The famous chocolate cake has depth and a ‘resonant, ferrous tang’ thanks to one strange yet popular addition.
There’s no better way to spend a dreary afternoon than by whipping up a sweet treat. You can’t go wrong with a sumptuous chocolate cake, and there are so many fantastic recipes out there just waiting to be tried.
But sometimes, you just can’t beat the classics, and when it comes to those foolproof recipes, Nigella Lawson is hard to beat. She’s known for her indulgent, rich creations and boasts an impressive array of chocolate cake techniques.
However, perhaps her most famous recipe features an unexpected yet popular ingredient that lends an extra layer of depth and flavour to the mix.
Featured in Nigella’s book Feast, this luxurious chocolate cake calls for around half a can of Guinness in the batter. This much-loved beverage is smooth, dark and full-bodied, making it a natural fit for a chocolate cake recipe, reports the Express.
The recipe notes read: “This cake is magnificent in its damp blackness. I can’t say that you can absolutely taste the stout in it, but there is certainly a resonant, ferrous tang which I happen to love. The best way of describing it is to say that it’s like gingerbread without the spices.”
To balance out the richness, the cake is crowned with a light yet luxe cream cheese frosting. That said, you can leave it bare if you prefer, and it’ll still taste ‘gorgeous’.
Here’s everything you need to recreate this recipe.
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Nigella Lawson’s Guinness cake
Ingredients – for the cake
- 250 millilitres Guinness
- 250 grams unsalted butter
- 75 grams cocoa powder
- 400 grams caster sugar
- 150 millilitres sour cream
- 2 large eggs
- 2½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- 275 grams plain flour
- 2½ teaspoons bicarbonate of soda
For the topping
- 300 grams cream cheese
- 150 grams icing sugar
- 2 teaspoons cornflour
- 125 millilitres double cream (or whipping cream)
Method
Heat your oven to gas mark 4/180°C/160°C Fan/350oF, and grease and line a 23cm springform tin.
Tip the Guinness into a large, wide saucepan, chuck in the butter and warm until it’s melted. Then, whisk in the cocoa and sugar. Beat the sour cream with the eggs and vanilla, then pour this into the pan, and finally whisk in the flour and bicarb.
Pour the cake batter into your prepared tin and bake for 45 minutes to an hour. Allow it to cool completely in the tin on a cooling rack.
Once the cake’s cooled down, place it on a flat platter or cake stand and prepare the icing. Gently whip the cream cheese until smooth, sieve over the icing sugar and cornflour and then beat to combine.
If you’re using double cream, add it and beat until you achieve a spreadable consistency. If using whipping cream, whisk first to soft peaks, add a couple of spoonfuls into the cream cheese mixture, and once this is combined, fold in the rest.
Ice the cake, and serve immediately.