St. Amand Chocolate Cream Cake for Vanberg & DeWulf!
I am so thrilled to be participating in the Second Annual Coast-to-Coast Toast with Vanberg & DeWulf. As I’ve mentioned before, during college I interned with Vanberg & DeWulf and learned all there is to know about imported Belgian beers as well as participated in the building of Brewery Ommegang. Over the years I’ve kept in close touch with Wendy and Don and love celebrating their business whenever I can. Of course, this year I have to abstain from a literal toast and drink (less than 2 weeks to go!) but that doesn’t mean I can’t enjoy good beer when it is incorporated into great food.
I chose to share this chocolate cake recipe with you because it is one of those perfect family recipes that everyone should have in their back pocket. This cake is more sophisticated than your average chocolate cake for a kids party. It is rich and fudgy with underlying notes of malt and barley from the addition of the St. Amand beer. It reminds me of a traditional Guinness cake, only better. Belgium is also known for its chocolate so it seemed perfect that offer up a recipe that showcases two of their national food treasures. I could easily see myself serving this at a dinner party with a side of homemade sorbet or even as a rich dessert after a romantic Valentine’s Day meal.
To join in today’s celebration of Belgian beer culture be sure to stop by the Vanberg & DeWulf website to check out the locations for the celebrations taking place in your local area. Last year the first-annual Coast-to-Coast Toast ended up being the single largest celebration of Belgian beer culture in the US. Not bad, don’t you think? It also marks Vanberg & DeWulf’s 30th birthday! If you would like to host, or win a trip to Belgium, scroll down their site for more information.
In the mean time, no matter where you live, join in the fun by getting in the kitchen. Pour yourself a pint or grab some St. Amand and make this moist, delicious cake.
Recipe
St. Amand Chocolate Cream Cake with Chocolate Glaze
recipe courtesy of Wendy Littlefield and Lynn Hathaway of the 1819 House
Just outside Cooperstown off Route 28, the main drag to the Oneonta, a college town, there is a lovely country estate built in 1819 where Lynn established a restaurant. This is his super duper dessert, which while first created for the Great Beer Deserves Great Food series, quickly became a go to dessert at home.
Ingredients
For The Cake:
| 8 | ounces (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature |
| 1 | cup St. Amand beer |
| 2/3 | cup cocoa powder (Dutch Process), plus an additional ¼ cup to dust the baking pans |
| 1 | cup granulated sugar |
| 1 | teaspoon kosher salt |
| 2 | cups all-purpose flour |
| 1 ¼ | teaspoons baking soda |
| 2 | large eggs |
| ½ | cup Sour Cream |
For The Glaze
| 1 | pound Bittersweet Chocolate |
| 1 | cup Heavy Cream |
| 2 | 0unces Butter |
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly dust 12-cup tube or bunt pan with cocoa powder. In a heavy saucepan, heat butter, beer, cocoa powder, and sugar until butter melts. Let cool. Sift dry ingredients together.
Add the beer mixture, beat thoroughly for 1 minute on medium speed. Add the eggs and sour cream and beat for 2 minutes on medium speed.
Pour batter into prepared pan, bake 40-50 minutes or until tester comes out clean. Cool on wire rack 10 minutes, remove from pan, cool completely. Glaze and serve at room temperature.
Chocolate Glaze Prep:
Over a double boiler slowly melt chocolate. Stir in scalded cream, stir until smooth. Add butter, stir until completely blended.
Naptime Notes
Naptime Recipe Serving ideas
This rich fudgy cake is very rich and best served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or something light to cut the richness of the fudge.
Naptime Stopwatch
15 minutes prep time, 50 minutes bake time
Naptime Reviews
This sophisticated chocolate cake is always a hit at parties or anywhere good food is being served. It is a little rich for children, even my daughter could only stomach a small piece.
This is in my neck of the woods beings as I live in Oneonta currently. All 3 recipes in this blog post point to the chocolate cake though…oops.
Hi Kelsey! My husband and I love all the Ommegang beers and have toured the Brewery several times. My parents take a group of their friends out there every summer! I can’t wait to try this recipe! Quick question…what type of beer is the St. Amand? I checked several of my go to places for Belgians in DC and they (sadly) don’t carry St. Amand. Is there something I could substitute? Best of luck with your last 2 weeks! Can’t wait to hear the good news!!