Chocolate Stout Cake

If you're a fan of dark beers, particulary stout, you already know that they feature rich and delicious flavors such as toffee, chocolate, caramel, oatmeal, and coffee. Combine these flavors into a chocolate cake, and you have the makings of something sensational! When choosing a stout to make this cake with, the standby is Guinness. But feel free to get something *special* - such as a Samuel Smith's chocolate stout, or one of the micro-brewed bottles increasingly appearing on store shelves.

1 cup Stout

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter

3/4 cup cocoa powder

2 cups AP flour

2 cups sugar

1.5 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

2 large, organic eggs

2/3 cup sour cream

Preheat oven to 350. Butter inside of bundt pan or two 8" round pans and set aside. Bring stout and butter to simmer in a medium saucepan. Remove from heat to cool slightly. Add cocoa powder and whisk until smooth.

Whisk flour, sugar, soda and salt in large bowl and set aside. Using electric mixer, beat sour cream and eggs until smooth. Add stout mixture slowly, and beat to combine. Add flour mixture in three parts, beating again on low speed until combined. Break out your rubber spatula and give the batter a few folds to ensure all is mixed well - pour into prepared pan. Bake on center rack for 30-35 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted. Allow cake to cool 10-15 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely. You can then top with any ganache or icing you like, or just use some powdered sugar on top for a simple and elegant presentation.