I always find it funny how so many non-Irish people celebrate St Patrick’s Day.
Poor St David, St George and St Andrew don’t get a look in when it comes to St Paddy’s Day. When it comes down to it I think it’s because we all just love the idea of the ‘craic’ and an excuse to have a good drink. And, let’s face it, what’s not to like about a pint of the ‘black stuff’?
Whilst I am a New Zealander, with the name Connell I don’t think anyone would begrudge me celebrating today and I am happy to share a St Patrick’s Day recipe.
This is for a chocolate Guinness cake and as you will see from the picture I strongly recommend you wash it down with another pint of Guinness. Or, if you want to be a bit more sophisticated, how about a black velvet, which is half champagne, half Guinness, trust me it’s amazing.
St Patrick’s Day – Chocolate Guinness Cake
Ingredients:
150g dark chocolate
200g butter plus extra for greasing
400ml Guinness
400g plain flour
40g cocoa powder
2 tsp baking powder
4 large free range eggs
400g golden caster sugar
Icing:
125ml Irish Cream (Bailey’s or similar)
470g Cream cheese
85g Caster sugar
Method:
1. Preheat oven to 180˚C/350˚F/Gas 4. Grease a 23cm cake tin with butter
2. Cube the butter and chop the chocolate, then place in a heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water. Allow to melt.
3. Remove from the heat and let it cool to room temperature.
4. Stir in the Guinness – don’t worry if it seizes or splits.
5. In a medium bowl, mix the flour, cocoa and baking powder. In another bowl, beat the eggs and sugar until fluffy (approx 3 mins with an electric whisk)
6. To the eggs add half the chocolate mixture and beat until combined, then add half the flour and combine again. Repeat with the remaining chocolate and flour.
7. Pour the mix in to the tin and bake for 40 to 45 minutes, until a skewer comes out clean.
8. Take the cake from the oven and allow to cool in the tin for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
9. For the icing, beat together the cream cheese and caster sugar until smooth then stir in the Irish cream. If too loose add a little more icing sugar.
10. Spread over the cooled cake and enjoy!
About Sean Flint
Development & Innovation Chef of SK Foods.
Your food. Our Passion.
