Chocolate stout cake

foodiecrush_admin 3 Min Read

London-based restaurant Hicce Hart uses silicone moulds to make this bake, but it can also be made in a small baking tin and cut into rectangles. If making for a smaller crowd, freeze any extra for another time

With Hicce already in King’s Cross’s Coal Drops Yard, Pip Lacey and Gordy McIntyre have expanded with Hicce Hart, bringing more British-style seasonal food – including beef salt ribs with aged malt vinegar and rhubarb and custard paris-brest – sustainable wines, and craft beer from north London’s The Goodness Brewery, with a kitchen led by Charlotte Harris. hiccehart.co.uk

Ingredients

  • 250g unsalted butter, plus extra for the tray
  • 250ml stout
  • 75g cocoa powder
  • 400g caster sugar
  • 150ml soured cream
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 tbsp vanilla extract
  • 275g plain flour, sifted
  • 2½ tsp bicarbonate of soda

Stout caramel

  • 100ml stout
  • 50g soft light brown sugar
  • 15g caster sugar
  • 10g dark chocolate
  • 50ml double cream

Frosting

  • 100g soft cheese
  • 50g icing sugar
  • ½ tsp cornflour
  • 40ml double cream or whipping cream

Method

  • STEP 1

    Butter and line a 26cm x 16cm baking tray with baking paper, leaving enough to hang over the side. Heat the oven to 170C/150C fan/gas 3. Put the stout and butter in a pan over a low heat until the butter has melted. Remove from the heat and stir in the cocoa powder and caster sugar. Set aside to cool slightly.

  • STEP 2

    Put the soured cream, eggs and vanilla extract in a large bowl and whisk together. Pour in the stout mixture and whisk together again. Add the flour and bicarb with a large pinch of salt, and fold into the liquid mixture. Pour into the tin, then bake for 35 mins until a toothpick poked into the centre comes out clean. Transfer to a wire rack, leaving to cool completely in the tin.

  • STEP 3

    Meanwhile, make the stout caramel. Put the stout and sugars in a small pan over a medium heat, stirring, and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 10 mins until reduced by half. Remove from the heat. Stir in the chocolate, cream and a pinch of salt.

  • STEP 4

    To make the frosting, use an electric hand whisk to beat together the soft cheese, icing sugar and cornflour. While still beating, steadily pour in the cream. Continue beating until thickened – it should be soft but not runny.

  • STEP 5

    Lift the cake from the tin using the baking paper and then top with the frosting, using a piping bag if you want to create a professional finish. Drizzle with the stout caramel. Cut into pieces and serve.

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