Chocolate Devil's Food Cake with Mini Stout Milkshakes

Chocolate Devil's Food Cake with Mini Stout Milkshakes
Serves 8

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter at room temperature, plus more for greasing the pans 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for the pan
• 2 cups brown sugar
• 1 vanilla bean, seeds scraped, or 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
• 3 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 3/4 cup Dutch-process cocoa powder
• 1½ cups buttermilk
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt

For the Ganache:

• 3 cups heavy cream
• 1½ pounds 60% or 70% dark chocolate, chopped
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature

For the Milkshakes:

• 2 pints good-quality vanilla bean or chocolate ice cream
• 12 ounces bottled milk stout beer

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Make the ganache: In a small saucepan, bring the cream to a boil. Place the chocolate in a heatproof bowl and slowly pour the cream over the chocolate, stirring until the chocolate has melted. Add the butter and stir until smooth. Set aside.
2. Begin your cake. Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease two 8-inch round cake pans with butter, then flour them. Shake out any excess flour and set aside.
3. Using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter, brown sugar, and vanilla at medium speed until very light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add the eggs and mix until blended. Add the baking soda and powder and mix until combined. In a separate bowl, sift the flour and cocoa powder together. Add half of the flour mixture to the egg and butter mixture and mix at low speed, stopping to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed. Add the remaining flour mixture along with the buttermilk and salt and mix until smooth. Using a spatula, add 1 / 4 cup of the ganache and mix until blended, making sure to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl.
4. Divide the batter between the cake pans. Bake until the edges of the cake begin to pull away from the sides of the pans, 35 to 40 minutes. Remove the cakes from the oven and let cool for 6 minutes in the pan before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
5. Slice each cake in half horizontally. Put the first layer on a serving plate and spread it evenly with 1 / 4 of the remaining ganache. Set the second layer on top and spread with another layer of ganache. Continue layering until you have a four-tier cake with three layers of ganache in between. If the ganache is too firm, warm it over a double boiler until it softens. Once the cake is whole, pour the remaining ganache over the cake and use a small offset spatula to spread it around the sides if needed. Let the ganache rest while you make the shakes.
6. Make the shakes: Put the ice cream in a blender. Turn the machine on to low speed and slowly add the stout, blending until you get a creamy consistency. Pour the shakes into glasses and serve with the cake.

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