St Patrick's Day provides the ideal opportunity to indulge in a cake, and what could be more fitting than one that incorporates Guinness? The renowned dark stout with its creamy top has a unique flavour that surprisingly complements chocolate exceptionally well.

Often hailed as Ireland's national beverage, it has gained even more popularity in recent years. To commemorate the occasion, I chose to spoil my family with a chocolate Guinness cake. I had reservations about how it might taste, but it turned out to be the best cake I've ever baked.

It was brimming with flavour, significantly elevating a standard chocolate cake.

Moreover, it was incredibly easy to prepare and didn't require any fancy ingredients. It was a hit with my family, who have now requested a chocolate Guinness cake for forthcoming birthdays.

I adhered to TV chef Nigella Lawson's recipe, which is included in her book Feast. Nigella stated: "This cake is magnificent in its damp blackness.

"I can't say that you can absolutely taste the stout in it, but there is certainly a resonant, ferrous tang which I happen to love. The best way of describing it is to say that it's like gingerbread without the spices."

Nigella's recipe employs cream cheese frosting to mimic the iconic appearance of a perfectly poured Guinness. She added: "It's unconventional to add cream but it makes it frothier and lighter which I regard as aesthetically and gastronomically desirable.

"But it is perfectly acceptable to leave the cake un-iced: in fact, it tastes gorgeous plain."

Cake ingredients

• 250 millilitres Guinness


• 250 grams unsalted butter


• 75 grams cocoa powder


• 400 grams caster sugar


• 150 millilitres sour cream


• 2 large eggs


• 2 1⁄2 teaspoons vanilla extract


• 275 grams plain flour


• 2 1⁄2 teaspoons bicarbonate of soda

Icing ingredients

• 300 grams cream cheese


• 150 grams icing sugar


• 2 teaspoons cornflour


• 125 millilitres double cream (or whipping cream)

Method

Preheat the oven to gas mark 4/180C/160C Fan/350F. Butter and line a 23cm/9inch springform tin.

Pour the Guinness into a large saucepan and add the butter. Heat the saucepan until the butter has melted.

Remove from the heat and add the cocoa and sugar.

Beat the sour cream with the eggs and vanilla. Pour into the pan before whisking in the flour and bicarbonate of soda.

Pour the cake batter into the lined tin and bake for 45 minutes to an hour. Leave in the tin to cool completely.

Once the cake is cold, lightly whip the cream cheese until smooth. Sieve over the icing sugar and cornflour.

Beat to combine.

Add the double cream if using and beat until it is spreadable. If using whipping cream, whisk until first soft peaks appear.

Add a couple of spoons of the cream into the cream cheese mixture. Once combined, fold in the rest.

Ice the top of the dark cake so it resembles a Guinness pint.