Guinness Stout Chocolate Layer Cake

Alright my fellow foodies: if you're ready for a challenge and want to create one of the most rich and sumptuous cakes you'll ever make, than strap on your aprons and get ready for the greatest St. Patrick's Day cake known to man!

Guinness Stout Chocolate Layer Cake. The only cake suited for the holiday. Because unlike all of the other brightly colored sweets out there that claim to honor St. Patrick's Day simply because they're green; this cake actually has Guinness in it! Alcohol and chocolate you ask? Why yes! This cake is riddled with the bitter sweet combination of beer and chocolate making it perfect for your St. Patrick's Day celebration.

I haven't made this cake in years. In fact, the last time I made it was the year I met my husband up at college. Since we mostly ate at the college dining hall leaving me little chance to cook for him, I wanted to show off my baking skills and win him over with sweets. As the old saying goes: "the best way to a man's heart is through his stomach." So I busted out the dark chocolate and Guinness and started to create my "man catching" cake. To this day, I don't know if he was really all that impressed or if he just thought it was simply good cake. But considering that he scarfed down his piece and, 5 years later he's still raving about my baking, I guess the cake did its job.

So after you finish eating your classic St. Patrick's Day dinner of corn beef and cabbage with a side of potatoes (because that's what the Irish eat, right?), top off the evening with some Guinness Stout Chocolate Layer Cake and your taste buds will be singing!

Guinness Stout Chocolate Layer Cake

Ingredients:

Bittersweet Icing
1 ½ cups heavy cream
6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
4 ½ tablespoon confectioners’ sugar
4 ½ tablespoons cocoa
1 ½ teaspoons vanilla
1/8 teaspoon salt

To prepare the Bittersweet Icing, bring cream to a boil. Place chocolate in a heatproof bowl, pour boiling cream over it, and whisk until chocolate melts and is thoroughly combined. Cover tightly and chill. Chill beaters from a hand-held mixture at the same time.

Up to 3 hours before serving the cake, whip chocolate mixture with a hand-held mixer. When soft peaks form, sift in confectioners’ sugar and cocoa and add vanilla and salt. Continue whipping until combined.

Drizzling Syrup
1/3 Cup Guinness Stout
1/3 cup dark brown sugar
3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon vanilla

To prepare syrup, combine all ingredients in a small, heavy saucepan, whisking until smooth. Heat over medium heat, until sugar dissolves and syrup is smooth.

Cake
2/3 cup Guinness Stout (measured after foam has subsided)
2/3 cup currants
1/3 cup, plus 2 tablespoons, unsweetened cocoa powder
2 ounces semisweet chocolate, cut into small pieces
¾ cup buttermilk
1 ¾ cups, plus 2 tablespoons sugar
2 cups, plus 2 tablespoons, all purpose flour
Cooking spray
2/3 cup butter, softened
4 eggs
1 ½ teaspoon vanilla
1 ½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
½ cup red currant jelly, warmed
Bitter Sweet Icing (seen above)

Preheat over to 350° F.

To prepare cake, pour stout over currants; cover and soak until plump.

Drain Currants, reserving stout. Add stout to a small saucepan. Whisk in 1/3 cup cocoa and bring to a simmer. Remove from heat; add semisweet chocolate, stirring until chocolate melts. Cool slightly. Stir in buttermilk.

Combine 2 tablespoons cocoa, 2 tablespoons flour. Coat two 8 or 9 inch square or round cake pans with cooking spray; dust with cocoa mixture.

Beat butter with a mixer at medium speed until smooth. Gradually beat in 1 ¾ cups sugar until well blended. Beat in eggs one at a time. Beat in vanilla.

Combine 2 cups flour with baking soda, baking powder and salt. Add flour mixture to butter mixture with chocolate mixture, stirring until blended. (Batter may look curdled.) Stir in currants.

Divide batter between pans. Bake 25 to 30 minutes, until a wooden pick inserted in the enter comes out clean. Cool pans on a wire rack 10 minutes; invert onto rack.

Poke tops of cake layers with a skewer or toothpick. Spoon Drizzling Syrup over tops. Place one layer on a platter. Spread warmed jelly over layer on the platter. Chill 30 minutes. Cover jelly with about a quarter of the Bittersweet Icing. Place second layer on top.

Ice top and sides of the cake with the remaining icing.



