Friends, beer month is almost over, and I was starting to feel all stressed out about posting a Beerish Item before time got away from me.
Then yesterday, I went to a Big Girl Meetup in North Raleigh at the Earth Fare grocery store. They have a meeting room; we didn’t just hang out in the chip aisle or anything. Anyway, after the meeting, I checked out their beer selection. It was excellent. I felt like Robin Williams’s character in Moscow on the Hudson discovering the coffee aisle for the first time.
I’m sure the people who saw me were Perplexed by my behavior. I’d grab a Likely Selection, put it in my basket and keep looking. Then, I’d grab a different one, put the first one back and keep looking. Then, I grabbed two of one, put the second one back and kept looking. Finally, I put one of the two back and grabbed a different bottle. The reason I was so indecisive is that I wasn’t quite sure what I was going to make.
I knew I wanted to make a stout cake, but as far as the topping/icing/glaze? I had no idea. So, as I shopped, an idea grew into a math problem: Young’s Double Chocolate Stout + Breckenridge Vanilla Porter = Double Chocolate Stout Cake with Vanilla Porter Toffee
Perfect!
And I’m here to tell you that it Kind of Was. Perfect. The cake bakes up beautifully in the swirly pan without any adjustments whatsoever. The toffee I pretty much just winged, because I’m Like That. It is so good that it deserves to be made into a chocolate-dipped candy. I’ll do that at some point. But for now, let me present to you my entry for #BeerMonthBloggers! Happy Beer Month, all!
Double Chocolate Stout Cake with Vanilla Porter Toffee for Beer Month
Rich and fudgy chocolate stout Bundt cake topped with an irresistable porter-based toffee sauce. A celebration of beer and chocolate cake!
Tried this recipe?Please give it a star rating!
Ingredients
For the Cake
- 8 oz Young's Double Chocolate Stout (sub beer of choice)
- 8 oz 2 sticks unsalted butter cut into small pieces
- ¾ cup regular cocoa powder (if you use alkalized, you can leave out the baking soda)
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 Tablespoon espresso powder (I use King Arthur)
- rounded 1/2 cup sour cream , creme fraiche or Greek yogurt, cold
- 2 large eggs , cold
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 8.5 oz all purpose flour
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
For the Toffee
- 4 oz heavy cream
- 4 oz granulated sugar
- 4 oz Breckenridge Vanilla Porter
- 2 oz unsalted butter
- ½ teaspoon salt
Instructions
For the Cake
- Over medium low heat, warm the butter and beer until the butter is mostly melted. Take off the heat and stir until all the butter has melted. Let cool for a few minutes, although it shouldn't be too hot to begin with.
- Sift the cocoa powder and whisk into the beer mixture along with the sugar and espresso powder.
- Whisk together the sour cream, eggs and vanilla.
- Whisk the dairy mixture into the beer mixture until smooth.
- Sift together the flour and leaveners and whisk gently to combine with the beer mix.
- Pour into a 9"x2" cake pan lined with parchment or a 10 cup Bundt-type pan that you've sprayed well and dusted liberally with cocoa powder.
- Bake at 350F until done, about 45 minutes.
- Let cool on a wire rack for 15 minutes if in a round pan and 20 if in the Bundt pan. Carefully turn out and let cool completely.
- Let cool until warm but not hot and then apply the glaze.
For the Toffee
- Combine all ingredients in a large, heavy bottomed sauce pan. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Once it boils, you can stir occasionally.
- When the mixture reaches 230F, pour into a heat proof container and brush a thin coat over the entire cake being careful not to get any crumbs in the toffee.
- Pour the remaining toffee back into the pan and bring to 245F. Pour into your heatproof container and then spoon over cake Artfully. This mixture will flow but will set up into a sticky, stringy toffee kind of the texture of the caramel in a Milky Way. If you don't like it stringy, only cook it to 240F.
Did You Make Any Changes?
Did you make this recipe?Please tell us what you loved!
- Porter Chocolate Mousse (yes, please!) from Croque Camille.
- Beer Cheese Soup (oh, my) from Hall Nesting.
