Here is an Traditional Irish Cake made with black stout. Porter cake can be made with Guinness, Murphy, Beamish or whichever stout you prefer. The black stuff makes it rich and moist. A good choice for dessert.
Ingredients
450g (1lb) plain white flour
pinch of salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
225g (8oz) caster or brown sugar
½ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
½ teaspoon mixed spice
225g (8oz) butter
450g (1lb) sultanas
55g (2oz) chopped peel
55g (2oz) crystalized cherries
300ml (10fl oz) porter or stout
2 eggs, free-range if possible
Method
Preheat the oven to 180ºC/350ºF/gas mark 4. Line the bottom and sides of a 20cm (8in) cake tin, 7.5cm (3in) deep, with grease proof paper. Sieve the flour, salt and baking powder into a bowl. Add the sugar, freshly grated nutmeg and mixed spice. Rub in the butter. Add the fruit, then mix the porter with the beaten eggs. Pour into the other ingredients and mix well. Turn into the lined tin and bake for about 2½ hours. Cool in the tin, then store in an airtight tin.
This cake is a good alternative for during the Christmas season. You won’t have to feel bad eating this in the days leading up to Christmas Day, but you won’t be left gumming for a whole 3 weeks waiting for the real deal either. A bit of good advice, don’t have too much or you might not enjoy that Christmas Cake!
