Bar Snack Cake

Ingredients

For the Chocolate Stout Cake:
• 1/2 cups (120 ml) stout beer
• 1/2 cup (1 stick/113 grams) unsalted butter
• 6 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder (preferably Dutch-process)
• 1 cup (125 grams) all purpose flour
• 1 cup (200 grams) sugar
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 large egg
• 1/3 cup sour cream
For the Peanut Butter Pretzel Frosting:
• 12 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 6 tablespoons peanut butter
• 1/2 teaspoon salt (if the peanut butter is unsalted)
• 2 cups (230 grams) powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons whole milk or heavy cream
• 1/3 cup crushed pretzels
For the Stout Ganache:
• 2 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
• 4 tablespoons stout beer
• 2 tablespoons light corn syrup
• Pretzels and chopped peanuts for topping

Instructions

For the Chocolate Stout Cake:
1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Grease and line 2 6-inch cake pans with parchment paper.
3. Bring the stout and butter to a simmer in heavy saucepan over medium heat.
4. Add the cocoa powder and whisk until mixture is smooth. Cool slightly.
5. Whisk flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt in large bowl.
6. In a separate bowl, whisk together the sour cream and egg until smooth.
7. Add stout-chocolate mixture to egg mixture and whisk to combine.
8. Add flour mixture and whisk together until combined.
9. Divide batter equally among prepared pans.
10. Bake the cakes for 23-25 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of cakes comes out clean.
11. Transfer the cakes to wire rack and cool for about 15 minutes.
12. Turn the cakes out onto rack and cool completely.
For the Peanut Butter Pretzel Frosting:
13. With an electric mixer, beat the butter on medium speed until pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
14. Add the peanut butter and continue beating, about 1 more minute or until combined.
15. With the mixer on low, add the powdered sugar. Increase the speed to medium and beat until smooth. Add the vanilla and milk and beat until combined.
16. Set aside the pretzels until you are ready to assemble the cake.
For the Stout Ganache:
17. Heat the stout in a small saucepan over medium heat.
18. Once the beer is steaming, remove the sauce pan from the heat and add the chopped chocolate.
19. Stir until smooth.
20. Add the corn syrup and and stir to combine.
21. Set the ganache aside to cool. You can speed up the process by placing it in the fridge for about 10-15 minutes.
To Assemble the Cake:
22. Place one layer of the cake on a cake board or cake stand.
23. Put one cup of the peanut butter frosting in a separate bowl and stir in the crushed pretzels (set the rest of the frosting aside to coat the cake and pipe the frosting on top).
24. Spread the peanut butter pretzel frosting on the first layer of cake.
25. Place the second layer of cake on top.
26. Spread a thin layer of peanut butter frosting over the sides and the top of the cake. If you have leftover frosting, put it in a piping bag to pipe on top of the cake.
27. Put the cake in the refrigerator while you are preparing the ganache.
28. Once the ganache reaches the right consistency, slowly pour it over the top of the cake and let it drip down the sides.
29. Put the cake in the fridge to let the ganache set.
30. When the ganache has set, pipe the remaining peanut butter frosting on top.
31. Top with chopped peanuts and pretzels.