Dark Chocolate Guinness Cake:

1 cup Guinness beer (or other stout)
1 cup + 1 tbsp butter
2/3 cup cocoa powder
1 3/4 cups confectioners sugar
2/3 cup sour cream
2 eggs
1 tbsp vanilla extract
2 cups plain flour
2 1/2 tsp baking soda

Baileys Cream Cheese Icing:

4 1/2 cups sifted confectioners sugar
1/2 cup butter at room temperature
8oz. cream cheese at room temperature
5 tbsps Baileys Irish Cream

Cake:

Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter and line a 9-inch springform pan with parchment paper.

Melt the butter into the Guinness in a saucepan over low heat.

Whisk in the cocoa and sugar and take the saucepan off the heat.

Beat the sour cream with the eggs and vanilla in a separate bowl until combined, than add to the beer mixture.

Whisk in the flour and baking soda until combined.

Pour the cake batter into the pan and bake for an hour.

Let cool completely in the pan.

Baileys Cream Cheese Icing:

Cream the butter and confectioners sugar together until well mixed.

Add the cream cheese in cubes slowly until incorporated.

Add in Baileys. Continue mixing for 5 minutes until the icing is light and fluffy.

Spread the icing onto the top of the cake and spread into an even layer.

Makes 1 Cake

Here is the perfect cake to make for this July 4th weekend!  It takes a bit of time to put this together but it tastes (and looks) amazing!

16oz box white cake mix (plus required ingredients)
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1 (.3 oz) bottle blue food coloring
5 drops red food coloring
non-stick cooking spray
3 pints raspberry sorbet
2 1/2 pints vanilla ice cream
2 pints heavy cream
1/4 cup confectioners sugar

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.  Coat a 9-inch springform pan with non-stick cooking spray.

Prepare the cake mix as directed on the package.  Add the cocoa powder and food coloring to the batter.

Transfer to the prepared pan and bake until done, about 45 minutes.

Let the cake cool completly, then remove from the pan.  Use a serrated knife to level the domed top of the cake.  Cut a 5-inch circle from the center of the cake.  Freeze the large cake ring.

Cut a 6-by-30-inch strip of parchment paper.  Spray a clean springform pan with non-stick spray and then line the side of the pan with parchment paper.  Use a little tape on the outside of the paper ring to keep it from curling back up.  The paper will extend above the rim of the pan so you can build a tall cake.

Let 1 pint of sorbet soften at room temperature.  Use a rubber spatula to spread the sorbet in an even layer at the bottom of the prepared pan.  Freeze until firm, at least 30 minutes.

Let 1 pint of vanilla ice cream soften.  Use a rubber spatula to spread an even layer of vanilla ice cream on top of the sorbet.  Freeze until firm, then repeat to make 1 more layer each of sorbet and ice cream.  You will have 4 layers total.  Freeze until firm.

Place the blue cake ring on top of the ice cream, pressing gently.  Return to the freezer.

Use the top of the ice cream container as a guide.  Place some sorbet between some plastic wrap and flatten to make a 5-inch round disc.  Transfer the flattened sorbet into the hole in the cake, smoothing as needed.  Freeze until firm.

Repeat the last step using the vanilla ice cream.  Place the layer on top of the sorbet layer.  Repeat steps to create one more sorbet layer on top.  Freeze until firm.

Make the whipped cream:  Beat the heavy cream and confectioners’ sugar with an electric mixer until stiff peaks form.

Remove the springform ring and parchment paper from the cake.  Cover the cake with the whipped cream.  Freeze until ready to serve.

Makes 1 cake

Adapted from Food Network Magazine

Crumb Topping:

1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3 tablespoons butter

Banana Cake:

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
4 tablespoons butter or margarine, at room temperature
1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar
3 tablespoons pure honey
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup mashed bananas (3 very ripe medium bananas)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
confectioners sugar, for topping

Prepare Crumb Topping: In medium bowl, combine flour, brown sugar, and cinnamon. With pastry blender or 2 knives used scissors-fashion, cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.

Prepare Banana Cake: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease 9-inch springform pan; line bottom with parchment paper and grease parchment. On sheet of waxed paper, mix flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon until blended.

In large bowl, with mixer on medium speed, beat butter, sugar, and honey until light and creamy, about 5 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. Gradually add eggs, beating after each addition.

On low speed, add half of flour mixture, then mashed bananas, and vanilla. Add remaining flour mixture and beat until smooth.

Spoon batter into the prepared pan and spread evenly. Sprinkle with crumb topping. Bake 50 to 55 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool cake in pan on wire rack 10 minutes. Loosen cake from side of pan and remove. Cool completely.

Once cooled, dust the top lightly with confectioners sugar.

Makes 1 cake.