- 9
Ingredients
- Cake Layers:
- 1 1/2 cups (12 fluid ounces) stout or dark beer (I used Guinness)
- 1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into cubes
- 1 cup sifted King Arthur Double-Dutch Dark Cocoa or Dutch-process cocoa (I use Cacao Barry Cocoa Powder - Extra Dark)
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 3 cups granulated sugar
- 2 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3 large eggs, at room temperature
- 2/3 cup sour cream, at room temperature
- Whipped Vanilla Bean Frosting:
- 1 pound (4 sticks) unsalted butter, softened and cut into cubes
- 3 3/4 cups sifted confectioners' sugar (icing, powdered)
- 4 tablespoons milk
- 1 vanilla bean, scraped
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract -- I use Nielsen-Massey Vanillas 8-oz. Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla Extract
- pinch of salt
Preparation
Step 1
Cake:
1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease two 9-inch round pans (2" deep), line bottoms with parchment paper circles, then grease circles, dust with flour and tap out excess. Set aside.
2. Place the stout and butter in a large, heavy saucepan and heat on medium heat until the butter melts, stirring occasionally. Remove the pan from the heat, and whisk in the sifted cocoa powder until smooth. Pour into a large heatproof measuring cup or bowl and let cool.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together dry ingredients: flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
4. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (flat beater), mix the eggs and sour cream on medium speed (I use #4 on KitchenAid) until well combined, about 3 minutes.
5. Add the cooled cocoa mixture, and mix on medium speed (I use #4 on KitchenAid) until combined, about 1 minute.
6. Add the dry ingredients slowly and combine on low-speed (I use #2 on KitchenAid) until blended, making sure to scrape the sides and bottom of bowl, and then mix for another minute.
7. Divide batter into prepared pans evenly. If possible, weigh the pans and batter with a kitchen scale for accuracy and even layers. If you do, each pan of batter should weigh ~1 kg/2.2 lbs. Place cake pans on middle oven rack side-by-side, but about 2" apart and bake until toothpick inserted into centre comes clean, about 35 minutes.
8. Let cakes cool on wire racks for ~10 minutes, loosen edges with knife or small palette knife, then gently remove from pans to cool completely.
Frosting:
1. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, whip butter for 8 minutes on medium speed (I use "4" on my KitchenAid). Butter will become very pale & creamy.
2. Add remaining ingredients and mix on low speed for 1 minute, then on medium speed for 6 minutes. Frosting will be very light, creamy, and fluffy.
3. Best used right away (for ideal spreading consistency reasons).
4. You can eliminate the vanilla bean and use 4 teaspoons of pure vanilla extract.