Stout and other dark beers are often used in baking and cooking. The hops add a more interesting finish to this cake. Stout has chocolate undertones that marry well with the cocoa — it helps balance the sugar, and the sour cream makes it rich and incredibly moist.

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter and flour or spray three six-inch cake pans, or one nonstick Bundt cake pan. If you are using a fluted Bundt pan, make sure you get butter and flour in all the nooks and crannies.

Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat; add stout and bring to a simmer. Add cocoa powder and whisk until mixture is smooth. Cool slightly.

Whisk together all dry ingredients in a large bowl to blend. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat eggs and sour cream on medium speed until well blended. Add stout-chocolate mixture to egg mixture and beat just to combine. Add flour mixture and beat briefly on slow speed. Using rubber spatula, fold batter until completely combined. Pour batter into prepared pans or Bundt pan.

Bake until tester inserted into the middle comes out clean — about 35 minutes for either the cake pans or the Bundt pan. Transfer cake to a rack and cool completely before you turn the cake out.

To make the frosting:

Place chopped chocolate in a large heatproof bowl. Bring heavy cream to a simmer in a medium sized pan. Pour hot cream over the chocolate and stir until mixture is completely smooth. Stir in vanilla extract.

If you are making the Bundt cake, pour or drizzle ganache over the top of the cooled cake.

If you are making the layer cake, refrigerate the frosting until it’s spreadable, stirring occasionally, about 45 minutes to an hour. If it gets too firm, put frosting in the mixer and beat with the paddle attachment until it becomes soft and spreadable.

Spread one-third of the icing over the top of each layer and use the remaining frosting to cover the top and sides of the cake. Enjoy!