Mary Berry Guinness 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°. Grease a 9-in. springform pan and line the bottom with parchment; set aside., In a small saucepan, heat beer and butter until butter is melted. Remove from the heat; whisk in sugar and cocoa until blended. Combine the eggs, sour cream and vanilla; whisk into beer mixture. Combine flour and baking soda; whisk into beer mixture until smooth. Pour batter into prepared pan., Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 45-50 minutes. Cool completely in pan on a wire rack. Remove cake from the pan and place on a platter or cake stand. , In a large bowl, beat cream cheese until fluffy. Add confectioners' sugar and cream; beat until smooth (do not overbeat). Frost top of cake. Refrigerate leftovers.

MARY BERRY'S GINGERBREAD CAKE

Steps:

• This mix makes enough to fill 2 x standard 7inch Victoria sandwitch tins or 1 x 10inch diameter tin. Grease and base line your tin(s) with baking paper; preheat the oven to 160C/325F/Gas 3.
• Gently heat the margarine, sugar and treacle together in a pan, stirring until smooth. Allow to cool a little.
• In a large mixing bowl, stir together the flour and ground spices. Pour in the treacle mix and stir thoroughly to combine. Mince the stem ginger finely and stir with the eggs into the mix.
• Warm the milk gently in a saucepan, stirring gently to avoid it burning at the base of the pan. Add the bicarb of soda and let it foam a little. Stir into the gingerbread mixture until well blended.
• Pour into the prepared tin(s).
• Baking time: for 2x 7 inch cakes is 25-30mins (bake both together). For 1x 10inch cake bake for approx 1 hour or until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean.
• This cake keeps really well in an airtight tin, and actually improves over the first 2-3 days. Enjoy!