The New York Times March monthly bake: Chocolate Guinness cake

When I first discovered Nigella Lawson, I felt as if I had met my soul sister. She shone through my television (I was a total Food Network kid, of course), and I was completely smitten. She was hilarious, innovative, gorgeous, relatable — everything I idolised as a young boy whose playtime consisted of acting out his own cooking show.

Nigella helped revitalise home cooking by demystifying it and, perhaps most important, making it look fun. She never takes herself too seriously but always strikes the perfect balance of teaching and entertaining her audience.

And so, this month I wanted to spotlight a recipe that I’ve loved since I was that young boy with big dreams of cooking in front of a camera: her chocolate Guinness cake. Hello, full-circle moment!

This cake fits the bill for how I want to bake this time of year — I need anything that’s, as Nigella says, “simple, but deeply pleasurable”. Something snackable, but also perfect for a dinner party. This comforting cake is just that. Of course, St Patrick’s Day plays into it, but moreover, I chose this chocolate cake because I think it’s a rite of passage for any home baker.

The Guinness stout makes it incredibly chocolatey and moist, thanks to its malty flavour, which bolsters the cocoa and slight acidity that helps tenderise the crumb. If you prefer to swap it with a non-alcoholic option, there’s zero-proof Guinness! I also tested two other non-alcoholic swaps, Coca-Cola and black coffee. Both worked fabulously because, like beer, they’re acidic and enhance that chocolatey flavour.

If you don’t mind the booze, add some Baileys Irish Cream liqueur to the frosting. I swapped a couple of tablespoons of the heavy cream for Baileys and walked out a wee bit happier than I walked in.

So go forth and make the Guinness cake! I know it’s on the nose for St Patrick’s Day, but lean in, dear reader. Slainte!

Recipe: Chocolate Guinness cake

For me, a chocolate cake is the basic unit of celebration. The chocolate Guinness cake here is simple but deeply pleasurable, and has earned its place as a standalone treat.

By Nigella Lawson

Ingredients:

For the cake

Butter, for the pan

1 cup Guinness stout

10 tbsp unsalted butter (see Tip below)

¾ cup unsweetened cocoa

2 cups caster sugar

¾ cup sour cream

2 large eggs

1 tbsp vanilla extract

2 cups plain flour

2½ tsp baking soda

For the topping

1¼ cups icing sugar

230g cream cheese, at room temperature

½ cup heavy cream

Preparation:

Step 1 For the cake: Heat oven to 180C. Butter a 9-inch (23cm) springform pan and line with baking paper. In a large saucepan, combine Guinness and butter. Place over medium-low heat until butter melts, then remove from heat. Add cocoa and sugar, and whisk to blend.

Step 2 In a small bowl, combine sour cream, eggs and vanilla; mix well. Add to Guinness mixture. Add flour and baking soda, and whisk again until smooth. Pour into buttered pan, and bake until risen and firm, 45 minutes to 1 hour. Place pan on a wire rack and cool completely in pan.

Step 3 For the topping: Using a food processor or by hand, mix icing sugar to break up lumps. Add cream cheese and blend until smooth. Add heavy cream, and mix until smooth and spreadable.

Step 4 Remove cake from pan and place on a platter or cake stand. Ice top of cake only, so that it resembles a frothy pint of Guinness.

Tip: The recipe for this cake in Nigella Lawson’s cookbook Feast: Food To Celebrate Life (Hyperion, 2004) calls for 18 tablespoons of unsalted butter. This adapted recipe has less butter, but still tastes rich.

Serves 12 from one 9-inch (23cm) cake

Total time: 1 hour 15 minutes

This article originally appeared in The New York Times.

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