Malted Chocolate Stout Layer Cake Recipes

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F. Grease bottoms and sides of 2 (8-inch) round cake pans with shortening or cooking spray. Reserve 2 tablespoons of the beer for frosting; cover and set aside.
• In large bowl, beat cake mix, oil, eggs and remaining beer with electric mixer on low speed 30 seconds, then on medium speed 2 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally until smooth. Pour into pans.
• Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to cooling racks. Cool completely, about 30 minutes.
• In large bowl, beat cream cheese, butter, vanilla and reserved 2 tablespoons beer with electric mixer on low speed until smooth. Gradually beat in powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time, until frosting is smooth and spreadable.
• Cut each cake horizontally in half to make 2 layers. Place 1 layer, cut side up, on serving plate; spread with 1/2 cup frosting. Repeat twice. Place last cake layer, cut side down, on top; spread with 1/2 cup frosting. Frost side of cake with remaining frosting. Store in refrigerator.

Steps:

• 1. Grease and flour three 9-in. round baking pans; set aside.
• 2. In a large saucepan, combine beer, butter and chocolate. Cook and stir over medium-low heat until butter and chocolate are melted. Remove from heat; whisk in milk powder and cocoa. Transfer to a large bowl. Let stand 15 minutes.
• 3. Preheat oven to 350°. Add sour cream and eggs to chocolate mixture; beat until well blended. Combine sugar, flour, baking soda and salt; gradually beat into chocolate mixture until blended. Pour batter into prepared pans.
• 4. Bake 32-36 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely.
• 5. In a large heavy saucepan, bring sugar and liqueur to a gentle boil over medium heat; cook until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat. Add a small amount of hot mixture to egg yolks; return all to pan, stirring constantly. Cook 2 minutes longer or until mixture thickens, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; stir in vanilla. Cool to room temperature.
• 6. In a large bowl with a whisk attachment, cream butter until fluffy, about 5 minutes. Gradually beat in sugar mixture. Add milk powder; beat until fluffy, about 5 minutes. If necessary, refrigerate until frosting reaches spreading consistency.
• 7. Place bottom cake layer on a serving plate; spread with 1 cup frosting. Repeat layers. Top with remaining cake layer. Spread remaining frosting over top and sides of cake. Refrigerate at least 1 hour before serving.

Steps:

• Put a piece of parchment or a Silpat on the counter. Invert the cake onto it and peel off the parchment or Silpat from the bottom of the cake. Use the cake ring to stamp out 2 circles from the cake. These are your top 2 cake layers. The remaining cake "scrap" will come together to make the bottom layer of the cake.
• Clean the cake ring and place it in the center of a sheet pan lined with clean parchment or a Silpat. Use 1 strip of acetate to line the inside of the cake ring.
• Put the cake scraps inside the ring and use the back of your hand to tamp the scraps together into a flat even layer.
• Dunk a pastry brush in the Ovaltine soak and give the layer of cake a good, healthy bath of half of the soak.
• Use the back of a spoon to spread one-fifth of the malt fudge sauce in an even layer over the cake. (Helpful hint: the warmer the fudge sauce, the easier it is to spread.)
• Sprinkle half of the malted milk crumbs and one-third of the charred marshmallows evenly over the malt fudge sauce. Use the back of your hand to anchor them in place.
• Use the back of a spoon to spread another fifth of the malt fudge sauce as evenly as possible over the crumbs and marshmallows.
• With your index finger, gently tuck the second strip of acetate between the cake ring and the top 1/4 inch of the first strip of acetate, so that you have a clear ring of acetate 5 to 6 inches tall-high enough to support the height of the finished cake. Set a cake round on top of the sauce and repeat the process for layer 1 (if 1 of your 2 cake rounds is jankier than the other, use it here in the middle and save the prettier one for the top).
• Nestle the remaining cake round into the sauce. Cover the top of the cake with the remaining fudge sauce. Since it's a sauce, not a frosting, here you have no choice but to make a shiny, perfectly flat top. Garnish with the remaining charred marshmallows.
• Transfer the sheet pan to the freezer and freeze for a minimum of 12 hours to set the cake and filling. The cake will keep in the freezer for up to 2 weeks.
• At least 3 hours before you are ready to serve the cake, pull the sheet pan out of the freezer and, using your fingers and thumbs, pop the cake out of the cake ring. Gently peel off the acetate and transfer the cake to a platter or cake stand. Let it defrost in the fridge for a minimum of 3 hours. If storing the cake for longer, do not cover with plastic wrap-it will tear the malt fudge off the cake! Instead, get a big bowl, flip it upside down, and use it to protect the cake (or invest in a cake carrier). Stored in this way, the cake will keep fresh for up to 5 days in the fridge.
• Slice the cake into wedges and serve.

Steps:

• For cake:
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter three 8-inch round cake pans with 2-inch-high sides. Line with parchment paper. Butter paper. Bring 2 cups stout and 2 cups butter to simmer in heavy large saucepan over medium heat. Add cocoa powder and whisk until mixture is smooth. Cool slightly.
• Whisk flour, sugar, baking soda, and 1 1/2 teaspoons 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 briefly on slow speed. Using rubber spatula, fold batter until completely 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.
• For icing:
• Bring cream to simmer in heavy medium saucepan. Remove from heat. Add chopped chocolate and whisk until melted and smooth. Refrigerate until icing is spreadable, stirring frequently, about 2 hours.
• Place 1 cake layer on plate. Spread 2/3 cup icing over. Top with second cake layer. Spread 2/3 cup icing over. Top with third cake layer. Spread remaining icing over top and sides of cake.