Chocolate Guinness Cake w/ Irish Cream Sabayon

Makes 12 individual servings or one 9" x 3" round cake

Ingredients

Cake

  • 8 oz (2 sticks) sweet unsalted butter, cut into bits
  • 1 cup Guinness stout
  • ½ cup natural cocoa powder
  • ¼ cup black cocoa powder
  • 2 cups granulated sugar
  • ¾ cup sour cream
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 tbsp vanilla extract
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2½ tsp baking soda
  • butter to grease baking pan
 or rings

Sabayon

  • 6 large egg yolks
  • ¼ cup granulated sugar
  • ⅓ cup water
  • ⅓ cup Irish cream liqueur
  • 1 oz bittersweet chocolate, chopped
  • 2 oz milk chocolate, chopped
  • ¾ cup heavy whipping cream, whipped to soft peaks
  • pinch of kosher salt

Special Equipment

  • twelve 3" diameter pastry rings, cupcake tins or 9" x 3" round baking pan
  • parchment paper
  • foil
  • baking sheet

How-to

Make the Cake -  This portion of the recipe can be made ahead and allowed to sit at room temperature for 2 days

  1. Preheat oven to 350º
  2. Line twelve 3" diameter pastry rings with parchment paper that extends up the sides of the rings and above about 1". Make a bottom for the rings using tin foil. This cake batter is very wet, so the rings will leak if the bottom is not lined. Place prepared rings on a flat baking sheet. (If you do not have rings, you may use lined cupcake tins, or a 9” round cake pan with 3” sides, buttered & lined with parchment paper)
  3. Melt the butter and Guinness in a large pot over medium-high heat. Whisk in the cocoas and sugar
  4. In a separate bowl, over medium-high heat, whisk the sour cream, eggs and vanilla. Add to the butter mixture
  5. Whisk in the remaining dry ingredients to blend, then pour into prepared rings (⅓ cup per ring) or pan. Bake for 20-25 minutes with rings or cupcake tins or 45-50 minutes in a cake pan. Test with toothpick for doneness
  6. Cool thoroughly before removing from rings/pan

Prepare the Sabayon

  1. In a stainless bowl, whisk yolks with the sugar and salt, then add liqueur and water
  2. Place bowl over a simmering pot of a small amount of water and continue whisking until mixture has thickened, 2-3 minutes
  3. Remove from heat and whisk in melted chocolate, then place bowl over an ice bath, whisking occasionally until the mixture has cooled, about 1-2 minutes
  4. Fold in the whipped cream

Assemble

  1. Press each cake (or a piece of cake) into a small, clear drinking glass
  2. Top with sabayon. It will actually look like a pint of Guinness!