Chocolate Porter Fudge cake

This recipe brings two of my all-time favourite things together: beer and cake.

Porter and chocolate go hand in hand, and the coffee ads an extra level of richness to the sponge - making it a really indulgent Bruce Bogtrotter-esque cake.

I used the Curious Porter by Chapel Down for this recipe - it’s brewed using chocolate malt, so it’s the perfect pairing. This recipe also leaves enough left in the bottle for the chef to sample (just to make sure it’s okay). 

Of course, you can use any type of Porter you like though, or even a Stout if you fancy it - I’d highly recommend the Curious Porter though, if you can get it.

Be warned, the mixture will be very wet - I found it easier to pour into the tin. Along with the fudge-like buttercream, it all adds up to a wonderfully rich cake.

Once it’s ready, I definitely recommend having lots of eager volunteers ready to dig in it, or you might end up devouring the lot. 

What you need:

For the cake:
200ml coffee
100g cocoa powder
300g light brown sugar
200ml vegetable oil
5 medium eggs
100ml milk
210ml porter
350g self raising flour
2tsp bicarbonate of soda

For the chocolate fudge buttercream:
100g unsalted butter
75g cocoa powder
250 icing sugar
2tbsp milk

What you need to do:

For the cake:

1. Preheat the oven to 175°c then grease and line two 20cm cake tins (these need to be quite deep tins)
2. Prepare the coffee then add the cocoa powder to make a paste
3. In a bowl mix the sugar and oil for 5-10 minutes (by hand or using a freestanding mixer), and then gradually add the eggs
4. Slowly pour the coffee and cocoa powder in the bowl and combine
5. In a measuring jug, add the milk and porter then set aside. In a separate bowl, add the flour and bicarbonate of soda
6. Starting with the dry mix, slowly add this into the mixing bowl a third at a time, alternating with the milk and beer then mix until fully combined
7. Half the mixture, then pour into the two tins and bake for 30-35 minutes or until springy to the touch
8. Leave to cool in the tin for 15 minutes before transferring out onto a wire rack to cool completely

For the chocolate fudge buttercream:

1. Melt the butter in a saucepan over a medium heat
2. In a spate bowl, combine the cocoa powder and icing sugar, making sure there are no lumps
3. Fold the dry ingredients in with the butter and mix with a wooden spoon
4. Slowly add the milk then stir until the buttercream is thick, but not too runny
5. Set aside to cool - you may need to add a touch more milk before using

To assemble:

1. Place one of your sponges on a cake stand or plate then evenly spread half of the buttercream on top then place in the fridge for 10 minutes
2. Once the buttercream has hardened slightly, remove from the fridge and place the second sponge on top and decorate with d the remaining buttercream - you can use a spatula to create a swirl on top if you’re feeling fancy!
3. Finish with some grated chocolate if desired, then slice and share