Chocolate Bundt Cake:
2 cups / 475 ml chocolate porter or stout beer
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for the pan
3/4 cup / 75g natural cocoa powder (non-dutched)
1 cup / 5 oz / 140 g whole wheat flour
1 cup / 4.5 oz / 125 g all-purpose flour
1 cup / 4.25 oz / 120 g muscovado or dark brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
3/4 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
3 large eggs
1 1/2 cups / 355 ml plain whole yogurt
3/4 cup / 180 ml pure maple syrup
Chocolate Buttermilk Icing:
3/4 cup / 2.75 oz / 75 g powdered sugar
1/4 cup / 25g natural cocoa powder (non-dutched)
2 tablespoons buttermilk
flaky sea salt, to serve
Preheat oven to 350F / 180C, with a rack in the center.
Butter and flour (generously) a 11 or 12-cup capacity bundt pan (or
equivalent). As I mention up above, you can bake this in other cake
pans, just be mindful to avoid filling the pan(s) more than 2/3 - 3/4
full. Adjust the baking time as well - baking until the cake begins to
pull away from the sides of the pan, and the center tests clean when you
insert a knife.
In a saucepan simmer the beer down to 1 cup / 240 ml. Remove from heat,
add the butter and stir until melted. Stir in the cocoa powder, mixing
until smooth, then set aside to cool, stirring occasionally to let off
heat.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flours, sugar, baking soda, and
salt. Set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the eggs, yogurt, and maple syrup. Whisk
well, until nicely blended and uniform in appearance. Gradually add the
(cooled) stout mixture, stirring all the while. Stir until well blended.
Add the flour mixture, folding until just blended, using as few strokes
as possible.
Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and bake for 35 - 45 minutes if
using the bundt pan, or until a knife inserted in the center comes out
clean. You really don't want to over bake this cake - err on the
slightly moist side if anything. Remove from the oven, and turn out onto
a cooling rack after seven minutes.
In the meantime, make the icing by whisking together the powdered sugar,
cocoa, and buttermilk. Really go at it for at least a minute. The icing
should end up smooth and creamy looking, adjust with a touch of powdered
sugar or a few extra drops of buttermilk if you want to tweak the
consistency at all. When the cake is completely cool, run the icing
around the top with an offset spatula and let it set.
Serve sprinkled with a bit of flaky sea salt. But don't sprinkle with
flakes of salt until ready to serve, or you'll end up with little
divots...
Makes one chocolate bundt cake.
