Another year older birthday cake for my brother in law. Took the photo before putting a candle. This time I experiment making mocha frosting. The frosting doesn’t look beautiful. I think I might have over beat it. Well, at least I tried making mocha frosting than never.

I surprise him with apples in it, instead of Aperol. The texture is crunchy as I cut the apples into bite size and just mix in. As for the mocha frosting, I recreated it from Ina Garten, a tv program show which I watched a while ago. So, I decided to do it from memory: Scratch with my ingredients.

Overall, its turn out satisfying and there’s a cake for him to blow the candle. I am sure next time I will make a better frosting. Be brave to plate up the curdle frosting!!!! it’s can still be eaten, never throw out food. Happy Baking!!!!

Ingredients

250 ml guinness stout
250 g unsalted butter, cut into pieces
75 g cocoa powder
350 g dark brown sugar
300 ml sour cream
2 large eggs
2 medium size royal gala apples, cut into bite size
1 Tbs vanilla extract
320 g plain flour
2 1/2 Tsp bicarb soda

Scratch mocha frosting

340 g dark chocolate, such as Lindt, chopped
60 g unsalted butter, diced and softened
2 Tsp Sweden coffee powder
1 1/4 c thickened cream
1 Tsp vanilla extract

Method

Preheat 160 degrees C. Greased a 9″ round cake pan with 3″ deep with butter and line the bottom with baking paper brushed with some more butter.

Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Then add guinness; bring to a simmer. Remove from heat and whisk in the cocoa. Set aside to cool for about 10 minutes.

Meanwhile beat eggs, sour cream, and vanilla in a large bowl to combine. Next add guinness, and cocoa mixture to the egg mixture and beat until smooth. Now add flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt, stir to combine. Next add apples and combined well.

Spoon the batter into the prepared pan. Bake 1 hour and 15 minutes until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean. Switch off oven and leave cake in with door close for 30 minutes. Remove cake from oven and cool in pan for 30 minutes. Then transfer to a cake base container; let cake cool further.

To make frosting

Place chocolate, butter, and coffee powder in a bowl. Heat cream to simmer and pour it over the chocolate mixture, stirring occasionally, until the chocolate is melted. Stir in vanilla and stir until the mixture is smooth. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes, until cool but not cold.

Scrape down the bowl and beat the frosting with a handheld mixer on high speed for 20 seconds until the mixture forms soft peaks. Spread on the cake immediately with a spatula.

Note: “Guinness Stout on the other hand is a specific kind of brew that people enjoy on every St. Patrick’s Day”. “Guinness has a dark, strong-bodied brews because its thick, creamy head caramel and stomach filling grade. Also, I was told for its unique, rich, caramelised flavour when added to food. One of the most popular dishes to use Guinness; I know is Irish Stew”.

Do taste batter and you might need to add more sugar. You do need to check the consistency of the batter, if too running add more flour. You might want to frost your cake like the Guinness cake with strawberries and chocolate sprinkles, I made with Aperol and chocolate mint.

Note: You might need more or less time as temperature vary. If the chocolate isn’t melted, microwave the mixture for 15 seconds. Don’t over beat frosting. I have to say my frosting is over beat. I should have beat it less time say 15 seconds. If you overbeat it, it will curdle like mine. Though it doesn’t look great, but it’s still can be eaten.

https://helenscchin.com/2019/04/03/apple-stout-cake-with-mocha-frosting/

The recipe link for it if you like is:
https://helenscchin.com/2018/03/30/aperol-guinness-chocolate-mint-with-cream-cheese-and-strawberries-cake/

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