Milk Maker Bread

I was a week postpartum. After spending a week in the hospital recovering from a cesarean, we found ourselves sitting at home with an overwhelming albeit, adorable bundle of joy. My nights suddenly consisted of late-night feedings every two hours or more. And my days were full of dodging rockets of pee that came shooting out of my son diaper, soaking my clothes before I knew what had hit me. It was the most intimidating, wonderful, exhausting time of my life. But needless to say, as much as I love cooking, I wasn't about to bother with mucking about in the kitchen. I had a newborn to take care of and a wicked abdominal incision to tend to so cooking was the last thing on my mind.

Thank God for family and friends!

With the outpouring of love that came from our family and friends, our refrigerator was stocked for nearly two months! But the one dish that really stood out in my mind was the Milk Maker Bread. A couple of my friends came over just days after we got back from the hospital and they, like many others, came bearing food. I was beyond grateful that neither my husband or I had to cook so that we could put our efforts towards the baby and supporting each other. But during their visit, my friend presented me with the Milk Maker Bread that she had made for me. I had never heard of it before but as she explained to me, the bread is so packed full of nutrients that it helps to support the production of breast milk. Not only was the bread nutritional but it was absolutely delicious! On the side, my friend also made a cinnamon honey butter spread to go with the bread and the combination was mouth-watering.
Each time I eat this bread I am reminded of those beautiful, warm, sunny summer days where I first held my newborn son in my arms. After a long and exhausting night of midnight milk and diaper explosions, it was such a treat to be able to just slice off a thick chunk of rich bread, warm is slightly in the microwave, slather it in sweet cinnamon honey butter, and devour it in seconds. It was the easiest breakfast and snack to grab in my exhausted state making it the best meal I could've hoped for.

Now don't freak out. This bread won't make you suddenly lactate. Though its nutrients help encourage an increase in breast milk, that's simply because has lots of healthy goodies in it. Regardless if you are a breastfeeding mom or a rough and tough bachelor, this bread is good for you and makes for an easy grab and go breakfast or snack. So don't let the name make you shy away from giving this recipe a try. I'd hate for you to miss out on the great taste of this amazing bread!

Milk Maker Bread

Ingredients
2 cups boiling water
1 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup honey
2 tablespoons butter
2 teaspoons salt
1 package (2 1/4 teaspoons) active dry yeast
1/2 cup warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
4 cups bread flour
2 tablespoons honey, warmed slightly
2 tablespoons rolled oats
2 tablespoons flax seeds
2 tablespoons brewer’s yeast

In a large mixing bowl, combine boiling water, oats, 1/2 cup honey, butter and salt. Let stand for 1 hour.

In a small bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Let stand until creamy, about 10 minutes.

Pour the yeast mixture into the oat mixture. Add 2 cups of flour, flax seeds, and brewer’s yeast; mix well. Stir in the remaining flour, 1/2 cup at a time, beating well after each addition. When the dough has pulled together, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 20 minutes. Lightly oil a large bowl, place the dough in the bowl and turn to coat with oil. Cover with a damp cloth and let rise in a warm place until doubled in volume, about 1 hour.

Deflate the dough and turn it out onto a lightly floured surface. Divide the dough into two equal pieces and form into loaves. Place the loaves into two lightly greased 9x5 inch loaf pans. Cover the loaves with a damp cloth and let rise until doubled in volume, about 40 minutes. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Bake for about 30 minutes or until the top is golden brown and the bottom of the loaf sounds hollow when tapped. Remove loaves from pans, brush tops of loaves with 2 tablespoons honey and sprinkle with oats.

Serve warm with sweet cinnamon butter.

Sweet Cinnamon Butter
Butter (I buy the one made from yogurt), a drizzle of honey, and a bit of cinnamon, all whipped in the food processor.

Maple Toast and Eggs

Okay, so it kinda looks like your breakfast is sticking its tongue out at you but it really is tasty. This recipe is an adaptation of a recipe I found in my Taste of Home Holiday get-together cookbook. I actually made it for breakfast on Thanksgiving morning (no, you read that right. I said Thanksgiving. I'm a bit behind on my blogs thanks to the holiday madness), and it was really simple to make. Since there was enough competition for kitchen space, it was really nice having a quick and unique breakfast to whip out for the family.

It's sort of like having french toast, eggs, and bacon all rolled into one. So if you want the nice breakfast without all the mess and fuss, give this recipe a try. If you don't want the big bacon tongue sticking out, you can dice the bacon and sprinkle it into the cup before adding the egg if you wish. Personally, I'd like to see someone out there make this dish in a way that really makes it look like your egg is sticking its tongue out. Give it a face or something funny and post the picture. That would make my day!

