Ingredients:

  • 1 cup (240 ml) stout beer (preferably Irish stout)
  • 1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter
  • 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
  • 1 cup (220 g) packed brown sugar
  • 1 cup (130 g) all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup (85 g) unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 teaspoons baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup (240 ml) heavy cream (for ganache)
  • 8 oz (225 g) dark chocolate (chopped, for ganache)

Instructions:

  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
  2. Grease and line the cake pans with baking paper.
  3. In a saucepan, bring the stout and butter to a boil until melted. Remove from heat; whisk in sugars until dissolved. Let it cool slightly.
  4. In a large bowl, sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt.
  5. In a separate bowl, whisk eggs and vanilla extract. Gradually add the slightly cooled stout mixture into the egg mixture, whisking to combine.
  6. Gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet mixture until just combined.
  7. Pour the batter evenly into the prepared pans. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
  8. Allow the cakes to cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack.
  9. Heat heavy cream until steaming, pour over chopped dark chocolate and let sit for 5 minutes. Stir until smooth to prepare ganache.
  10. Once the cakes are cool, stack them, spreading ganache in between and around the cake.