Decadent Chocolate Stout Cake (Gordon Ramsay Style)

Instructions

1. 1

   Prep the pan and oven:

2. 2

   Preheat oven to 170°C (340°F).

3. 3

   Butter the pan, line the base with parchment, and butter the parchment.

4. 4

   Infuse stout and cocoa:

5. 5

   In a medium saucepan, combine stout, milk and butter. Warm gently until butter melts—do not boil.

6. 6

   Whisk in the sifted cocoa powder until smooth. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.

7. 7

   Mix dry ingredients:

8. 8

   In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda and salt.

9. 9

   Combine sugars and eggs:

10. 10

    In a separate bowl, whisk granulated sugar, brown sugar, whole eggs and yolks until homogenous. Stir in vanilla.

11. 11

    Build the batter:

12. 12

    Pour the warm stout-cocoa mixture into the egg-sugar mixture in a thin stream, whisking constantly to temper the eggs.

13. 13

    Fold the wet mixture into the dry ingredients with a spatula until combined—don’t overmix. Batter will be glossy and pourable.

14. 14

    Bake:

15. 15

    Pour batter into prepared pan, smoothing the top.

16. 16

    Bake 35–45 minutes for a 9-inch pan (check at 30 minutes), or 25–30 minutes for smaller rounds. Cake is ready when a skewer comes out with moist crumbs (not wet batter) and the top springs back lightly.

17. 17

    Cool in pan 15 minutes, then invert onto a rack to cool completely.

18. 18

    Make the stout-chocolate ganache:

19. 19

    Place chopped chocolate in a heatproof bowl.

20. 20

    Heat cream and stout to just under a simmer. Pour over chocolate, let sit 2 minutes, then whisk to a glossy emulsion.

21. 21

    Whisk in cold cubed butter, one piece at a time, to lend extra shine and silkiness.

22. 22

    Finish the cake:

23. 23

    Place cooled cake on a serving plate. Pour ganache over the centre, letting it glide over the top and drip down the sides. Smooth or let it find its own path for a rustic look.

24. 24

    Scatter flaky sea salt and optional toasted nuts or chocolate shavings.

25. 25

    Chill 15–30 minutes to set ganache, or serve at room temperature.

26. 26

    This is deeply chocolatey with roasted malt, subtle coffee notes and a moist, almost brownie-like crumb. The ganache adds a satiny bitterness; flaky sea salt brightens flavors.

27. 27

    Serve slices with lightly whipped cream or vanilla ice cream to balance richness.

28. 28

    Use a full-bodied stout for complexity; avoid sweet dessert stouts if you prefer balanced bitterness.

29. 29

    Cake keeps well, wrapped, at room temperature 2 days or refrigerated up to 5 days (bring to room temp before serving).