After making this cake for the umpteenth time I realize that for years I have had the ingredients listed incorrectly on this blog. The original recipe given to me by my friend Eithne in 1985 (God I am old) calls for 8 ounces of butter which is 2 sticks of butter. I posted this recipe 5 years ago mistakenly calling 8 oz of butter one stick, when in fact it is 2 sticks of butter (although the ounces part was right). From this I deduce that not one person has made this in all the years I’ve been posting this. Aside from how sad that makes me (not really, I don’t give a flying fuck), I have to wonder if I have been using the recipe on my blog or the original when I’ve made this, and if I’ve been using just the one stick, it’s been turning just fine. I do not understand the magic of baking.
In any event, here is the revised recipe for everyone who’s been making incorrectly all these years, so, you know, no one.
Guinness Cake
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
It’s best to use a scale for measuring here. I have used dry measures and it worked
but if you have your scale handy and a large processor it’s a lot easier.
1 pound dried fruit chopped well.
I used cherries, prunes, sultanas and dates chopped well
12 oz Guinness (a small bottle—maybe more)
Pour over fruit and let sit.
Into the bowl of a processor put:
1 lb flour
1/2 lb brown sugar
1 TB cocoa powder (optional but adds another layer, you don’t taste chocolate)
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp allspice
1 tsp ginger
1/2 tsp cloves
1/2 tsp salt
Process briefly to combine well
Add 8 oz butter (two sticks) cut into cubes
Process until mix resembles sand and remove to large bowl
Drain fruit, reserving liquid, add to flour sugar mix along with a cup of walnuts.
Whisk 2 eggs and add reserved liquid to them and mix into flour/fruit mix.
You may need to add a little more Guinness but the batter will be very stiff.
Pour into large loaf pan, possibly 2 (or 4 small ones, as I have—3 for taller loaves—I weighed them so they would be equal) and bake at 350 for 40 to 50 minutes.
Use that toothpick trick if you’re unsure if it’s done.
It’s a very dense bread/cake. I like to slice it and make cream cheese sandwiches with it. its nice with bleu cheese.