Loving the effortless elegance that a Bundt pan provides (the cake practically decorates itself), I wanted to create a cake recipe equally as chic in flavor and texture. After much experimenting in my “culinary lab” (a fancy way of referring to my kitchen), I settled on a recipe for Chocolate Stout Bundt Cake that is perfect for enjoying with your loved one this Valentine’s Day. Because this recipe contains both chocolate and coffee, you have two options when choosing your stout. You can use a stout renowned for it’s chocolateness, or opt for one that’s rich with notes of coffee. For coffee lovers, try Eugene, Ore.,’s Oakshire Brewing Overcast Espresso Stout, while those looking for an added dose of chocolate can try the Oatmeal Stout from Steamworks Brewing in Vancouver. And, if you’re looking for something to wash it down with, try Propolis Brewing’s Rosa, the Port Townsend, Wash., brewery featured last week in the Daily Sip.
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 35 minutes
Makes: 16 servings
Ingredients:
For the cake:
2 sticks butter
1 cup stout beer
¾ cup cocoa powder
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 packet instant coffee crystals
2 eggs
1 cup sour cream
2 cups flour
1 ½ cups granulated sugar
1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
Crisco for greasing the pan
For the ganache:
1 cup white chocolate chips
½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
½ cup heavy whipping cream
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Generously grease a Bundt pan using Crisco, set aside.
In a saucepan over medium heat, slowly melt the butter. Add the stout of your choice, and slowly whisk in the cocoa powder, vanilla and coffee crystals. Once all ingredients have come together to produce a silky, satiny texture, remove from heat and set aside.
In a separate bowl, combine dry ingredients (flour, sugar, baking soda and salt), and set aside.
In a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the eggs on medium-low speed. Slowly add sour cream and chocolate mixture. Once well combined, begin to slowly add the dry ingredients.
Once all ingredients are well incorporated and the mixture is smooth (about 4 minutes), evenly pour mix into the Bundt pan. Place on the middle rack of your oven and bake for about 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean.
You will want the cake to cool completely before removing from the pan so as to avoid the cake sticking to the pan. Once the cake has cooled, prepare the ganache by combining chocolate chips and heavy whipping cream together in a double boiler, whisking the mixture together until all of the chips have melted and a smooth texture is achieved. Slowly drizzle the ganache over the top of the cake, letting it harden slightly, and serve.
