What to bake this weekend: Avoca’s chocolate and Guinness cake

Rich in colour and flavour, this festive favourite is topped with a creamy frosting and a healthy dusting of cocoa powder. Slice, serve and sláinte!

Avoca’s chocolate and Guinness cake

Ingredients

• 250 mls Guinness stout
• 250g unslated butter
• 75g cocoa powder
• 400 g castar sugar
• 150ml sour cream or crème fraiche
• 2 large free range eggs
• 1 tablespoon vanilla
• 275g plain flour
• 2.5 teaspoons bicarbonate of soda

Frosting

• 300g cream cheese
• 150g icing sugar
• 2 teaspoons cornflour
• 125 mls heavy cream

Method

1. Pre-heat oven to gas mark 4/180 degrees celsius/350 degrees Fahrenheit and line a 23cm/9 inch cake tin.
2. Pour the Guinness into a large, wide saucepan, add the butter and heat until melted. Take off the heat.
3. Add the cocoa powder and sugar into the butter, Mix well.
4. Beat the sour cream with the eggs and vanilla in a separate bowl and pour into the butter mixture. Finally sieve in the flour and bicarbonate of soda. Mix until combined, but be careful not to over-mix.
5. Pour the cake batter into the cake tin, and bake for 45 mins to an hour. Leave to cool completely in the tin or on a cooling rack.
6. Lightly whip the cream cheese until smooth, sieve the icing sugar and corn flour and then beat to combine until light and fluffy.
7. Add the cream to your desired consistency of frosting that you like.
8. Spread the top of the cake with the delicious frosting. Enjoy!