Salted Dark Chocolate Stout Cake.

Yes. You ARE in heaven.

I mean, just look at this. A chocolate stout cake with flaky sea salt? It’s my ultimate DREAM. It’s rich and decadent and perfect for October or Halloween or just… Friday.

You know.

I am not a huge layer cake person, so this is huge.

Sure, I’ll have a slice on a birthday if I’m feeling it. However, baking and making layer cakes stress me out. It requires so much patience! So much time! So much precise measurement!

But after testing this baby out a few times, I knew I couldn’t hold back on sharing my obsession.

There is an entire bottle of stout in this cake! Actually more than an entire bottle. And I used a pumpkin stout! You can sort of taste it if you pay very close attention. In a good way, of course. There is some slight stout flavor and it’s ridiculously delish.

And if I like it, most people will. I would never sit back and actually drink a stout. But in this chocolate cake?

WOWZA.

It’s a serious dreamboat.

Oh also, before we continue. This was one of my biggest recipe fails a few weeks ago. I was up and at ‘em a few Mondays ago and made this cake to photograph at 6AM. I was so proud of it and so excited about it, even if it did look at little… flat. Or should I just say, thinner? It looked thinner than when I had made it before.

It wasn’t until around noon when I went to assemble it that I realized I had forgot to add the sugar.

Alllll the sugar. Ummm.

So I started over and made the cake again and ended with this delicious dessert.

I’m nuts over it.

I’m huge fan of Octoberfest food (well, that’s embarrassing because I’m really just a huge fan of soft pretzels and beer cheese) and I thought this would be the perfect dessert for October. It will work the entire month and especially on Halloween.

You could even decorate it all fancy with some orange sprinkles or something!

The frosting? Oh, it’s only, like, my most favorite frosting ever. Since I was a kid, I’ve loved super rich thick chocolate fudge icing. As I’ve gotten older, I’ve become somewhat of a cream cheese frosting freak but the chocolate fudge will always reign supreme and be my number one. I can’t ever turn it down.

This cake is definitely rich and you only need the tiniest piece. You have to make it for a crowd or else you will just be giving it away to everyone you see. It’s insanely satisfying and a slice or two is my limit. But I loved giving it to my family who also completely FREAKED over it.

It’s practically like eating fudge. Ridiculously fluffy, fudgy chocolate. I die.

It’s probably the most decadent cake I’ve ever made. When you see the ingredients, you’ll be like I was. WHAT?

But that’s why you should make it for a party or a crowd or a suuuuper special occasion. Share it with everyone! You’ll be the most popular, ever.

Salted Dark Chocolate Stout Cake

Yield: 12

Total Time: 1 hour hr 30 minutes mins

This dark chocolate stout cake is absolutely divine! It's ridiculously rich and perfect for a crowd or a party. Pumpkin stout batter is baked into fluffy laters and covered in a super fudgy chocolate ganache. Perfect for chocolate lovers!

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Ingredients

• 2 cups dark beer like stout or porter (I used a pumpkin one!)
• 2 cups (4 sticks!) unsalted butter
• 1 1/2 cups dutch process cocoa powder I use Rodelle
• 4 cups all-purpose flour
• 4 cups sugar
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 4 large eggs
• 3/4 cup plain greek yogurt 2% or full fat
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 to 2 tablespoons flaked sea salt for sprinkling on top

fudge frosting

• 1 pound high-quality semi-sweet chocolate chopped
• 2 cups heavy cream1
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions 

• Note: I used three 9-inch cake pans, but mine were only 1 1/2 inches deep. If you have cake pans that are 2 inches+ deep, you can use two 9-inch or 3 8-inch pans. Grease your pans or spray with non-stick baking spray.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Combine the beer and butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Once the butter melts, whisk in the cocoa powder until smooth. Let the mixture cool to room temperature.
• In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat together the eggs and yogurt. Add in the chocolate stout mixture, beating until combine. Gradually add in the flour mixture until just combined, beating for only about a mixture.
• Divide the batter between the baking pans. I like to use a 1-cup measure to get equal scoops as well as my kitchen scale to make sure it's the same weight. This will guarantee those even leveled layers.
• Bake the cakes for 30 to 35 minutes (for 8 inch) or a little longer for 9 inch - until a tester in the center comes out clean. Let the cakes cool in their pans for 10 to 15 minutes, then gently invert them on parchment paper. Let cool completely before frosting.
• To assemble, place the bottom layer of cake on the cake stand or plate that you'd like to use. Add a bit of the frosting (about 3 to 4 tablespoons if you have 3 layers, or more if you only have 2) and spread it to the edges. Repeat with another layer of cake. If you have a third layer, add it on top and spread the rest of the frosting on the top and down the sides. I like to smooth it out with a large spatula! Sprinkle the cake with the flaked sea salt and serve. You can also keep it chilled in the fridge (I recommend that!) and it's unreal.

fudge frosting

• Place the chopped chocolate in a large bowl.
• Heat the heavy cream until it's warm over medium heat. You just want bubbles around the edges, don't scald it. Pour the cream over the chocolate and let it sit for 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in the vanilla and then stir until it's smooth and combined and you have a rich chocolate ganache. Chill for 1 to 2 hours (no longer) until it's spreadable.

Notes

cake from king arthur flour

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

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That’s so rich it almost looks fake.