If you haven't noticed, almost all of the baking I do is for others or at least inspired by others. That's actually one of the reasons why I love baking so much.. sweets make people happy and can always make a bad day better, or good day great! Not to mention, they're just yummy to eat :) This cake happened to be a birthday cake for a friend/co-worker inspired by his favorite little puppies: Guinness and Bailey. At the moment, his dogs are with his wife in Ohio so what better way to have them with him for his birthday a la cake!This cake happens to be a dense Chocolate-Guinness Cake filled with a layer of Bailey's Buttercream Icing and covered with home-made Whipped Cream. The scent of Guinness and chocolate could be found throughout my apartment last night while the cake baked and the Bailey's Buttercream icing is one that I am already trying to figure out how to use more and more (it is absolutely DELICIOUS!) I definitely think this is going to be my new St. Patty's Day dessert.
Chocolate-Guinness Cake
350 degree, 35-40 minutes
1 cup Guinness Stout
1 stick unsalted butter
3/4 cup cocoa powder
2 eggs
3/4 cup sour cream
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups sugar
2 cups all purpose flour
2 1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
For this recipe you're going to have 3 different mixtures that will eventually all be combined.
The first mix consists of the sour cream, vanilla and eggs: cream together and set aside.
Next, on the stovetop simmer butter and Guinness and add cocoa (whisking constantly until combined). Combine chocolate-Guinness mixture and sour cream mixture.
In separate bowl whisk flour, baking soda, salt, and sugar.
Slowly add dry ingredients to the wet mixture.
Pour into Springform pan and bake for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean in the center. Place baked cake on cooling rack. Once cooled, tort the cake by cutting it horizontally in half...making two cakes. (The Bailey's icing goes in between these two layers)
*I use a Kitchen Aid mixer (which I highly recommend for anyone who likes to bake) so I mixed the sour cream and eggs with that and used it as the main bowl that everything was later added to.
Bailey's Buttercream Icing
1 cup crisco
1/2 cup butter
5-6 cups powdered sugar*
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup Bailey's Irish Cream (I recommend adding to your taste)
Cream crisco and butter. Start to slowly add powdered sugar, add vanilla extract and Bailey's.
*It is difficult to give the exact amounts of sugar and cream, because frsoting is all about having the right consistency. That is also why I suggest slowly adding those ingredients. If the icing looks to thin and runny, add more sugar.. if the icing is too stiff feel free to add more cream.. you get the point I hope!
Homemade Whipped Cream
1 small container of Heavy Whipping Cream
4 TBS powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 tsp sugar
Whip cream until soft peaks form. Once cream is starting to stiffen whip in sugars and vanilla.
Feel free to add more or less sugar depending on how sweet you want your whipping cream!
Fill your cake with a layer of Bailey's Buttercream Icing, and then cover completely with Whipping Cream. Use extra Bailey's to decorate the top and voila!
Happy baking!
