Chocolate Stout Cake With Coffee Irish Cream Buttercream Food

CHOCOLATE STOUT CAKE WITH IRISH CREAM FROSTING

Steps:

• For the chocolate stout cake: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Grease a 9-inch round cake pan with the room temperature butter, then line it with parchment paper.
• Whisk together the flour, granulated sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl. Combine the stout, melted butter, vanilla extract and vinegar in a separate large bowl and mix well. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few crumbs, 30 to 40 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely.
• For the Irish cream frosting: Beat the cream cheese in a large bowl with an electric mixer until smooth, about 1 minute. Add the confectioners' sugar and mix on low speed until smooth and combined. Add 1 tablespoon of the Irish cream liqueur and mix until smooth and spreadable, 2 to 3 minutes. You can add another tablespoon of liqueur if needed to get the right consistency--it should be smooth but still thick enough to spread.
• Remove the cake from the pan and spread the frosting on top. Use a vegetable peeler to shave the chocolate over the top. Serve.

CHOCOLATE STOUT CAKE WITH COFFEE IRISH CREAM BUTTERCREAM

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350F. Butter the bottoms and sides of 2 - 8" x 2" round cake pans. Line the bottoms with parchment. Create a parchment collar to go around the sides of the pans.
• In a medium bowl, combine the flour, sifted cocoa powder, baking powder and salt. Whisk to combine well.
• In a measuring cup, combine the buttermilk and stout. Whisk to combine.
• Place the softened butter and the brown sugar into the bowl of a stand mixer. Using the paddle attachment, cream the butter and the brown sugar on medium speed until it is very light in color and super fluffy, about 6-8 minutes.
• Add the eggs one at a time, mixing just until combined. Scrape the bottom and sides of bowl with spatula after each addition.
• Add one third of the flour mixture to the bowl and mix on low until just combined. Pour half of the beer mixture into the bowl and mix on low until just combined.
• Remove the bowl from the mixer. Scrape the bowl to make sure the ingredients are incorporated. The mixture might look curdled at this point, but it will come back together.
• Add an additional one third of the flour mixture and mix until just combined. Add the remaining beer mixture and mix just until combined.
• Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl to make sure the ingredients are incorporated.
• Add the remaining flour mixture and mix until just combined. Remove the bowl from the mixer. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl to make sure there are not any pockets of butter or flour remaining.
• Place the bowl back on the stand mixer. With the mixer speed on low add the mayo. Mix for 10 seconds.
• Combine the baking soda and vinegar in a small bowl. Pour the mixture into the cake batter and mix on low for an additional 10 seconds.
• Remove the bowl from the mixer. Portion the batter evenly into the prepared pans.
• Bake the cakes on the center rack of the oven for 40-50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few crumbs. You will want to start watching for the cakes to be done, when the tops dome and start to crack a bit.
• Remove the baked cakes from the oven. If they have domed at all, use a tea towel to gently press down the domes. Let the cakes cool in the pans for 10 minutes.
• Run a butter knife around the edge of the pans, remove the parchment collar and turn the cakes out onto a wire rack. Cool to room temperature.
• Wrap the cakes tightly with a couple layers of plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator to chill completely before assembling.The cakes will keep tightly wrapped in plastic wrap and placed in a zip top bag in the refrigerator for up to three days. The cake layers can also be frozen, wrapped well in plastic wrap and placed in a zip top bag. I personally don't like to freeze longer than a week, but you can freeze these layers for up to three weeks. Defrost the layers in the refrigerator before using.
• Place the chopped chocolate and butter into a medium size bowl. Set aside.
• Heat the heavy cream, salt and corn syrup in a small sauce pan over medium-low heat on the stove until the mixture begins to simmer.
• Pour the hot cream over the chocolate. Let the mixture sit for a minute to allow the chocolate to melt. Gently whisk the chocolate and cream until smooth.
• Add the Irish whiskey and whisk to combine.
• Place the ganache into the refrigerator until it is a thicker, spreadable consistency, like peanut butter, about 30 minutes or so.
• Add the salt, espresso and Irish cream to the prepared buttercream. Mix on low until incorporated completely and the buttercream is silky and smooth
• Work with chilled cake layers. Using a long serrated knife torte the layers, cutting them evenly in half. You will have four cake layers total. The tops of the cakes will be the center two layers of your cake.
• Put one of the cake layers, cut side up onto an 8" cake board or directly onto a cake stand.
• Spread a thin, even layer of the ganache on the cake layer with an offset spatula.
• Spread about one cup of the buttercream on top of the ganache using an offset spatula to evenly distribute the buttercream. You're looking for the buttercream to be about 1/4 inch thick.
• Place another cake layer on top, top up, and press down gently so that the layer is adhered to the buttercream. Repeat the previous two steps, applying the ganache and buttercream.
• Place the third layer cake layer, top up, and press down gently so that the layer is adhered to the buttercream.
• Add the final ganache layer. Add the final buttercream layer. Place the final cake layer (the bottom of one of the cakes) bottom side up on the buttercream, pressing gently to adhere.
• Frost the cake with the remaining coffee Irish cream buttercream. Chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
• Microwave the remaining ganache in 3-5 second intervals, stirring after every interval until the ganache is loose and pourable but not hot.
• Add the drips around the perimeter of the cake. Fill in the top of the cake with the ganache and smooth.
• Slice into pieces and serve.The completed cake will keep in the refrigerator for up to three days. Bring to room temperature before serving.

CHOCOLATE STOUT CUPCAKES WITH IRISH CREAM BUTTERCREAM

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pans). Place foil or paper baking cup in each of 24 regular-size muffin cups.
• In large bowl, beat all cupcake ingredients with electric mixer on low speed 30 seconds. Beat on medium speed 2 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. Divide batter among muffin cups.
• Bake 18 to 23 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; remove cupcakes from pans to cooling racks. Cool completely.
• In large bowl, beat shortening and butter with electric mixer on low speed until smooth. Gradually add powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time, beating until combined. Add vanilla and 2 tablespoons of the liqueur; beat until blended. Add enough of the remaining 1 to 2 tablespoons liqueur, 1 teaspoon at a time, beating until frosting is light and fluffy.
• Spoon frosting into decorating bag fitted with #1M star tip; pipe frosting in circular pattern on tops of cupcakes.