Try this delicious chocolate and stout cake from Gráinne Mullins

We had a great time with our guests at the Taste Waterford Demo Stage at this year’s West Waterford Festival of Food.

And one of those who came along to showcase Co. Waterford’s produce was Gráinne Mullins of Grá Chocolates.

Her luxurious chocolate and stout cake was a massive hit with the audience, and Gráinne promised the recipe – and here it is!

Let us know how you get on.

Ingredients:

  • 250ml Dungarvan Brewing Company stout
  • 250g unsalted butter
  • 175g Grá Chocolates Classic Hot Chocolate
  • 400g caster sugar
  • 150ml sour cream – The Country Store
  • 2 large eggs – Early Bird Free Range Eggs
  • 1 tbsp vanilla extract
  • 275g plain flour
  • 2½ teaspoons bicarbonate of soda

For the topping:

  • 300g cream cheese
  • 150g icing sugar

Method:
Preheat the oven to gas mark 4/180°C/160°C Fan/350ºF, and butter and line a 23cm / 9 inch springform tin.

Pour the stout into a large wide saucepan, add the butter and heat until the butter’s melted, at which time you should whisk in the hot chocolate and sugar.

Beat the sour cream with the eggs and vanilla and then pour into the brown, buttery, beery pan and finally whisk in the flour and bicarb.

Pour the cake batter into two greased and lined tins and bake for 45 minutes to an hour. Leave to cool completely in the tin on a cooling rack, as it is quite a damp cake.

Lightly whip the cream cheese until smooth, sieve over the icing sugar and then beat to combine.

Ice the top of the black cake so that it resembles the frothy top of the famous pint.