Guinness Black Magic Cake with ermine frosting and whiskey caramel – perfect for St. Patrick’s day!
If you are looking for more Saint Patrick’s Day recipes, why not try my Black Magic Guinness Cocktail?
I have a confession to make. I totally have a thing about Irish accents. My husband is Canadian but his parents are Irish and he unwittingly takes on the accent whenever he is around family (I tease him endlessly, but it does make me slightly weak in the knees).
With St Patrick’s Day tomorrow I thought I would share a recipe that I made last year but didn’t get a chance to photograph or blog.
It is a variation on Black Magic Cake using Guinness instead of coffee. If you have never tried Black Magic Cake you really need to as soon as possible!
It is a very easy cake that is so incredibly moist and chocolatey (though it contains no chocolate, only cocoa powder) that it might as well be brownies!
Paired with ermine frosting and whiskey caramel (use Jameson if you want to keep the Irish theme) it is just pure indulgence.
If you haven’t heard of ermine frosting (also called boiled milk frosting) you aren not alone!
It is an old recipe – and the original filling of red velvet cake – that deserves to be more popular because it is delicious, velvety and so very rich.
The only thing to watch out for is to let the milk roux cool down completely before whisking into the butter otherwise the frosting will flop!
Guinness Black Magic Cake
Ingredients
- 200 g | 7oz plain flour
- 350 g | 12oz caster sugar
- 75 g | 3oz cocoa powder
- 2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 large eggs
- 225 ml | 8oz Guinness or you can used black coffee
- 225 ml | 8oz buttermilk or milk soured with 1 tsp lemon juice
- 100 ml | 4fl oz vegetable oil
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- For the caramel
- 150 g | 2/3 cup caster sugar
- 30 ml | 1/8 cup water
- 100 ml | 3.4 fl oz double cream
- 30 g | 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- 2 tbsp Irish whiskey
- Pinch coarse sea salt
- Ermine frosting
- 200 g | 7oz unsalted butter
- 200 g | 7oz sugar
- 235 ml | 1 cup semi-skimmed milk
- 5 tbsp plain flour
- pinch salt
- seeds from 1 vanilla pod
Instructions
- Make the caramel. Half fill a frying pan with cold water and keep it handy. Put the double cream and butter in a small measuring jug and microwave for 30 seconds or until the butter melts. Set aside.
- Put the sugar and water in a medium heavy-bottomed pan. Bring to the boil and cook, swirling the pan, until you have a golden caramel – this will take several minutes.
- Remove the caramel from the heat and pour in the cream/butter – be careful, this will cause the caramel to bubble and rise in the pan. Plunge the bottom of the pot in the frying pan to stop the caramel from cooking further. The caramel may seize and curdle – don’t worry!
- Add the salt and whiskey and return the saucepan to the stove and cook the caramel for 2-3 minutes over medium-low heat, whisking continuously until the caramel is smooth.
- Strain the caramel through a fine sieve into a jar and cool in the fridge before using. Caramel will keep in a sterilised jar in the fridge for several weeks.
- Make the frosting. Put the milk and flour in a small saucepan and whisk over medium-low heat until the mixture thickens and the whisk leaves a trail. Transfer to a bowl and cover with cling film, pressing it on the surface to prevent a skin forming. Cool completely before using (speed up the process by putting the bowl in the fridge or freezer).
- Whisk the butter and sugar together for several minutes, stopping the mixer and scraping the sides and bottom of the bowl as you go. Add the vanilla and salt and whisk in.
- Start adding the milk roux, one tablespoon at a time, until the frosting is completely smooth and has the consistency of whipped cream.
- Preheat the oven to 180C (350F). Prepare 3x20cm pans or 2x23cm pans – grease and line the bottoms and sides with baking paper.
- Sift the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, soda, baking powder and salt together into a large bowl.
- Put the eggs, Guinness, buttermilk, oil and vanilla extract into the bowl of your stand mixer and whisk together on low speed until combined.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients and beat for a couple of minutes, scraping the bottom and sides of the bowl. The batter will be fairly thin.
- Pour into the cake tins filling only halfway. Bake the 20cm cake layers for about 20-25 minutes (the 23cm cakes take 30-35 minutes) or until the top of the cake is firm and a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack.
- Pipe or spread the frosting over the layers drizzling caramel over each layer before sandwiching together. Pipe frosting over the top layer and drizzle with caramel. Serve at room temperature (the frosting will harden in the fridge).
Notes
seo says
very nice blog
Lucy Parissi says
Hi Kate – I would definitely not try it with cornflour. A gluten-free flour is worth a go but it is possible that gluten is important here. Let me know if you give it a go!
Kate Glutenfreealchemist says
Thanks Lucy. I will give it some thought as to best option. It does look good though…. I am sure there will be a way round it. I'll let you know if I find it!
Kate Glutenfreealchemist says
Looks beautiful Lucy. The ermine frosting sounds really interesting. Very unusual process. I wonder whether it would work with cornflour or another gluten free flour? Is there something necessary about the gluten at all?
Lucy Parissi says
Scottish accents are good too… Mmmm
The cake was a huge hit… I am glad I waited a year to post on appropriate date!
belleau kitchen says
I get the Irish accent thing but i'll always have a soft spot for a Scottish accent.. (first boyfriend and all that…) Love this cake, love bit of black magic x
Kat BakingExplorer says
Amazing Lucy! Guinness in cakes is so rich and delicious!
Harriet Emily says
Wow wow wow! This looks sooo amazing – pinned!
Kerry Cooks says
Oh gosh who doesn't have a thing about Irish accents?! Well, certain accents… Jamie Dornan in The Killing less so! Although maybe that's just because he's a serial killer! This cake looks delish!
Lucy Parissi says
And it just so happens that all the Irish guys I know tend to be very, very charming… Hmmm – they should be studied!
Angela Field says
Well this looks fabulous, I love the look of this cake, the piping is beautiful and the contrast between black and white is stunning.
I've never heard of ermine frosting, but it looks really interesting I'd like to give it a go.
Thanks for sharing this on my pinterest board as well!
Lucy Parissi says
You should try the ermine frosting on patisserie recipe – think it would be really interesting! You can make chocolate ermine frosting as well – totally amazing
Angela Field says
Coffee would probably work as well. I'll definitely give it a go.
Mariana says
I have never met a woman that does not go weak in the knees when they hear an irish accent. What is it about it?!?!? Very clever to swap the coffee for guiness, looks deep with moisture and flavour x
Lucy Parissi says
I don't know what it is about the accent… but it really makes me go a bit wobbly!
Lucy Allen says
beautiful! I've never heard of ermine frosting, but it looks very tasty indeed
Lucy Parissi says
You should try it Lucy – I think you will love it!
Laura@ Baking in Pyjamas says
I've used cooked milk icing a number of times and I'm always amazing how silky and smooth it turned out. This cake looks super duper delicious!!
Lucy Parissi says
Yes I love the frosting – it has such a rich mouthfeel – which is where my husband jumps in to say I am being a pretentious food blogger. But it does!