damn fine cake...

i am not really sure how i feel about this picture, well okay, i am pretty sure... but i needed to post a photo that gave an indication of how big this freakin' cake was. it was huge. i have done 2 layers before but never 3, in fact i did not even have a third cake pan. so darn, i had to go buy something new for the kitchen. 3 somethings new actually, i needed to make sure each layer baked evenly... it's ridiculous how excited i can get over new cake pans. they are super nice ones but maybe that is also saying something about how lame my life is right now. maybe. anyway, here is the recipe.

chocolate stout cake
from bon appetit (found on epicurious)

cake:
2 cups guinness (the good stuff)
2 cups unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups unsweetened cocoa powder (the good stuff)
4 cups all purpose flour

4 cups sugar
1 tablespoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
4 large eggs
1 1/3 cups sour cream

frosting:
2 cups whipping cream
1 pound bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped (i mixed the two types)

For cake:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter three 8-inch round cake pans with 2-inch-high sides. Line with parchment paper. Butter paper. Bring 2 cups stout and 2 cups butter to simmer in heavy large saucepan over medium heat. Add cocoa powder and whisk until mixture is smooth. Cool slightly.

Whisk flour, sugar, baking soda, and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt in large bowl to blend. Using electric mixer, beat eggs and sour cream in another large bowl to blend. Add stout-chocolate mixture to egg mixture and beat just to combine. Add flour mixture and beat briefly on slow speed. Using rubber spatula, fold batter until completely combined. Divide batter equally among prepared pans. Bake cakes until tester inserted into center of cakes comes out clean, about 35 minutes. Transfer cakes to rack; cool 10 minutes. Turn cakes out onto rack and cool completely.

For icing:
Bring cream to simmer in heavy medium saucepan. Remove from heat. Add chopped chocolate and whisk until melted and smooth. Refrigerate until icing is spreadable, stirring frequently, about 2 hours.

Place 1 cake layer on plate. Spread 2/3 cup icing over. Top with second cake layer. Spread 2/3 cup icing over. Top with third cake layer. Spread remaining icing over top and sides of cake.

** this won't be surprising once you read the ingreds but be warned, i ate a small sliver of this cake around 11 and woke up at 4. at 6:30 i finally fell back to sleep. i blame the chocolate jolt.