Guinness Chocolate Cake

Is it an ordinary Friday morning? No sirree! It is TheHusband's birthday today! And not just any birthday, the man is hitting the big 3-0 today and we've got big things planned. Starting with a sneaky afternoon off, organised by myself with his employer. And ending with  a mafia/1920's themed murder mystery party tonight, in which the birthday boy will play Don "Big Jim" Ravioli, the biggest baddest mafia boss that these here streets have ever seen.

Well, considering "these here streets" constitute the small student town of Stellenbosch, I suppose that's quite a small pond for a big fish like "Big Jim", but I'm sure he'll be in his element nonetheless. We are also expecting appearances from his (much younger) starlet and songstress wife, Carrie Crooner as well as the mysterious Al Capone, the bouncer of "Big Jim's" new speakeasy, The Four Deuces.

Of course, "Big Jim" has had some brushes with the law as well and that's where I come in, in the guise of Inspector Neville Sheryl "The Nose" Nutella who will be investigating a burglary that took place a few weeks ago. There are quite a few suspicious circumstances surrounding ole "Big Jim", not least of which is the fact that the big boss from New York is also rumoured to be in town. Wonder what he will get up to?

Dear old Sheryl will also be causing quite the uproar tonight as it is rumoured that she is having affairs with not one, but two of the other ladies who will be at the Grand Opening of the Four Deuces tonight... Philandering lesbians in the 1920's? Scandalous!

And then of course there's the cake. Two in fact. Number one - a deliciously complex chocolate cake with a hint of bitterness coming through from the Guinness, topped with a whipped cream cheese frosting. Number two - a rich and decadent cheesecake brimming with chocolate and Amarula flavours. Think it'll be enough to distract the partygoers from the rest of the scandalous activities? 

Guinness Chocolate Cake
Adapted from The Kitchn (Originally Nigella Lawson) 

1 cup Guinness
150g (1/2 cup + 2 tbsp) salted butter
2 cups sugar
1/2 cup cocoa
1 tsp vanilla essence
1/2 cup sour cream
2 eggs
2 cups cake flour sifted
1 1/2 tsp baking soda

For the icing:
250g (approx 8 oz) firm creamcheese
1 1/4 cup icing (confectioner's) sugar, sifted
1/2 cup cream

1. Preheat oven to 180C (350F). Combine Guinness and butter in a medium sized saucepan over medium heat and stir until all the butter has melted. 
2. Remove from the heat and transfer to a mixing bowl. Beat sugar and cocoa powder into the liquid. 
3. Add sour cream and eggs, whisking until fully incorporated. 
4. Sift flour and baking soda together, then add to the chocolate batter, again beating until thoroughly mixed.
5. Pour into a greased loose bottomed cake tin and bake for 45 minutes or until a test pin inserted into the middle comes out clear. Remove from oven and allow to cool before removing from cake tin. Place onto serving platter.
6. Prepare icing by beating cream cheese and cream together until smooth. Add icing sugar and mix until everything is incorporated. Use to decorate the Guinness cake so that the top looks like the frothy head of the beer.