Intense Guinness Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Icing and Fine Sea Salt - by Trish Deseine

Ingredients

For the cake:

125 g unsalted butter
125 g lightly salted butter
250 ml Guinness
75 g (2/3 cup) unsweetened cocoa powder
2 eggs
150 g crème fraîche
1 tsp natural vanilla extract
275 g plain (all-purpose) flour
1 tsp baking powder
350 g caster (superfine) sugar

For the icing:

175 g good quality dark chocolate
75 g unsalted butter
1 pinch fine sea salt

Method

Make the cake:

Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F/Gas 4).

Place the butters and beer in a saucepan over a low heat. Sift over the cocoa and gently stir. Once the butter has melted, let the mixture cool for 5–10 minutes.

Beat the eggs, creme fraiche and vanilla extract together in a mixing bowl and whisk.

Add the flour and baking powder, sifting them first, then the sugar. Finally, incorporate this mixture into the butter, Guinness and cocoa mixture.

Butter and flour a tall 24 cm (9 1/2 inch) round cake tin and pour in the batter.

Bake for 60–75 minutes. When the cake comes out of the oven, wait for 15 minutes before turning it out. Wrap the cake in plastic wrap and let it rest overnight.

The next day, make the icing:

Place all the ingredients in a bowl with 60 ml (2 fl oz/1/4 cup) of water and melt them gently in a microwave or saucepan. Stir well until you have a smooth and glossy sauce, then let it cool and thicken slightly.

Place the cake on a rack and pour the chocolate icing on top.

Use a flexible spatula to spread the icing all over the cake, including the sides.

Let the icing dry and set for about 30 mins before serving.

Credits: 100 Desserts to Die For by Trish Deseine (Murdoch Books) $39.99 available in bookstores and online.