Chocolate, Walnut and Porter Cake with Chocolate and Porter Sauce
Photography by Claire Aldous.
Dense, rich and sticky – the perfect autumnal cake best served with a cloud of whipped cream and a generous drizzle of the malty chocolate sauce.
Serves: 10–12
INGREDIENTS
Fruit
100 grams each dried pitted prunes, dates and raisins
250ml dark, malty beer (I used Porter)
3 tablespoons brown sugar
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Cake
6 eggs, size 7 (large)
175 grams caster sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
100 grams ground almonds
100 grams ground walnuts
30 grams cocoa, sifted
½ teaspoon ground mixed spice
1 teaspoon baking powder
Chocolate syrup
⅓ cup cream
⅔ cup dark beer (I used Porter)
125 grams dark chocolate, roughly chopped
1 tablespoon golden syrup
2 tablespoons brown sugar
22cm springform cake tin, greased and base and sides lined with baking paper
METHOD
Preheat the oven to 170°C.
Fruit: Roughly chop the prunes and dates and place in a medium saucepan with all the remaining ingredients. Bring to the boil then simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally until most of the liquid has been absorbed. Cool for 5 minutes then transfer to a food processor and process until smooth. Set aside.
Cake: Whisk the eggs, sugar and vanilla together in a large bowl (don’t beat until thick) then whisk in the fruit puree until well combined. Combine the nuts, cocoa, mixed spice and the baking powder then stir into the egg mixture until well combined.
Pour into the tin and bake for 35 - 40 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out with just a few damp crumbs. Cool the cake in the tin.
Chocolate syrup: Place all the ingredients in a saucepan over medium heat and stir until the chocolate has dissolved and the mixture is smooth. Simmer for 5 minutes. Cool.
To serve: Place the cake on a serving plate and dust with icing sugar. Serve with the chocolate sauce either warm or at room temperature and lashings of softly whipped cream.
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