Chocolate and Ale Cake with Muscovado Malt Cream

Ingredients

Contains: egg, milk, wheat (auto-detected from the ingredients and method; we can miss things, so check labels)

• 200ml/7fl oz dark ale
• 50g/1¾oz cocoa powder
• 110g/4oz butter
• 275g/9¾oz soft dark brown sugar
• 2 large free-range eggs
• 175g/6oz plain flour
• ¼ tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 220g/8oz good-quality dark chocolate
• 220g/8oz icing sugar
• 100g/3½oz soft butter
• 250ml/9fl oz double cream
• 50g/1¾oz muscovado sugar
• 50g/1¾oz malt extract
• pinch salt

Directions

Method written by CompKitchen from the ingredient list. Not the original author's method, not kitchen-tested.

1. Heat the oven to 170°C (340°F). Line the base and sides of a 20cm (8in) round cake tin.

2. Gently melt the 110g butter, the dark chocolate and the dark ale together in a pan over low heat, stirring until smooth. Set aside to cool slightly.

3. Whisk the soft dark brown sugar and the eggs together until pale and slightly thickened. Gradually whisk in the cooled chocolate and ale mixture.

4. Sift the plain flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and pinch of salt into the bowl. Fold together gently until just combined and no dry streaks remain.

5. Pour the batter into the prepared tin and bake for 55 to 60 minutes, until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Cool in the tin for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack.

6. For the malt cream, beat the 100g soft butter with the icing sugar, muscovado sugar and malt extract until smooth and fluffy.

7. In a separate bowl, whip the double cream to soft peaks. Fold it gently into the malt butter mixture until combined.

8. Spread or pipe the muscovado malt cream over the cooled cake, or serve it alongside each slice. Chill until ready to serve.