• Line a 9 inch / 24 cm round mold like you would usually do and set aside. NOTE: For this recipe, I used my Large Round Mold placed on top of a medium perforated baking sheet. Set aside.
• Preheat oven to 350F/180C.

CHOCOLATE GUINNESS CAKE PREPARATION

• Pour the Guinness Stout into a large saucepan and add the diced butter. Heat on medium-low until the butter has melted.
  8.82 oz Guinness Stout, 8.82 oz butter
  
• Remove the pan from heat and whisk in the cocoa powder and sugar until incorporated and dissolved. Set aside to cool down while preparing the rest of the recipe.
  2.65 oz unsweetened cocoa powder, 14.11 oz granulated sugar
  
• In a mixing bowl, beat the sour cream together with the eggs and vanilla bean paste, until creamy.
  5.47 oz sour cream, 2 eggs, 1 tsp vanilla bean paste
  
• Then, pour into the buttery beer batter, whisking until smooth.
  
• Whisk in the all-purpose flour and baking soda: Mix until combined, might be a few lumps and that’s okay. IMPORTANT: Do not overmix, you will not get the same texture when baked!
  9.70 oz all-purpose flour, 2 1/2 tsp baking soda
  
• Pour your preparation into your Large Round Mold. NOTE: The batter is quite runny, that's normal.
  

BAKE!

• Bake for 45 minutes at 350F/180C. (Every oven heats differently, monitor your cake from 40 minutes). It is ready when the toothpick inserted comes out clean or with little to no crumbs.
  
• Once your Chocolate Stout Cake is out of the oven, let it cool down completely in the mold before unmolding onto your service platter. NOTE: As the cake cools down, the center will be indented slightly and will have a wrinkle look, that's quite normal as it a quite damp cake.

BAILEYS BUTTERCREAM PREPARATION

• While your cake is cooling down, prepare the buttercream.
• In a mixing bowl, add the softened butter and beat on a medium-high speed for 1 minute, until light and fluffy. With the mixer on its lowest speed gradually add the powdered sugar, beat on low until mixed into butter, then increase speed to medium-high and beat for an additional minute. Add the sea salt, vanilla bean paste and Irish Cream. Beat on the lowest speed until combined, then increase speed to high and beat until light and fluffy (about 2 minutes).
  4.06 oz butter, 8 oz powdered sugar
  
• Scoop it directly onto the completely cooled Chocolate Stout Cake creating waves like the foam would be when stout is poured into a glass. Enjoy & Bon Appétit!
  1/16 tsp sea salt, 1 tsp vanilla bean paste, 2 Tbsp Baileys Irish Cream
  
• NOTE. 01. Keep it at room temperature when enjoyed the day of ; or refrigerate up to 2 days and let it come back to room temperature before enjoying.
• NOTE. 02. However tempted you might be to reduce the sugar: DON'T! If you do you will get a bitter cake and on a side note, this chocolate does not feel sweet at all, it is perfectly balanced.