Chocolate Guinness Cake

Ingredients

Yields: about 12 slices

For the Cake

• Butter for the pan

• 1 cup Guinness

• 2 sticks plus 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

• ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa

• 2 cups superfine sugar

• ¾ cup sour cream

• 2 large eggs

• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

• 2 cups all-purpose flour

• 2½ teaspoons baking soda

For the Topping

• 8 ounces cream cheese

• 1¼ cups confectioners' sugar

• 2 teaspoons cornstarch

• ½ cup heavy cream (or whipping cream)

Directions

• Preheat the oven to 350ºF, and butter a 9-inch springform tin and line with parchment paper.  

• Pour the Guinness into a large wide saucepan, add the butter — in spoons or slices — and heat over medium-low heat until the butter's melted.  Then remove from heat.  At which time you should whisk in the cocoa and sugar. 

• Beat the sour cream with the eggs and vanilla, then pour into the Guinness mixture.  Add flour and baking soda and whisk again until smooth.  Pour into a buttered pan, and bake until risen and firm, 45 minutes to 1 hour.  Place pan on a wire rack and cool completely in pan.

• For the topping: Using a food processor or by hand, mix confectioners' sugar to break up lumps. Add cream cheese and blend until smooth. Add heavy cream, and mix until smooth and spreadable.   

• Remove the cake from the pan and place it on a platter or cake stand.  Ice top of cake only, so that it resembles a frothy pint of Guinness.