Chocolate Guinness cake

Pre-heat your oven to 180°C.

Butter and line a 20-25cm cake tin with greaseproof paper.

Cream the butter and sugar until pale and creamy. Slowly add the beaten eggs, mixing well to incorporate. Sift together the flour, baking powder and bicarb.

Stir the cocoa powder into the Guinness. (Strange I know, but trust me!)

Bit by bit, alternating between the two, add the flour and the stout mixture to the egg mixture, mixing well until completely combined.

Spoon into the tin and bake for 1-1 hours or until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out fairly clean. The top will begin to crack but the cake should still be moist inside.

Remove from the oven and leave to rest for 10 minutes before turning out on a wire rack to cool.

Once completely cooled, drizzle the top with ganache (see recipe below).

Serve with fresh berries, berry coulis or slow roasted, caramelized quinces.

Alternatively home-made vanilla ice-cream from Recipe Mailer 3 will always do the trick!

Ingredients

• 225g butter, softened
• 350g brown sugar
• 4 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 225g plain flour
• ½ tsp baking powder
• 2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 400ml Guinness beer
• 100g NoMU Cocoa Powder