Beer & Bakes
We make lots of beers that taste like cakes, so why not make a cake that tastes like beer?! Our photographer extraordinaire put his culinary skills to the test this week to create a Vault City version of a chocolate mud cake, infused with our latest imperial stout, DDF Gingerbread. After it passed the 'office test' (i.e. completely demolished before lunch time), we decided to share the results and recipe with you!
Keep on reading or download a copy here.
DDF Gingerbread Chocolate Cake
Now, we'll start by saying that there's no pressure to use DDF Gingerbread. Any stout or porter will work well in this recipe, but if you do have a spare can, the result is a rich, chocolatey, boozy cake with sweet gingerbread aromas that are bound to get you in the spirit this Christmas.
Also, we wouldn't recommend deep-frying this one. Save that for mars bars, or beer.
Ingredients
A little bit of butter for greasing your cake tin
300ml Vault City DDF Gingerbread Imperial Stout (or any other stout you like)
250g unsalted butter
120g dark chocolate, chopped into chunks
50g cocoa powder
200g caster sugar
200g soft dark brown sugar
2-3 large free-range eggs (depends on size)
150ml full-fat yogurt (Greek is nice)
2 tsp vanilla extract
300g plain flour
2½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
2 tsp Grounder Ginger
Toppings
300g full-fat cream cheese (note: it needs to be full fat, and Philadelphia is the brand we’d recommend for best results)
80g icing sugar
300ml double cream
Crumbled up gingerbread men or ginger snaps
You'll also need...
Deep round 23cm loose-bottomed or spring form cake tin, greased and lined with baking paper (scrunch it up first - it'll go in far easier)
Heat the oven to 180°C/160°C fan/ gas 4.
Method
In a saucepan, gently warm the butter and chocolate until both have melted, then stir in the stout, mix in the cocoa powder and sugars, stirring away any lumps. Once smooth, whisk in the eggs.
When it gets thick and smooth, pour the mixture into a large bowl whisking in the yogurt and vanilla, then the flour, ground ginger and bicarbonate of soda.
Pour the batter into the lined tin and bake for 1 hour or until a skewer comes out clean. Leave for 5 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool.
Once cooled; in a large bowl, whisk the topping ingredients until the mix just holds its shape. It’s important not to carry on beating as the topping will go runny.
Serve immediately or refrigerate (it’ll keep for 3-5 days but it'll be eaten far quicker if this one was anything to go by).
