This Chocolate Guinness Cake is always a favourite in our home and I love any opportunity to bake it. I tend to make this cake for St Patricks Day but this is the second year I have made the decadent and luscious cake for Easter. I think it looks really pretty with the mini eggs dotted on top and I was lucky to find packs of teeney weeney mini eggs in my local supermarket which I thought would look cute. The cake delivered as usual, being a big hit with my family on Easter Sunday and my in-laws taking a big chunk of it home with them. I am entering my cake into Julia's 'Easter Cake Bake 2011' over at 'A Slice of Cherry Pie'.
This weekend will have been the last time I will get to sample such delights for some time. As I am getting serious about losing weight and Weight Watchers isn't doing it for me anymore. From yesterday I am embarking on the Neris and India's Idiot-Proof Diet, which is a high-protein low-carb diet. I have read great reviews about this diet and how much weight you can lose. I am excited and looking forward to seeing the results and being slim again! This does not mean I won't be baking for hubby but I also plan on blogging some of the recipes from the diet cookbook. Wish me luck!
Easter Chocolate Guinness CakeIngredients
For the cake
250g unsalted butter, cut into pieces
75g cocoa
400g caster sugar
142ml sour cream
2 eggs
1 tbsp vanilla extract
275g plain flour
2 ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
For the topping
300g Philadelphia cream cheese
150g icing sugar
125ml double or whipping cream
Mini eggs
Preheat the oven to gas mark 4/180˚C/fan oven 160˚C. Line a 23cm/9inch springform tin. Start by pouring the Guinness into a large, wide saucepan and add the butter; heat until the butter's melted, at which time you should whisk in the cocoa and sugar. Beat the sour cream with eggs and vanilla and then pour in the pan of brown, buttery, beer and finally whisk in the flour and bicarbonate of soda.
Pour the cake batter into the prepared cake tin and bake for 45 minutes to an hour. Leave to cool completely in the tin on a cooling rack, as it's quite a damp cake.
When the cake's cold sit it on a flat platter or cake stand and get on with the icing. Lightly whip the cream cheese until smooth, sieve over the icing sugar and then beat them both together. Add the cream and beat again until it makes a spreadable consistency.
Ice the top of the black cake so that it resembles the frothy top of the famous pint. Sprinkle with mini eggs.
I made you Guiness cake for St Patricks day and it was a hit, very moist and chocolatey. It looks cute with the easter eggs on.
ReplyDeleteThe cake is pretty Maria! And scrumptious sounding too! Hope you had a wonderful Easter. xoxo
ReplyDeleteYummy-looking cake, Maria. Good luck with the diet - is so hard losing weight when you love to bake! I was finally successful with weight watchers and managed to lose almost 4 stone over 18 months. My trick was not to be too strict with it and allow myself treats occasionally! I'll be looking forward to hearing about the recipes on the new diet - always keen to find new healthy options!
ReplyDeleteCake looks fab Maria. Good luck with diet!
ReplyDeleteGoodness, with this and the lemon meringue cheesecake, I would have loved to have been in your house this weekend!
ReplyDeleteWhat a gorgeous cake! I think I will try it; I have never tried a Guinness cake before. Good luck with the diet - you have my empathy; I just love baking and it's difficult not to eat the goodies so I too have put on weight.
ReplyDeleteLove the rich, deep colour! Fantastic.
ReplyDeleteLovely looking cake. Good Luck with your diet.
ReplyDeleteGuiness Cake for St Patricks Day I think needs to become a tradition!! Good luck with the diet - I know someone else who is just starting this diet too!
ReplyDeleteThis cake looks lovely, how does the guinness taste in the cake?. I'm tempted to buy Nigella's feast when I get my bursary. Would you recommend this book? It's either Nigella feasts or Nigella's how to eat.
ReplyDeleteHi Missflash :)
ReplyDeleteThe taste of Guinness in this cake is subtle but works wonderfully with the chocolate. I highly recommend Nigella Feast, I love this book and have cooked and baked a lot of recipes from this book.
Maria
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