Sarah's Chocolate Guinness Cake

Makes 12 Slices

For the Cake:
250ml Guinness
250g unsalted butter
75g cocoa
400g caster sugar
142ml sour cream
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
275g plain flour
2 1/1 tsp bicarbonate of soda

For the Topping:

300g Philadelphia cream cheese
150g icing sugar
125ml double cream

Method:

Preheat oven to 180 degree/gas mark 4, butter and line 23cm loose bottom/spring form tin
Pour Guinness into a large saucepan and add the butter and heat until the butter has melted then whisk in the cocoa and sugar into the melted mixture.
Beat in a separate bowl the eggs, sour cream and vanilla then pour onto the brown, buttery, beery mixture and finally whisk in the flour and bicarb.
The batter will be very wet - do not be alarmed, this is what gives the cake the very moist texture.
Pour the cake batter into the lined tin and bake for 45mins-1 hour. Mine took 1 1/2 hours - I kept checking mine with a skewer until I was satisfied with the texture.
Leave the cake to cool in the tin until completely cold.
Whilst this is taking place you can make the topping.
Lightly whip the cream cheese until smooth, add the icing sugar and then the cream and beat until spreadable. Do not over mix the mixture as the cream will turn grainy.
Top the cake with the mixture either by piping, or by smoothing on. You can if desired draw a shamrock on the top.

Happy baking!