Chocolate Orange Guiness Cake Food

IMPROVED CHOCOLATE GUINNESS CAKE

Steps:

• Pre-heat your oven to 180 degrees Centigrate (170 for fan-assisted ovens), or gas mark 4. Lightly butter a 23cm push-base cake tin.
• Measure out the Guinness, making sure to let any foam dissipate, and pour it into a wide, deep saucepan. Cut the butter into small cubes, and add it to the pan. Heat until the butter is melted into the pan - do not let it boil.
• In a separate bowl, combine the cocoa and sugar and whisk into the butter/beer mixture, being careful not to let the sugar catch and burn.
• Beat the eggs and sour cream together, then add to the pan.
• In a separate bowl, combine the flour and bicarbonate of soda, then slowly whisk into the pan, introducing a little at a time so as to not form lumps. This is really easy to accidentally do due to the density of the cake.
• Pour the batter into your pan, and bake for approximately 40 minutes. Keep an eye on your oven - I do not recommend baking this longer as this cake can burn on the outside but not cook on the inside. When a toothpick comes out of the centre clean, your cake is ready.
• While the cake is baking, beat the double cream into the cream cheese, and begin to add your icing sugar bit by bit. Depending on what consistency you wish to achieve, you may need more icing sugar to allow the icing to 'sit' on the cake like the head of a Guinness pint.
• Once completely cooled (this will take a while due to the cake's density), pop your cake out of the tin and ice with a spatula (I prefer a silicone one for better control).

CHOCOLATE GUINNESS CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Butter a 9-inch springform pan and line bottom with parchment paper.
• Pour Guinness into a large saucepan, add butter and heat until melted.
• Whisk in cocoa powder and sugar.
• In a small bowl, beat sour cream with eggs and vanilla and then pour into brown, buttery, beery mixture and finally whisk in flour and baking soda.
• Pour cake batter into greased and line pan and bake for 45 minutes to an hour (Check at 45 minutes for doneness, poking a skewer in center).
• Leave to cool completely in the pan on a cooling rack, as it is quite a damp cake.
• When cake is cold, gently peel off parchment paper and transfer to a platter or cake stand.
• Icing.
• Place cream cheese and confectioners' sugar in a mixing bowl, and whip with an electric beater, until smooth (You may also do this with a food processor).
• Add cream and beat again until you have a spreadable consistency.
• Ice top of cake, starting at middle and fanning out, so that it resembles the frothy top of the famous pint.

CHOCOLATE-ORANGE GUINNESS CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375F, and grease 2 8”-9”cake pans.
• Cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.
• Sift the flour, baking powder, salt and cocoa powder into a bowl.
• Add the orange rind to the creamed butter and beat in the eggs, one at a time, including a spoonful of the measured flour mixture with each one, and beating well between additions.
• Gently mix in the Guinness, a tablespoonful at a time, including another spoonful of flour with each addition.
• If there's any flour left over, fold it in gently to mix; blend thoroughly without over-beating.
• Divide the mixture between the tins, smooth down, and put the cakes into the center of the preheated oven.
• Reduce the heat to moderate (350F) and bake for 35-40 minutes, or until the cakes are springy to the touch and shrinking slightly in the pans.
• Turn out and cool on a wire rack.
• While the cakes are baking, make the icing.
• Cream the softened butter and icing sugar together thoroughly, then blend in the grated orange rind and enough juice to make an icing that is soft enough to spread.
• When the cakes are cold, use half the icing to sandwich them together, and spread the rest on top.

CHOCOLATE GUINNESS LAYER CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F(set oven rack to second-lowest position).
• Grease three 9 or 10-inch round cake pans then line the bottoms with parchment paper, then butter the paper.
• Bring 2 cups stout beer and 2 cups butter to a simmer in a large saucepan over medium heat.
• Add in cocoa powder and whisk until mixture is smooth; cool slightly.
• In a large bowl whisk the flour, sugar, baking soda and 1-1/2 teaspoons salt.
• In another bowl using an electric mixer beat eggs until thick and lemon coloured (about 5-6 minutes, this is important must beat for no less than 5 minutes!) add in the sour cream and beat until well combined.
• Add the stout/chocolate mixture to the egg mixture; beat JUST to combine.
• Add in the flour mixture and beat on low speed until combined.
• Divide the batter equally among the three pans.
• Bake for about 35 minutes, or until the cakes test done.
• Cool in pans for 10 minutes, then remove to plates.

GUINNESS ORANGE DARK CHOCOLATE CAKE

Steps:

• Candied Orange Peel
• (Prepare at least the day before baking the cake.)
• Rinse the oranges. Cut a sliver off the top and bottom of each orange. Score the peel into quarters.
• Remove the skin (pith included) and cut each quarter into thin strips.
• Place orange peel strips n a medium saucepan and cover with water; bring to a boil.
• Drain the water; repeat 2 times.
• Mix sugar with 1 cup water. Pour into a medium saucepan and bring to a simmer; continue to cook 7-9 minutes.
• Add the peel and cook for 45 - 60 minutes of just until the peels are translucent. Adjust heat as needed to maintain the simmer.
• Avoid stirring as this will cause crystallization to occur. Make sure peels are covered in water throughout.
• Drain, reserving syrup for another use. (Try using it to sweeten your tea.).
• Place peeling strips on a wire rack to dry completely, at least 4-5 hours, preferably overnight.
• Store in an airtight container.
• Cake
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Generously butter a 9-inch springform pan; line the bottom with parchment paper.
• In a large saucepan, combine Guinness stout and 10 Tablespoons unsalted butter. Heat over medium heat until butter is melted.
• Remove from heat; add cocoa and sugar; whisk thoroughly to blend.
• In a small bowl, whisk eggs, yogurt or sour cream, orange and vanilla extracts, orange zest and baking soda.
• Beat in flour until smooth. (I use my hand mixer at this point.)
• Pour into prepared pan. Tap pan on counter 2- 3 times to release air bubbles. Place springform pan on a baking sheet.
• Bake until firm, bout 45 - 60 minutes.
• Cool completely in the pan on a wire rack.
• Ganache
• In a small saucepan, bring cream just to a boil. Remove from heat and stir in chopped chocolate and chocolate chips chips and salt; stir until smooth.
• Cool to room temperature.
• To finish cake
• Remove cake from springform pan and place on a wire rack.
• Spread ganache evenly over top and sides of cake allowing excess to from top over the sides.
• Allow ganache to dry completely before moving cake to a serving plate.
• Garnish with candied orange slices (There will be extras. Freeze for later use.)