Chocolate Stout Cake with Bailey's Irish Cream Frosting

I was thrilled when Colleen posted her beer cake for the October Challenge on Have the Cake.  I actually had found this recipe on a blog called, Closet Cooking that I love and had copied it down in the hopes of trying it out one day.  The stout beer sounded so intriguing!  Well, here it is and I must say that the beer does add a little something different.  I really think the Irish Cream Frosting really compliments this cake very well.  I would definitely recommend this cake with a traditional Irish meal. 

Chocolate Stout Cake (as posted on Closet Cooking)

(makes 1 cake, 6+ servings)

Ingredients:
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
1 cup stout (such as Guinness)
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 cups all purpose flour
2 cups sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
2/3 cup sour cream

Directions:
1. Melt the butter in a sauce pan, remove from heat and let cool a bit.
2. Mix in the stout and cocoa powder.
3. Mix the flour, sugar, baking soda and salt in a large bowl.
4. Mix the eggs and sour cream in another large bowl.
5. Mix the stout mixture into the egg mixture.
6. Mix the dry ingredients into the wet.
7. Pour the batter into one or two greased and parchment lined circular cake pan(s).
8. Bake in a preheated 350F oven until a toothpick pushed into the center comes out clean. If you bake it in a single pan then it should take about 40-50 minutes. If you bake it in two cake pans then it should take about 20-30 minutes. I baked my cake in a 8" pan and it took 1 hour and 10 minutes.

Bailey's Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients:
4 ounces cream cheese (room temperature)
1 cup confectioners sugar
3 tablespoons of Bailey’s Irish cream

Directions:
1. Cream the cream cheese.
2. Slowly mix in the confectioners sugar.
3. Slowly mix in the Irish cream.

Fudgy Brownie Cookies

Love these Cookies!!!!

If you love Brownies as much as I do, then you will love these cookies.  Their moist, cake-like and gooey at the same time.  They are very portable and great for the lunch box for a little extra treat. 

Great with a cold glass of whole milk.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Cookie sheet lined with silpat

Spring loaded ice cream scoop

Ingredients:

2 sticks Margarine (not butter) I use Blue Bonnet

3/4 cups brown sugar

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1 extra large egg (room temperature)

1 tsp. vanilla extract

2 cups all purpose flour

1/2 cup Hershey's Cocoa Powder

1 tsp. baking soda

1 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

(do not add salt if you are using salted margarine)

if using unsalted margarine add 1/2 tsp. salt

Cream in stand mixer, margarine, brown sugar and sugar until light and fluffy, add 1 egg.  Continue to beat until very well incorporated.  Add vanilla.  Sift all dry ingredients together in a bowl.  Add slowly to cream mixture and beat until well mixed.  Add chips and mix.  Let dough sit for 30 minutes. 

Using a spring loaded ice cream scoop with a 1/4 cup capacity, put 6 rounded mounds on a cookie sheet with equal distance apart.  Bake for about 12 to 14 minutes.  If making smaller cookies adjust time accordingly.   Remove from cookie sheet gently and cool on cooling rack.

Note:  I find that margarine works best in this recipe.  It makes a moist and not a greasy cookie. I highly recommend margarine.