½ cup plus 2 tablespoons unsalted Irish butter**, room temperature
¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 cups superfine sugar
¾ cup sour cream, room temperature
2 large eggs, room temperature
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
2½ teaspoons baking soda
3 cups confectioners’ sugar
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
2 tablespoons Irish cream liqueur*** (optional)
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350°. Spray a 9-inch round cake pan with baking spray with flour and line bottom with parchment paper.
In a large saucepan, stir together beer and butter over medium-low heat. When butter melts, remove from heat.
In a medium bowl, whisk together cocoa powder and sugar. Add to hot beer mixture, whisking until well combined.
In a large bowl, whisk together sour cream, eggs, and vanilla extract until well combined.
In another medium bowl, whisk together flour and baking soda. Add beer mixture to sour cream mixture, whisking until well combined. Gradually whisk in flour mixture until smooth. Pour batter into prepared pan, smoothing with an offset spatula to level, if necessary.
Bake until risen and firm, 40 to 45 minutes. Let cool completely in pan on a wire rack.
In another large bowl, beat together confectioners’ sugar and cream cheese with a mixer, beginning at low speed and gradually increasing speed, until smooth. Beat in liqueur, if using, until frosting is well combined and spreadable.
Remove cake from pan and place on a platter or cake stand. Using a long, serrated bread knife, trim top of cake to level, if desired. Spread frosting on top of cake, making it look like a nice pint of stout beer with a frothy head.
Notes
*We used Guinness.
**We used Kerrygold.
***We used Baileys. Substitute 1 teaspoon vanilla extract or more to taste, if desired.
Recipe by TeaTime Magazine at https://teatimemagazine.com/carlene-oconnors-newest-book-mixes-murder-mystery-baking-competition/