4 cups unbleached all purpose flour
4 cups sugar
1 tablespoon baking soda
1½ teaspoons salt
4 large eggs
1⅓ cups sour cream
Icing
2 cups heavy whipping cream
1 pound bittersweet or semisweet chocolate (do not exceed 61% cacao), chopped
CAKE: Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter three 8-inch-diameter cake pans with 2-inch-high sides. Line pan bottoms with parchment paper; butter paper. Bring stout and butter to simmer in heavy large saucepan over medium heat, whisking to melt butter. Add cocoa and whisk until mixture is smooth. Cool to lukewarm.
Whisk flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt in large bowl to blend. Using electric mixer, beat eggs and sour cream in another large bowl to blend. Add stout-chocolate mixture to egg mixture and beat just to combine. Add flour mixture and beat 10 to 15 seconds at low speed. Using rubber spatula, gently fold batter until completely combined. Divide batter among prepared pans.
Bake cakes until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 35 minutes. Cool cakes in pans on racks 10 minutes. Cut around pan sides to loosen cakes. Turn cakes out onto rack, peel off parchment, and cool completely.
ICING: Bring cream to simmer in heavy medium saucepan. Remove from heat. Add chocolate and whisk until melted and smooth. Refrigerate until icing thickens to spreadable consistency, stirring frequently, about 2 hours.
Place 1 cake layer on plate. Spread ⅔ cup icing over. Top with second cake layer. Spread ⅔ cup icing over. Top with third cake layer. Spread remaining icing over top and sides of cake.
Step by Step to Picture-Perfect Frosting
A cake is truly more than the sum of its delicious parts—but a beautiful frosting is key to making a fantastic first impression. Here are some ways to create professional-looking frosted cakes.
1 PREP: If the cooled cake layers are domed, use a serrated knife to carefully trim the tops and make them level. Set one cake layer on a cardboard round that is slightly smaller in diameter than the cake so that it’s concealed, or set the cake layer on a flat cake plate. A dab of frosting on the cardboard or plate helps anchor the cake.
2 FILL AND LAYER: Spread the filling over the cake layer, keeping it half an inch from the edge of the cake [1]; then top with the second cake layer (this allows some wiggle room for the filling to ooze) [2]. It’s best to place the bottom layer cut side up and the top layer cut side down; the cut surfaces absorb some of the filling, while the smooth, flat surface forms a nice shape for the finished cake. Sometimes the top layer slides around, which makes frosting the cake difficult. To solve this, cover the layered cake with plastic and chill it until the filling becomes firm and the top layer is securely set in place.
3 ADD THE CRUMB COAT: Spread a thin layer of frosting over the entire cake [3], then chill the cake until the frosting is cold. Don’t worry if the cake doesn’t look attractive; the crumb coating is simply used to glue any loose cake crumbs to the cake’s surface to make it easier to apply the final coating of frosting. (Not all recipes call for this step.)
4 FROST: Finally, spread the remaining frosting decoratively over the sides and top of the cake [4]. Setting the cake on a cake turntable or lazy Susan and using a long offset spatula will help you create a perfectly smooth finish.
For more roasted-coffee flavor, instant espresso powder could substitute for the instant coffee powder in both the cake and the frosting. 12 servings
Coffee Syrup
6 tablespoons water
3 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon instant coffee powder
Cake
4 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
2 cups unbleached all purpose flour
1½ teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon salt
1½ cups whole milk
2 teaspoons instant coffee powder
2 cups sugar
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Fudge Frosting (see recipe)
COFFEE SYRUP: Combine all ingredients in small saucepan. Stir over low heat until sugar and coffee powder dissolve. Let cool.
DO AHEAD: Can be made 2 days ahead. Cover and chill.
CAKE: Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350°F. Butter two 9-inch-diameter cake pans with 2-inch-high sides. Line pan bottoms with waxed paper; butter paper. Dust pans with flour. Stir chocolate in top of double boiler set over simmering water until melted and smooth. Remove from over water.
Sift flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt into medium bowl. Stir milk and coffee powder in another medium bowl until coffee dissolves. Using electric mixer, beat sugar and butter in large bowl until well blended. Beat in eggs 1 at a time. Mix in melted chocolate and vanilla. Beat in dry ingredients alternately with milk mixture in 3 additions each. Divide batter between pans.
Bake cakes until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 35 minutes. Cool cakes in pans on racks 10 minutes. Cut around pan sides to loosen cakes. Turn cakes out onto racks. Peel off paper and cool completely.
Cut each cake horizontally in half. Using bottom of tart pan as aid, transfer 1 cake layer, cut side up, to platter. Brush cake layer with 2 tablespoons coffee syrup. Spread ¾ cup Fudge Frosting over. Repeat layering 2 times, using 1 cake layer, 2 tablespoons syrup, and ¾ cup frosting each time. Top with fourth cake layer, cut side down. Spread remaining frosting over top and sides of cake.
DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and let stand at room temperature.
Allow enough time, one to two hours, to chill the frosting so that it’s firm enough to spread. Makes about 4 cups
¾ cup (1½ sticks) unsalted butter
¾ cup sugar
¾ cup half and half
4 teaspoons instant coffee powder
6 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
4 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate (do not exceed 61% cacao), chopped
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2½ cups powdered sugar
4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
Combine butter, ¾ cup sugar, half and half, and coffee powder in large saucepan. Stir over medium heat until sugar and coffee powder dissolve and mixture comes to simmer. Remove from heat. Add both chocolates; whisk until melted and smooth. Whisk in vanilla. Transfer chocolate mixture to large bowl. Sift in powdered sugar and cinnamon; whisk to blend. Chill just until firm enough to spread, stirring occasionally, about 1½ hours.
DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Press plastic wrap onto surface of frosting and keep chilled. Let stand at room temperature until soft enough to spread before using.