CHOCOLATE GUINNESS CAKE

Thiscakeismagnificentinitsdampblackness.Ican'tsaythatyoucanabsolutelytastethestoutinit,butthereis
certainlyaresonant,ferroustangwhichIhappentolove.Thebestwayofdescribingitistosaythatit'slike
gingerbreadwithoutthespices.Thereisenoughsugaracertainunderstatementheretocounteranypotential
bitternessoftheGuinness,andalthoughI'veeatenversionsofthismadeuplikeachocolatesandwichcake,
stuffedandslatheredinarichchocolateicing,Ithinkthatcantakeawayfromitsdarkmajesty.Besides,Iwanted
tomakeacreamcheesefrostingtoechothepaleheadthatsitsontopofaglassofstout.It'sunconventionalto
addcreambutitmakesitfrothierandlighterwhichIregardasaestheticallyandgastronomicallydesirable.Butit
isperfectlyacceptabletoleavethecakeuniced:infact,ittastesgorgeousplain.
PhotobyJamesMerrell
RecipepostedbyNigella
Makes:about12slices
Method
Ingredients
forthecake
250mlguinness
250gramsunsaltedbutter
75gramscocoapowder
400gramscastersugar
142mlsourcream
2largeeggs
1tablespoonvanillaextract
275gramsplainflour
2teaspoonsbicarbonateofsoda
forthetopping
300gramscreamcheese
150gramsicingsugar
125mldoublecream(orwhippingcream)
1. Preheattheoventogasmark4/180C/350F,andbutterandlinea23cm/9inchspringformtin.
2. PourtheGuinnessintoalargewidesaucepan,addthebutterinspoonsorslicesandheatuntilthe
butter'smelted,atwhichtimeyoushouldwhiskinthecocoaandsugar.Beatthesourcreamwiththeeggs
andvanillaandthenpourintothebrown,buttery,beerypanandfinallywhiskintheflourandbicarb.
3. Pourthecakebatterintothegreasedandlinedtinandbakefor45minutestoanhour.Leavetocool
completelyinthetinonacoolingrack,asitisquiteadampcake.
4. Whenthecake'scold,sititonaflatplatterorcakestandandgetonwiththeicing.Lightlywhipthecream
cheeseuntilsmooth,sieveovertheicingsugarandthenbeatthembothtogether.Ordothisinaprocessor,
puttingtheunsievedicingsugarinfirstandblitztoremovelumpsbeforeaddingthecheese.
5. Addthecreamandbeatagainuntilitmakesaspreadableconsistency.Icethetopoftheblackcakesothatit
resemblesthefrothytopofthefamouspint.