- Bluepoint Blueberry Muffins (and Fat Free?! Are you kidding me?!) from NY Foodgasm
- Whiskey, Guinness, Bailey’s Oh My Bundt Cake (Yowza) also from Hall Nesting.
- Root Beer Float Cupcakes (cute and awesome!) from Jessiker Bakes
- Torpedo IPA Cupcakes (!!) from Alex Tries it Out
Thanks for reading, and have a lovely day.
Join in Today!
I have had a four pack of Young’s DCS in the refrigerator for awhile just waiting to be used. I made this cake this afternoon and OMG! It is soo moist and flavorful I wanted keep it all to myself! Fantastic recipe – it’s a keeper!
I am so thrilled you like it, Debra! Thank you so much for letting me know! Also, I will keep your secret if you decide to keep it all to yourself! 🙂
Okay, I so have to make this! Stunning! Yowzers!
I loved making this cake! And one of the Peoplehood members made it too. Would make me happy to know it is on your holiday table! xo
This cake not only sounds wonderful, but your photos of it are just stunning. I’ve not come across the chocolate stout and feel I’m missing out!
Thanks so much, Choclette! And you might be missing out, just a little bit. Chocolate stout is delicious! Of course, you can make the cake with regular stout, too, and still be very, very happy! =)
I…speechless. How do you keep topping yourself month after month, Jenni? Definitely gonna make this for my friend’s birthday in March! Must get swirly pan!!
Aw, you are too kind, Niko! But this cake is Pretty Darned Awesome! It will taste good regardless of the pan, but the swirly pan is the awesomest! I hope your friend loves it–you’ll have to let me know!
P.S. — I just noticed that your cocoa powder is in a fancy antique absinthe spoon. Cute!
Is that what that is? I just thought it was a tea strainer from my grandmother. Maybe there are things I don’t know about my grandmother! LOL
Oh, wait — I guess yours *is* a tea strainer. I just searched images of absinthe spoon, and they have fancy perforated flat metal strainers, not mesh. Your grandma’s reputation is intact.
http://tinyurl.com/n7omctn
I am both relieved *and* disappointed, Maggie! lol
Jenni, I just got my new swirly pan this week and knew the first thing I wanted to make in it was this recipe I’ve had bookmarked for months. And lemme tell you — It Was Magnificent.
Couldn’t lay my hands on any chocolate stout here, but even with regular Guinness it was a perfect joy of a cake. That little bitter edge of the stout plus the mellowness of the espresso really made this a most sophisticated dessert. All of your methods and recipes that I’ve tried have been just wonderful, and I thank you wholeheartedly for maintaining this terrific blog.
Next up this weekend: your citrus swirly cake. Those ridges are fun to glaze, aren’t they?
Oh, I do love this cake, and I am so glad that you made and enjoyed it, Maggie!! And yay for the swirly pan–I just love everything about it, including the fun glazing in the “troughs” between the swirls! I hope you love the citrus one, too. =)
Swirly pan AND toffee sauce? You’re killing me here! What a magnifient cake, my friend.
PS. Thanks for your kind words of sympathy. xo
Thanks, Liz! I must admit, it was Pretty Darn Tasty! I was inspired by Beer Month, so we both have Sophia Del Gigante to thank for that!
I know how hard it is to lose someone special. Take care and be kind to yourself.
Will I see you in Orlando for FBF? I hope so!
Jenni, this cake looks sensational and I love the temperature options for toffee preferences. While you feel as though you may not have participated much in beer month, the fact you so carefully selected beers for this gem covers you into next year’s beer month! Cheers from NorCal.
You always know just what to say, Brooks Walker! Thanks for stopping in and for your thoughtful comments. I am glad I know you!
Madre mia!
Ha! Thank you–good stuff!
WOAH! You are a genius! These shots are BEAUTIFUL! Great job! Plus the double chocolate stout cake and that vanilla porter is MAGICAL! I need to seek these beers out pronto! Thanks so much for being a part of Beer Month!
I have felt bad that I didn’t do more, but I was thrilled that you asked me and was glad I could pull a beery rabbit out of my hat yesterday, Sophia! =)