This drunken chocolate cake is so rich, moist, and extremely chocolatey! So, if you want to get drunk from a chocolate then this dessert is my recommendation for you. Absolutely marvelous! Ideal for parties but grown-up parties, not children because it includes alcohol in the preparation.
Ingredients:
For the cake:
- 1 cup unsalted butter
- 1 cup Irish Stout
- 3/4 cups unsweetened cocoa (high-quality, organic)
- 2 cups cake flour
- ¾ cups granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- A pinch of salt
- 3 tablespoons buttermilk
- 2 large eggs
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the Frosting:
- 1/4 cup dark brown sugar
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 5 large egg whites
- A pinch of salt
- 1/3 cup Irish whiskey
- 2 cups unsalted butter
For the ganache:
- 1/3 cup Irish stout
- 1 ¼ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- A pinch of salt
For the caramel:
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup Irish Whiskey
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
- A pinch of salt
- 3 tablespoons Irish stout, for brushing the baked cakes (optional)
Instructions:
To make the cake layers:
- Preheat oven to 350°F/180°C/Gas Mark 4. Use a non-stick cooking spray to spray two 8 in. cake pans.
- In a saucepan, heat stout and butter until melted. Remove and allow to cool to room temperature.
- Next, in a separate mixing bowl, combine together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, sugar, and Set aside.
- Mix buttermilk, sour cream, and eggs into the stout and butter mixture until smooth. Fold the dry into the wet ingredients until no lumps are left.
- Then, divide cake batter evenly into the pans.
- Place in the oven and bake for around 35 minutes, or until a skewer is inserted and comes out clean. Transfer the cakes to cooling racks to cool at room temperature.
To make the frosting:
- In a medium saucepan apply sugars and whiskey and bring to a low boil. Decrease heat to low, and continue to simmer till it reaches the soft stage. Remove and allow to cool.
- Using an electric mixer, on high speed, beat eggs with the whip attachment until soft peaks form. Apply salt, and continue beating until stiff peaks form.
- Turn mixer to medium, and gently drizzle in the whiskey When the meringue is shiny, begin applying the butter one tablespoon at a time until it is all combined.
- Don’t worry if the meringue collapses for a moment, but keep whipping, it will ultimately pull together into nice, fluffy buttercream.
- (In case the meringue appears soupy, probably the egg whites were very hot and the butter melted.)
- Apply the bowl in the freezer for a few minutes, then return to the electric mixer and continue beating.
- (In case the meringue looks like cottage cheese, and you can notice some butter chunks, then you butter might have been very cold. In that case, apply the mixing bowl into a bigger bowl with hot water while you are whipping it. It will come together rapidly when the bowl warms.)
- When the meringue buttercream is ready, you can frost layer cakes as wanted.
- Brush the cakes with some Irish Stout before frosting and layering them. You can finish making a “naked cake” (see photo). Now, prepare the ganache.
To make the ganache:
- Apply stout, salt, and chocolate in a double boiler and heat; stir until melted and smooth. Let it cool slightly (around 10 minutes); then pour and spread over the top of the chilled cake.
- Then, return cake to the fridge and make the whiskey caramel.
To make the caramel:
- In a saucepan, over a medium heat, heat the sugars and whiskey until melted. Decrease heat to medium-low; simmer until it reaches the soft stage (or 235 degrees).
- Apply butter and continue to heat until melted and well combined.
- Remove and let it cool for about 10 minutes. Beat heavy cream. Allow the mixture to cool for about 15 more minutes or until it is not too hot to touch.
- Finally, drizzle caramel over the top of your cake. Refrigerate all over again so the caramel layer can harden. Slice and serve!
Bon Appétit!
