Cake Ingredients:
2 Ounces Of Cocoa Powder
7 Fluid Ounces Of Chocolate Stout
4 Ounces Of Very Soft Butter
10 Ounces Of Dark Soft Brown Sugar
2 Large Beaten Eggs
6 Ounces Of Plain White Flour
¼ Teaspoon Baking Powder
1 Teaspoon Of Bicarbonate Soda
Icing Ingredients:
4 Ounces Of Sifted Icing Sugar
2 Ounces Of Very Soft Butter
2 Tablespoons Chocolate Stout
4 Ounces Of Dark Chocolate [50 To 55% Pure Cocoa Solids]
1 Ounce Of Finely Chopped Walnut Pieces
Decorating Ingredients:
Cocoa Powder For Dusting
8 Walnut Halves
Information:
Serving Size 8
273 Calories Per Serving
8 Grams Of Fat
Preparation Directions:
The first step in this wonderful recipe, is you will need to cream up the butter and soft brown sugar. You will want to stir it thoroughly for roughly 3 to 4 full minutes, or until the mixture is pale mocha colored and fluffy. For the next step beat the whole eggs into the mixture slowly, little by little, egg by egg. Now, begin to sift in the white flour, the baking soda, and 1 teaspoon of bicarbonate soda onto a baking sheet. From here you will need to weigh out the cocoa, and add it to a separate mixing bowl, gradually pouring the stout into while mixing. You may now carefully and gently fold into the egg mixture little portions of the carefully sifted white flour alternately with the stout cocoa mixture. Lastly, after both have successfully been added, equally divide the cake batter between the 2 tins, and evenly level it all out.
Before the cooking procedure begins, pre-heat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit [or 180 degrees Celsius]. You will need to bake the sponges in the center of the over for roughly 30 to 35 full minutes. The cakes should be even on top, and have a springy feel and texture. At this point they should have shrunk from the side of the tin. Let them cool off in their tins for 8 minutes before turning them out on the wire rack to cool further. Be sure to carefully strip off the base papers.
Now on to another fun part, the cake icing. First wip together the icing sugar and butter, until you have a smooth consistant cream. Now pour in the stout, and again make sure it's well stirred in. You will now want to melt the chocolate in a mixing bowl set over very hot water. Once the chocolate is thoroughly melted, take the bowl away from the hot water, and carefully add the chocolate into the icing mixture. From here, remove about one third of the mixture and place it into a seperate mixing bowl. Once there, stir in the crushed or chopped walnuts. When the icing has cooled, sandwhich the cake with the walnut mixed icing. The begin to spread on the remain two thirds on to the top of the cake. Next you can dust the walnut halves with the cocoa powder, and neatly arrange them on to the top of the cake. You will want to let the cake cool, so that the icing solidifies. Serve with a tall glass of cold 2% milk.
