Chocolate Stout Cake

Want something a little more grown up for the Super Bowl than brownies? How about chocolate stout cake anyone? Now, this is for the more sophisticated crowd since it does kind of require a fork and plate. I know, we’re just getting highfalutin over here!

But it does seem pretty fitting for a football game, right? I mean, chocolate and beer! Now, I admittedly don’t know a whole lot about football, but I certainly think that beer and chocolate make any football game a heck of a lot more interesting.

The sour cream in the cake makes it delightfully moist and the cake isn’t too sweet. If you’re not a beer person, or even if you are but you’re not a stout person, don’t worry you’ll still be clamoring for more of this cake. The beer makes the chocolate flavor more intense and brings out a bit of nuttiness.

Chocolate Stout Cake #

Adapted from the Barrington Brewery in Great Barrington, MA via Bon Appetit via Smitten Kitchen

This cake really likes to stick in the bundt pan. Do your absolute best to grease it well and be aware that you may need to pull some pieces out of the bottom of the pan, stick it back on the cake, and cover with ganache.

1 cup stout (such as Guinness)
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (preferably Dutch-process)
2 cups all purpose flour
2 cups sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
2/3 cup sour cream
6 ounces good semisweet chocolate
6 tablespoons heavy cream
3/4 teaspoon instant coffee granules

Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter or spray a bundt pan well, being extremely careful to make get all the way in every crevice. Bring the stout and the butter to a simmer in a heavy, large saucepan over medium heat. Add the cocoa powder and whisk until the mixture is smooth. Cool slightly.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking soda, and 3/4 teaspoon salt. Using an electric mixer, beat the eggs and the sour cream in another large bowl to blend. Add the stout-chocolate mixture to the egg mixture and beat just to combine. Add the flour mixture and beat briefly on low. Using a rubber spatula, fold the batter until it’s completely incorporated. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake the cake until a tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 35 minutes. Transfer the cake to a rack and cool completely in the pan. Turn the cake out onto the rack for drizzling ganache.*

Make the Ganache:
For the ganache, melt the chocolate, heavy cream, and coffee in the top of a double boiler over simmering water until smooth and warm, stirring occasionally. Drizzle over the top of the cooled cake.