Black Lager Chocolate Cake

When I reviewed the Landmark in Dallas, Chef Jeff Moschetti served me a beautiful chocolate stout cupcake. I was intrigued. One thing I have been trying to do lately is to widen my use of local ingredients and one really excellent beer I have tried is Shiner Black Lager, which is made here in Texas.

Not sure how other states handle booze but here in the Dallas area not every suburb is “wet”. In fact, up until recently you had to drive pretty far to get beer or wine. Some people felt it kept people from drinking too much but I always kinda felt like it was Texas’s way of ensuring a good return on the gasoline tax. Recently the town where I shop has allowed beer and wine so you will see those things as ingredients more in my recipes.

I liked the idea of a Black Lager Chocolate Cake but I didn’t want to do layers. I wanted something that would be unusually rich and bold. I used the same heart tunnel pan that I used for the lavender filled cake but I only used the bottom pan. When I removed the cake and it cooled I cut out any remaining cake in the center to make an even bowl of cake, if that makes sense.

I filled the bowl with Black Pepper Chocolate French Silk and then covered it with whipped cream and pecans. I had used some extra batter in a pie pan and baked it into a thin layer. I used a heart shaped cookie cutter to cut out the design to garnish the cake.

The cake is fudgy but not too sweet. The chocolate flavor is intense and the other components add richness. I browned the butter for even more flavor. All in all I was very, very pleased with the flavor of this cake.

Ingredients for Black Lager Chocolate Cake

This is a quick cake that will look like you spent days on it. Chill it several hours before serving if possible.

Black Lager Chocolate Cake

Cake

• 1 cups black lager (I used Shiner)
• 1 cups  unsalted butter
• 1 1/2 cups unsweetened cocoa powder  (Hershey’s Dark)
• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 2 cups sugar
• 1/4 cup grated bittersweet chocolate
• 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 2 large eggs
• 2/3 cups sour cream

1. Brown the butter over medium heat
2. Bring beer and butter to simmer
3. Add cocoa and whisk until smooth
4. Cool
5. Mix flour, sugar, chocolate, baking soda, and salt
6. Beat eggs and sour cream together
7. Add beer and cocoa mixture to egg mixture and combine
8. Add the flour mixture and beat 1 minute on slow
9. Turn out into pan and smooth top
10. Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until tester comes out clean
11. Cool 10 minutes in pan and then turn out and finish cooling
12. Proceed with recipe

Black Pepper French Silk Filling

• 1 cup unsalted butter
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1/3 cup Hershey’s Dark Cocoa
• 2 tsp vanilla
• 4 eggs
• 1 tbs black pepper

1. Beat butter and sugar until blended
2. Add cocoa, pepper, and vanilla
3. Beat in eggs one at a time, beating 5 minutes after each addition

Assembling Cake

1. Fill center of cooled cake with French Silk
2. Cover with sweetened whipped cream and about 1/2 c chopped pecans
3. Chill

Makes 10 -12 servings

images: Marye Audet

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