Maple Toast and Eggs

Ingredients:

12 bacon strips

1/2 cup maple syrup

1/4 cup butter

12 slices bread

12 eggs

Salt and pepper to taste

In a large skillet, cook bacon until crisp; remove to paper towels to drain. In a small saucepan, heat syrup and butter until butter is melted; set aside.

Trim crusts from bread; flatten slices with a rolling pin. Brush one side generously with syrup mixture; press each slice into an ungreased muffin cup with syrup side down. Dived bacon among muffin cups. Carefully break one egg into each cup. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cover with foil.

Bake at 400 degrees for 18-20 minutes or until the eggs are set. Serve immediately.

Peppermint Popcorn

Man! I thought I had little free time just taking care of a baby, but then the holiday had to rear its ugly head. Now in between changing diapers, shopping for gifts, and wrapping up presents, I'm somehow supposed to find time to make holiday goodies. Well, if you're like me and you have little time to spare for baking treats for the company Christmas party, here is a recipe that will save you from getting a holiday headache.

Amongst all the fudge and frosting heavy desserts, this minty sweet treat is a nice change of pace. My husband made it for Thanksgiving this year and it was delicious! Not only was it quick and easy to make, but it was a big hit with the family. It is perfect for wrapping up and giving away in those holiday gift baskets for the neighbors, or for munching on while watching the Muppet's Christmas Carol (one of my holiday favorites!).

So enjoy this festive treat and spare yourself the pain of slaving away in the kitchen. If you use this recipe to save yourself a little time, use the time selfishly. Take a bath, rock out to some music, or munch on some peppermint popcorn.

Peppermint Popcorn

Ingredients:

4 quarts freshly popped corn

1 8oz box white Baker's chocolate

2/3 cup finely crushed peppermints

Put the popcorn in a large mixing bowl. Line a baking sheet with foil or wax paper and set aside. Melt the chocolate according to package instructions.

Drizzle the chocolate over the popcorn, gently stirring with a spoon to incorporate. Spread the popcorn evenly over the baking sheet and immediately sprinkle the crushed peppermints over the popcorn, lightly pressing the mints down with a spoon. Allow the chocolate to cool and harden, then break into pieces and serve.

Creamed Acorn Squash

Okay, I'm actually cheating a bit by posting this recipe because I didn't actually make this recipe, my mom did. But I was lucky enough to sample it. Since I didn't make this recipe, I don't have much to say about it other than: if you like warm, gooey, cheesy goodness, you'll enjoy this dish. From what my mom said (I feel like such a little kid saying that...), this dish is really easy to put together and makes a beautiful cold-weather meal. She also recommends serving it with pork if you're wanting to serve it with a protein. However, this dish can also stand well on its own.

I look forward to actually making this dish myself. But if you beat me to the punch, let me know how your experience was with trying this recipe and if you have any changes or suggestions.

Creamed Acorn Squash

Ingredients:
2 acorn squash, halved crosswise & seeds removed
course salt & pepper
½ C heavy cream
2 cloves of garlic thinly sliced
8 torn fresh sage leaves
½ C grated Gruyere cheese (or a sharp white cheddar)

Preheat oven to 375° F

Place squash cut sides up in a baking dish

Sprinkle with salt & pepper

Pour ½ cup water around the squash

Combine cream, sage, & garlic in a saucepan and simmer 5-10 min over medium high heat. (Do not let it come to a boil.)

Pour into acorn squash halves and bake 30-40 min until tender

Remove from oven and sprinkle with cheese

Cook 10 more minutes until cheese is melted and golden

Cool for 5 minutes before serving

Avgolemono (Lemon Chicken Soup)

Avgolemono. It's about as tricky to make as it is to pronounce (auv-go-le-moe-no). But never mind the fact that my spell check wants to change it to "Acclaiming" or "Overwhelming", which it may seem to be; Avgolemono is absolutely worth the effort. This is one of those soups that, to me, just taste like home.

At this time of year when you have to get up ten minutes earlier just to scrape the frost off of your car windows, hot soup is often the saviour to the soul (hmm...that almost sounds like a book title...). Especially out here in the North Wet where your soggy clothes cling to your body, forcing the cold air to seep deep into your bones, a hot cup of soup can often turn a gray day into a cozy one.

This Mediterranean soup is both hearty and fresh. With a lemon kick, it will awaken your senses from their winter hibernation. It takes a few extra steps to make than most soups, but believe me when I say, you'll be happy that you did.

