Chocolate-Orange Guinness Cake

Ingredients

• 1 stick butter; room temperature
• 1 1/2 cups soft dark brown sugar
• pinch salt
• 2 cups self rising flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 2 rounded tablespoons cocoa
• grated rind of one orange
• 4 eggs
• 1/2 cup Guinness stout

Icing

• 1 stick butter softened
• 1 1/2 - 2 cups confectioners sugar
• grated rind and juice from one large orange

Method

Preheat oven to 375°F. Grease 2 (8-9 inch) cake pans. Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Sift the flour, baking powder, salt and cocoa into a bowl. Add the orange rind to the creamed butter and beat in the eggs, one at a time, including a spoonful of the measured flour mixture with each one, and beating well between additions. Gently mix in the Guinness, a tablespoonful at a time, including another spoonful of flour with addition. If there is any flour left over, fold it in gently to mix; blend thoroughly without over beating. Divide the mixture between the cake pans, smooth down, and bake for 35- 40 minutes or until cake springs back from touch. Turn out and cool on racks. 

Icing

Cream the softened butter and confectioners sugar together thoroughly, then blend in the grated orange rind and enough juice to make a soft spreadable icing. When cakes have cooled, use half the icing between the two layers and spread the rest on top.