GUINNESS & CHOCOLATE CAKE RECIPE

This St Patrick's Day, we're making Guinness & Chocolate Cake and pairing it with our single malt 'Balcomie'.

This cake is magnificent in it's deep colour. You can't necessarily taste the stout, but it's there to deepen the flavour of the chocolate and add a certain maltiness which you can absolutely taste. The cream cheese icing replicates the white head of a well-poured pint, adding to the whole effect.

We've paired it with our single malt Balcomie. The two compliment each other as the whisky is matured in 100% ex-Oloroso American Oak Sherry Butts meaning there are flavours of treacle, dark chocolate, summer berries and roasted hazelnuts which goes perfectly with the malty richness of the cake.

Our Brand Manager, Hannah, shares her recipe:

INGREDIENTS:

• 125g unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing

• 100ml Guinness

• 40g cocoa powder

• 250g light brown sugar

• 100ml whole milk

• 2 large eggs

• 175g plain flour

• ¾ tsp bicarbonate of soda

• 1 milk or dark chocolate bar, to decorate

For the cream cheese frosting:

• 100g soft unsalted butter

• 100g icing sugar

• 100g golden caster sugar

• 100g full-fat cream cheese

• 1 tsp vanilla bean paste or extract

METHOD:

1. Pre-heat your oven to 180 degrees Celsius, 160 degrees Celsius fan, gas 4.

2. Lightly butter a loaf tin with butter and line with a strip of baking paper so that the excess hangs over the sides of the tin.

3. Put the butter into a pan and place over a medium heat until fully melted. Remove from the heat, add the Guinness and cocoa powder, whisking together until smooth. Then whisk the sugar, milk and eggs into the Guinness mixture.

4. In a bowl, mix together the flour, bicarbonate of soda, and 1/4 teaspoon of salt. Add the Guinness mixture and whisk briefly until smooth and combined.

5. Pour the mixture into the prepared loaf tin and bake in the preheated oven for 40-45 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean. Allow the cake to cool in the tin for 15 minutes before carefully lifting out; cool on a wire rack

6. To make the frosting, put the butter into a medium bowl and, using an electric mixer, beat until smooth and creamy. Add half of the icing sugar and mix until combined, then add the rest. Once combined, add the golden caster sugar and mix. Once all the sugar has been added, beat it on high speed until it's light and fluffy. Add the cream cheese and vanilla and beat until just fully combined (Tip: Don't beat it for too long or it will become loose.)

7. To decorate, spread the frosting over the top of the cooled cake and finish with some chocolate shavings (make these by running a flat-bladed vegetable peeler along a chocolate bar.)

Have a go and try it for yourself - I promise you won't regret it.

Happy St Patrick's Day to our Irish friends!