As if we needed another reason to eat more chocolate! This chocolate stout cake is the perfect marriage of chocolate and beer — two of our favorite things in the world.

It’s exactly how you’d imagine a rich, decadent, chocolate cake tasting: intensely chocolatey and not overly sweet with the perfect denseness. If you’re hosting a dinner with friends (or you just want an excuse to celebrate) this cake is party ready!

What Does a Stout do in Baking?

Have you ever cooked with beer? If you haven’t, you’ve just discovered your new secret weapon. For starters, beer’s soft carbonation helps breads and cakes rise, leaving them fluffier and more moist.

Secondly (and probably most importantly,) beer ramps up flavor. With dark beers, like stouts in particular, you get a nice mix of tasting notes that range from chocolate, sweet caramel, and bitter coffee — all of which work exceptionally well with cocoa. Hence this decadent recipe!

The Cake

1 cup of your favorite Hi-Wire stout
10 tablespoons unsalted butter
¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 cups sugar
¾ cup sour cream
2 eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 ½ teaspoons baking soda
½ teaspoon salt

The Icing

1 ¼ cups confectioners’ sugar
8 oz cream cheese (room temperature)
½ cup heavy whipping cream
Chocolate shavings (optional)

Recipe inspired by Nigella Lawson

How to Make it

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 9-inch pan and line with parchment paper.
In a large saucepan, combine stout beer and butter. Place over low heat until butter melts, then remove from heat. Add cocoa and sugar and whisk to blend.
In a small bowl, combine sour cream, eggs and vanilla, and mix well. Add to the stout mixture.
Add flour, salt, and baking soda and whisk again until smooth consistency. Pour into buttered pan and bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour (should be risen and firm).
Set cake aside and let it cool completely in the pan
For the icing, mix confectioners sugar and cream cheese and blend until smooth. Add heavy whipping cream and blend until smooth.
Remove cake from pan and ice the top of the cake.

3 Hi-Wire Brewing Favorites to Perfect Your Chocolate Stout Cake

Can you ever go wrong with beer and chocolate? We think not. And this recipe proves our point!

Stouts come packed with all kinds of rich flavors, and here at Hi-Wire Brewing, we like to get creative with what goes into our craft brews. If you already have a favorite Hi-Wire stout, by all means feel free to use it! But if you want to weigh your options and try something new, here are three of our favorites that will knock your socks off.

#1. 10W-40 Imperial Stout

An Imperial Stout with huge notes of dark chocolate, fresh vanilla, and roasted coffee beans. This decadent stout is full-bodied, sweet, and creamy with a smooth finish (not motor oil).

#2. Strongman Coffee Milk Stout

Inspired by our head brewer’s cafe con leche-fueled travels in Key West, this is a milk stout with some kick. Local coffee from Dynamite Roasting Co. is cold-extracted and added post fermentation to this sweet, creamy beer.

#3. Chocolate Taco 10W-40 Imperial Stout

Inspired by an ice cream truck classic, we bring you a Frankenstein dessert that dares to combine a chocolate-dipped waffle cone with a taco. This batch of 10W-40 Imperial Stout is brewed with chocolate, vanilla, lactose, and waffles. It’s a full-bodied dark delight that sports all the decadent flavors of our now-famous stout accentuated by the nostalgic biscuit and caramel flavors present in homemade waffles.

Looking for Hi-Wire Brewing Beer Near You?

If this recipe has you excited and amped up to do some baking, check out our beer finder to pick up some of these craft brews near you. If baking isn’t your thing, that’s cool too! You can sip on these delicious stouts at one of our taprooms.

It’s all about Good Beers and Good Times. We’ll see you soon!

Beer and cheese? What’s not to love?!

This ooey-gooey, melt in your mouth, cheesy bowl of goodness is an undeniable crowd pleaser. From hosting your next football party to spending time with pals around the backyard bonfire, this appetizer is a winner-winner. The best part of all? It’s an excuse to go pick up some more Hi-Wire favorites! Pour in a lager or an IPA to jazz things up, experiment with flavors, and give this beer cheese a little craft brew flare. Your taste buds will thank you.

Beer Cheese Ingredients:

8 oz. cream cheese
¾ cup of your Hi-Wire beer of choice
2 teaspoons dry mustard
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 cups extra sharp cheddar, shredded
1 tablespoon chives, chopped

How to Make it:

Place the cream cheese and beer in a small pot over low heat.
When the cream cheese has softened, break it up into smaller pieces then whisk the mixture until smooth.
Add a little of the shredded cheese at a time, whisking until each addition has fully melted and mixed together before adding more.
Whisk in the mustard and garlic powder.
Garnish with chives and serve warm with pretzels, veggies, or bread.

Our Top 4 Hi-Wire Picks to Jazz Up Your Beer Cheese

If cheese and beer weren’t already enough of a stellar combo, we’re adding Hi-Wire beer to step things up a notch. The beauty of beer cheese is, you can use just about any style of beer to get creative. So to give you a little inspiration to get started, we’ve put together a roundup of four of our favorite beers to try. Look for them at one of our taprooms or a retailer near you!

#1. Double Hi-Pitch IPA

This oh so good IPA gets seriously hopped with classic West Coast hops resulting in some eye-opening dank & citrusy aromas. Weighing in at 65 IBUs, distinctive melon and grapefruit flavors balance out the malt in this dangerously delicious double IPA. When added to beer cheese, the hoppiness offers a nice depth and zestiness.

#2. Leisure Time Lager

This crisp and refreshing American craft lager is brewed patiently with 100% barley. Mellow and smooth, this Hi-Wire lager blends beautifully into beer cheese to add delicious flavor. It’s so tasty you may even want to crack open a cold one to sip on with your beer cheese.

#3. Bed of Nails

This tasty brew is crafted as an American ode to a traditional English brown. A light hop addition balances the natural sweetness present in the specialty malt and will add a richness to your beer cheese.

#4. Hi-Wire Lager

This true American lager is as approachable as it is delicious, a perfect balance of light Pilsen malt and German hops. Use it in your beer cheese to bring out a yummy complexity.

The Difference Between Beer Cheese and Pub Cheese

Sometimes beer cheese and pub cheese get confused, so we’re going to set the record straight on the difference between these two cheesy creations. Here’s how to know what you’re getting the next time you see these two on a menu or you want to do a taste test at home.

Whether or not beer cheese is melty and creamy or spreadable, it’s always made with beer. Pub cheese, on the other hand, is spreadable and doesn’t necessarily include beer in the recipe. Both are delicious, but we think everything is better with beer, so our vote is for beer cheese!

Find Hi-Wire Beer Near You

To pick up some of these craft beers for your next beer cheese culinary masterpiece or to enjoy a brew on tap, visit our taproom page to see our locations and what’s flowing at each one, or check out our beer finder to locate a retailer near you.

We look forward to serving you soon! Cheers.

Hi-Wire’s Decadent Chocolate Stout Cake

The Ultimate Hi-Wire Beer Cheese