Chocolate Stout Cake

For my husband's birthday, I wanted to bake a cake that incorporated a few of his favorite things. Mark's love of grapefruit, beer, and stirring up cocktails with fancy liqueurs made this cake perfectly on point. My take on this cake is adapted from a Chocolate, Chocolate and More recipe.

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For the chocolate stout cake:
1 cup Guiness Stout
1/2 cup butter
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
2 1/4 cups sugar
3/4 cup sour cream
2 eggs
2 tablespoon Grand Marnier
2 cups flour
2 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

For the Grand Marnier cream cheese frosting:
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
16 ounces cream cheese, softened at room temperature
3 cups powdered sugar
2 tablespoons Grand Marnier

For the decorative candied citrus peels:
1 grapefruit
2 oranges
2 lemons
3 cups cups sugar
10 1/2 ounces dark chocolate

Chocolate Stout Cake

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Line 2 9-inch Springform pans with parchment paper. Lightly butter the sides of the pans. 
3. In large saucepan, combine stout and butter.  Keep on medium-low heat until butter melts, then remove from stovetop. Add cocoa and sugar, whisking to blend.
4. In a bowl, mix together sour cream, eggs, and Grand Marnier. Add to stout mixture. Add flour and baking soda. Whisk combined ingredients until the batter is smooth. 
5. Pour into pans, dividing batter evenly. 
6. Bake ~45 minutes. Cake is done when a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. 
7. Cool cakes atop a wire rack. Wait until cakes are completely cooled to remove from pans. 

Grand Marnier Cream Cheese Frosting

1. Using an electric mixer, beat butter until soft. Add cream cheese, beating until blended and smooth.
2. Sift powdered sugar on top, blending until smooth.
3. Add Grand Marnier. Blend again until frosting is smooth and spreadable.

Candied Citrus Peels

1. Peel grapefruit, oranges, and lemons. To ensure that peels are neat and beautifully cut, score the fruits into 4 sections - not cutting into the fruit - before peeling. Using a sharp paring knife, remove excess membrane from the back of the peels. Cut peels into strips about 1/2 inch wide, tapered at the ends.
2. Place peels into a 4-quart saucepan. Cover completely with cold water. Bring water to a boil, then drain. Repeat the blanching process twice more to mellow their bitterness. 
3. Refill saucepan with 2 1/2 cups water and 2 1/2 cups sugar. Bring to a boil, stirring to ensure that sugar dissolves. Add the peels and bring to a boil again. Reduce heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until peels turn translucent and a thick syrup begins to form, about 1.5 - 2 hours.
4. Drain peels. Spread them on parchment paper. Allow peels to dry completely, about 3 hours.
5. Coat peels in remaining 1/2 cup sugar.
6. Melt chocolate in double boiler. Dip a third of the peels halfway into chocolate. Set on parchment paper. Chill until set, about 30 minutes.

Assembly

1. Place first layer on cake stand, securing it to the bottom with a generous dab of frosting.
2. Using a cake leveler (or a long knife, if you don't have a leveler), trim tops of both cake layers to make flat surfaces.
3. Cover the top of the first layer with frosting. Begin frosting from the center, moving out.
4. Place the second layer, cut side down, on top of the frosting. Spread a thin layer of frosting ("crumb coat") along the top and sides of the cake. Refrigerate the cake for 15 minutes.
5. Spread the remaining frosting onto the cake. 
6. Garnish with candied citrus peels, using both the chocolate-dipped and plain peels.