Guinness Cake and Guinness Ice Cream

Yup, you read all that correctly. Double the Guinness, double the amazing. Since March is coming to a close, it was necessary to get this double-Guinness post completed before the end of the month of the Irish, passed. Plus, this is a dual-loaded post of delicious recipes. Even if you can't make the ice cream because you don't have an ice cream maker, you can definitely make the cake if you're willing to get all the ingredients. Because one or both of these recipes are definitely worth making. In particular, the cake has become my favorite annual St. Patrick's day food to make, without changing it one ounce. The first time I made it, I only had one glass low-lipped cake pan, and I filled it all the way up to the top with batter. BAD IDEA. The batter poured over the sides in the first twenty minutes of baking and got all over the bottom of the oven. However, it still tasted good.


The second/third times I made it, I split the batter between two of those glass pans and put cookie sheets under them, just in case. No problems those times. Finally this time, I have a 9-inch cake pan (like the recipe calls for) the looked like it might spill over, but made it all in one piece. Despite a couple failures or alterations of the recipe, this cake always turns out wonderfully. I do think it's better to eat it in the first couple days after making it, because otherwise the icing gets a bit sticky and the cake begins to get too dense from sitting in the fridge. Definitely a treat!

Guinness Cake
Cake
1 cup Guinness
1/2 cup + 2 tbsp butter
1/2 cup cocoa
2 cups sugar
3/4 cup sour cream
2 eggs
1 tbsp vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 1/2 tsp baking soda
Frosting
8 oz whipped cream cheese
1 1/4 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup heavy cream

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and grease and/or line a 9-inch cake pan. Pour the Guinness into a large saucepan and add the butter, slicing it to help it melt easier. Heat over medium-low heat until the butter is melted-then remove from heat. Whisk in the cocoa and sugar. In a separate bowl, beat the sour cream with the eggs and vanilla. Add that mixture to the saucepan with the Guinness mixture. Lastly, beat in the flour and baking soda.

Pour the batter into the greased pan and bake for 45 minutes-1 hour. Check at 45 minutes for a toothpick to come out of the center clean. Once this happens, remove from heat and cool completely in the pan on a wire rack.

While the cake is baking, make the frosting. Beat the powdered sugar and cream cheese together until well combined and creamy. Slowly add the heavy cream, pouring in about 1/2 tbsp at a time, until it reaches a spreadable consistency. Refrigerate and wait until the cake is completely cooled before adding. Once cake is ready, spread all of the frosting over the top-it will seem like a lot, but the effect you're going for here is to have it look like the frothy top of a Guinness!

Guinness Ice Cream
3/4 cup sugar
2 egg yolks
2 cups heavy cream
1 cup Guinness
1 tsp vanilla

Mix the egg yolks with 1/4 cup of sugar until light and fluffy. Mix in the rest of the sugar until completely combined. Next, stir in heavy cream, Guinness, and vanilla until all ingredients are as evenly combined as possible. Refrigerate for at least one hour before making ice cream. Follow manufacturers instructions and enjoy!