Avgolemono

Ingredients:
½ onion diced
1 carrot cut into chunks
1 lb chicken breast fillets
1/3 c long grain rice
3 eggs, separated
6 Tbls lemon juice
2 Tbls chopped parsley
2 Tbls ground sage
salt and pepper to taste

Saute onion and carrot in hot oil 5 min then set aside.

Bring 6 cups water and add rice and chicken.

When chicken is cooked, shred and return to stock.

Add onion and carrots to soup.

Simmer just below the boiling point.

Whisk egg whites until stiff peaks are formed.

Gently stir in yolks to the egg whites.

Slowly beat in lemon juice in the egg mixture.

Slowly stir in 1/3 c of the hot soup to the egg mixture and beat thoroughly.

Continue to add some hot soup until egg mixture is warmed and thin.

Then slowly drizzle the egg mixture into the rest of the soup. Be careful to keep the soup below the boiling point or the eggs will curdle.

Add parsley, sage, salt, and pepper. Adjust the lemon to taste, adding more if you want a stronger lemon flavor.

Set aside for 3-4 minutes for flavors to mingle. Serve hot.

Pumpkin Cake Pops

For years now I have been having an on-going love affair with pumpkin. This time every year, I sneak off to the local cafe to embrace my much adored pumpkin spice latte and succulent pumpkin bread. In the evening, I put my lips to a bowl full of sinfully delicious curry pumpkin soup. At night, I nibble on pumpkin seeds. And for dessert, I let the rich taste of pumpkin pie melt on my tongue. Oh yes, I LOVE pumpkin!

Just when I thought there were more than enough pumpkin sweets to choose from, I had to go and create yet another. It isn't enough that there is pumpkin pie, pumpkin cake, pumpkin chocolates....No. I had to take it one step further: pumpkin cake pops! The funny thing is, I wasn't intending on making cake pops when I started this recipe. In fact, I was trying to make a soft delicious pumpkin bread. The problem was, it was a little too soft! As I flipped over the bread pan, the bread fell apart along with my dreams of eating pumpkin bread that evening. But for all the sweet breads out there that fall victim to the sticky bread pan, there is a solution: cake pops. Its a wonderful way to turn a disaster into a ridiculously sweet and satisfying creation.

So thanks to the dangerously delicious invention of cake pops, I was able to still enjoy the sweet pumpkin flavor that I am infatuated with.

Now, I know the picture below isn't a picture of the pumpkin cake pops. But honestly, I didn't decorate the cake pops so they looked kind of plain. Instead, I'm taking to opportunity to be the annoying mom by showing off the other love of my life, my son. And hey, there's a pumpkin in the picture so it still counts, right?

Pumpkin Cake

Ingredients:
1 cup butter or margarine, softened

3 cups sugar

3 eggs

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1  teaspoons ground cloves

1 1/2 teaspoons ground nutmeg

1 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup vanilla yogurt

1 (16 ounce) can solid pack pumpkin

In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar. Add eggs; mix well. Combine dry ingredients; stir into creamed mixture just until moistened. Stir in yogurt, vanilla, and pumpkin. Pour into two greased 9-in. x 5-in. x 3-in. loaf pans. Bake at 350 degrees F for 1 hour or until cake tests done. 

Pumpkin Cake Pops

Ingredients:
Cake (recipe above)
1 12oz container of frosting
White chocolate for dipping (make sure NOT to use white chocolate chips. They wont melt correctly. Be sure to use white chocolate that is specifically for melting and dipping such as Baker's chocolate!)
Lolly sticks (I just used bamboo skewers that I cut in half)
Styrofoam or other support base for drying the cake pops on

Once the cake is cool, crumble it finely with a fork. Scoop the frosting into the cake and stir until it starts to combine. Add more frosting as needed. The mixture will begin to feel soft like dough.

Using an ice cream scoop, or your hands, make round shapes about the size of a golf ball. Line on a baking sheet and freeze for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, stick a lolly stick into each ball and freeze over night. Be sure to dip the tip of the stick into the melted chocolate BEFORE you stab into the cake ball. This will help secure the cake ball onto the stick, preventing it from sliding down the lolly stick later on.

Once the pops are firm, melt the chocolate in the a microwave safe bowl for about 1-2 minutes, or until thoroughly melted. Dip each pop in and gently shake off the excess chocolate.

Using a piece of Styrofoam or other support base, stick each cake pop upright so the chocolate can drip down over the cake pop as it sets. Store in an airtight container in the fridge or freezer until ready to serve.