LOOK AT THIS CAKE. Dear lord.

Okay. First, an origin story.

So my friend Danielle M. Friedman, who is Sous Chef at the West & Mill Bistro Bar in Atlanta, Georgia, was pondering dessert ideas one day and I humbly suggested one of my favourites, the Chocolate Stout Cake, but with a frosting that incorporated whiskey in to it as well. Danielle, of course, was inspired and after a time of perfecting came up with two recipes for Chocolate Stout Cake. One with a caramelized white chocolate and whiskey frosting and another one with port and black cherry frosting (pictured above). Both proved to be a smashing success, selling out within two days.

What makes this cake so unique for me is the amount of stout that goes in to it. Most stout cake recipes only use about 1-2 cups, which leaves the stout flavour taking a back seat to the chocolate, but this cake feature 2 bottles of stout and according to Danielle, the flavour of the beer is clearly the star of the show.

Danielle has kindly passed on the recipe for this gorgeous cake along with the port and black cherry icing and I’m posting them below. Try it out and enjoy! I know I intend to try out the recipe and see how it goes at a potluck.

In the meantime, I’m putting West & Mill on my list of places to visit.

For more info on the West & Mill:

——-

CHOCOLATE STOUT CAKE

2 bottles stout (We use Left Hand Nitro Milk Stout)
1 shot strong espresso
2 cups (4 sticks) unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups unsweetened cocoa powder (preferably *Dutch-process)

4 cups all-purpose flour
4 cups sugar
1 tablespoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
4 large eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla
1 1/3 cups sour cream

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter three 8-inch round cake pans with 2-inch-high sides and line with parchment paper. Butter paper.

2. In heavy large saucepan over medium heat, bring stout, coffee and butter to a simmer. Add cocoa powder and whisk until mixture is smooth. Cool slightly.

3. Whisk flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt in large bowl to blend. In a large bowl, beat eggs, vanilla and sour cream until well mixed.

4. Add stout-chocolate mixture to the egg mixture and beat until just combined, taking care the stout mixture is cool enough that it will not cook the eggs. Add flour mixture and beat on low speed until just combined. Divide batter equally among prepared pans. Bake cakes until tester inserted into center of cakes comes out clean, about 35 minutes. Transfer cakes to rack; cool 10 minutes. Turn cakes out onto rack and cool completely.

—

CHERRY PORT ICING

16oz Frozen Black Cherries
2 Cups Port Wine
2 Cups Granulated Sugar
1 Pound Unsalted Butter, Softened 
5 Cups Confectioners Sugar
1/4 teaspoon Kosher Salt