar

Preheat the oven to 350F.  Grease and flour two 9-inch cake pans, and line them with parchment paper circles.

Place the stout and butter in a large, heavy saucepan, and heat until the butter melts.  Remove the pan from the heat, and add the cocoa powder.  Whisk until the mixture is smooth.  Set aside to cool to room temperature.

Whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl; set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, beat together the eggs and sour cream.  Add the stout-cocoa mixture, mixing to combine.  Add the flour mixture and mix together at slow speed.  Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl, and mix again for 1 minute.  

Divide the batter equally among the prepared pans.  Bake the layers for 35 minutes, until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean.  Remove the cakes from the oven and cool on a rack.  Allow to cool completely before frosting.

Make the frosting:  In a mixing bowl, blend together the cream cheese, butter, and Bailey's Irish Cream on medium speed until completely smooth and combined.  Gradually add the powdered sugar on Medium-low speed until it has all been added.  Increase the speed to medium-high and beat until the frosting is smooth and thoroughly mixed.  Use immediately.  You can refrigerate the frosting, but it will need to be brought to room temperature before using.  This yields enough frosting to fill the cake and frost the outside, and do some basic decorations.

Note:  If the finished frosting is a little soft, add more powdered sugar, a tablespoon at a time, until you reach the desire consistency.

 Me, happy that the icing didn't slide off--taken with someone's phone

 The Birthday Boy and his Mum

Being an Anglophile at heart, Zachary calls me "Mum" and not the American "Mom."

Parting Shot:

©Victoria Challancin.  All Rights Reserved.

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