Ingredients:

  • 2 ½ cups All-Purpose Flour (Sifted)
  • 1 ½ cups Granulated Sugar
  • ¾ cup Unsweetened Cocoa Powder (High quality)
  • 1 teaspoon Baking Soda
  • 1 teaspoon Fine Sea Salt
  • ½ cup Unsalted Butter (Softened)
  • 2 Large Eggs (Room temperature)
  • 2 teaspoons Vanilla Extract
  • 1 cup Buttermilk (Room temperature)
  • ½ cup Dark Stout Beer (Room temperature)
  • 2–3 teaspoons Black Gel Food Colouring
  • 16 ounces Full Fat Cream Cheese (Fully softened)
  • 1 cup Unsalted Butter (Softened)
  • 4–5 cups Powdered Sugar (Sifted)
  • ½ teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon Ground Nutmeg
  • Pinch of Salt

Instructions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour two 8-inch cake pans, lining the bottoms with parchment paper rounds.
  2. Whisk together flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl to combine dry ingredients.
  3. Beat the softened butter until creamy. Beat in eggs one at a time, followed by the vanilla extract.
  4. Gradually mix the dry mixture into the wet mixture on low speed until just combined. Scrape down the sides.
  5. In a separate bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, stout beer, and the black gel food colouring until the colour is uniformly dark.
  6. Slowly pour the liquid mixture into the batter, mixing on low speed until smooth. Do not overmix.
  7. Divide batter evenly between the prepared pans. Bake for 30–35 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out with only moist crumbs attached.
  8. Cool cakes in the pans for 15 minutes before inverting onto wire racks to cool completely before frosting.
  9. For the frosting: Beat the softened cream cheese and butter together until completely smooth and light.
  10. Beat in the vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Gradually add the sifted powdered sugar, beating until the mixture is light and fluffy.
  11. Place one cake layer on a serving plate. Spread about 1 cup of frosting evenly over the top.
  12. Top with the second layer. Apply a thin 'crumb coat' of frosting over the entire cake and chill for 15 minutes.
  13. Apply the remaining frosting to finish covering the cake smoothly or with dramatic swirls.