Guinness Stout Cake

Name: Guinness Stout Cake
Prep time: 40 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 80 min
Yield: 12 servings
Cuisine: Irish, AMERICAN
Ingredients: 1 1/2 cups (300 g) granulated sugar; 1 1/2 cups (188 g) all-purpose flour; 1/2 cup (43 g) unsweetened cocoa powder; 1 tsp. (5 g) baking soda; 1 tsp. (5 g) baking powder; 1 tsp. (3 g) kosher salt; 1 cup (240 g) whole buttermilk; 6 Tbs. (84 g) vegetable oil; 1 large egg, lightly beaten; 1 large egg yolk; 3/4 tsp. vanilla extract; 3/4 cup (180 g) boiling stout beer, such as Guinness Extra Stout; 1 1/2 cups (300 g) granulated sugar; 1 cup (250 ml) water; 1 Tbs. light corn syrup; 1/4 tsp. (0.50 g) cream of tartar; 1/3 cup (76 g) unsalted butter, softened; 3/4 cup (180 ml) heavy whipping cream, warmed; 2 Tbs. bourbon; 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract; 1/4 tsp. (0.75 g) kosher salt; 4 large egg whites, room temperature; 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract; 1/2 tsp. (1 g) cream of tartar; 1/4 tsp. (0.75 g) kosher salt; 3/4 cup (150 g) castor sugar

Prep Time: 40 minutes

Cook Time: 40 minutes

Servings: 12

In this stout cake, created by founder and editor-in-chief of Bake from Scratch magazine Brian Hart Hoffman, the malt and coffee notes from the stout beer adds a depth of flavor to the bourbon caramel and the fluffy meringue. “The addition of bourbon dresses up an already decadent dessert sauce,” he writes, “which speaks for itself: a little creamy, a little salty, and perfectly smooth, with a hint of vanilla and a punch of bourbon.”

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Ingredients:

For the cake:

1 1/2 cups (300 g) granulated sugar
1 1/2 cups (188 g) all-purpose flour
1/2 cup (43 g) unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp. (5 g) baking soda
1 tsp. (5 g) baking powder
1 tsp. (3 g) kosher salt
1 cup (240 g) whole buttermilk
6 Tbs. (84 g) vegetable oil
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 large egg yolk
3/4 tsp. vanilla extract
3/4 cup (180 g) boiling stout beer, such as Guinness Extra Stout

For the bourbon caramel:

1 1/2 cups (300 g) granulated sugar
1 cup (250 ml) water
1 Tbs. light corn syrup
1/4 tsp. (0.50 g) cream of tartar
1/3 cup (76 g) unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup (180 ml) heavy whipping cream, warmed
2 Tbs. bourbon
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 tsp. (0.75 g) kosher salt

For the meringue:

4 large egg whites, room temperature
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. (1 g) cream of tartar
1/4 tsp. (0.75 g) kosher salt
3/4 cup (150 g) castor sugar

Directions:

Preheat an oven to 350°F (180°C). Spray a 9-inch (23-cm) round cake pan with baking spray with flour. Line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper and spray the pan again.

In a large bowl, whisk together the sugar, flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and salt. In a medium bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, oil, egg, egg yolk and vanilla. Add the buttermilk mixture to the flour mixture, whisking just until combined. Add the beer, whisking until smooth. Pour the batter into the prepared pan.

Bake until a wooden pick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes. Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, make the bourbon caramel: In a small heavy-bottomed saucepan over high heat, bring the sugar, water, corn syrup and cream of tartar to a boil. Cook, stirring frequently, until the mixture is amber in color and registers 240°F (115°C) on a candy thermometer. Remove from the heat. Add the butter, whisking constantly until melted. Add the cream and whisk to combine. (The mixture will foam.) Stir in the bourbon, vanilla and salt until combined. Let cool completely.

Gently remove the cooled cake from the pan and place on a cooling rack. Using the handle of a wooden spoon, poke 6 to 8 holes into the warm cake. Pour 3/4 cup of the bourbon caramel onto the cake; let the caramel soak in and let the cake cool completely.

While the cake cools, make the meringue: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the egg whites, vanilla, cream of tartar and salt at high speed until frothy. Gradually add the sugar, 1 Tbs. (12 g) at a time, until combined. Continue beating on high speed until stiff glossy peaks form, 6 to 8 minutes.

Top the cake with the meringue and brown with a kitchen torch. Drizzle 1/4 cup bourbon caramel over meringue. Serve with remaining 1 cup bourbon caramel. (Any leftover bourbon caramel can be covered, at room temperature, for up to 1 week.) Cover and refrigerate the cake for up to 3 days. Makes one 9-inch (23-cm) cake.

Recipe courtesy of Brian Hart Hoffman, founder and editor-in-chief of Bake from Scratch