The Ultimate Guinness Cake.

The Guinness Cake is a very special cake. So special, a friend of mine "who doesn't like cake" can't get enough of this dense, rich, Guinnessy Cake.

Originally a Nigella Lawson recipe, I've made a few changes. I love how the cream cheese frosting resembles the frothy head sitting on top of the glass of stout. I like to use extra icing sugar in the frosting, making it that little bit stiffer and giving it a much needed sweet kick to contrast the deep flavour of the cake.

I also have recently discovered Little Pod Pure Bourbon Vanilla Extract. The intense vanilla taste really works with the bitter and rich taste of Guinness.

For the cake:

250mls Guinness
250g unsalted butter
75g cocoa
400g caster sugar
142mls sour cream
2 eggs
1 tablespoon real vanilla extract
275g plain flour
2 1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda

For the frosting:

300g Philadelphia cream cheese
200g icing sugar
125ml double or whipping cream

Makes about 12 slices

Preheat the oven to gas mark 4/180°C, and butter and line a 23cm springform tin.

Pour the Guinness into a large wide saucepan, add the butter, a spoon at a time. and metl the butter on a low heat. When the butter has melted, whisk in the cocoa and sugar. Beat the sour cream with the eggs and vanilla and then pour into the buttery brown mix. At this time you should turn off the heat to the pan. Finally whisk in the flour and bicarb.

Pour the cake batter into the greased and lined tin and bake for about an hour. Stick a skewer in the cake and if it comes clean, your cake is ready, if not leave in the oven for another 5 - 10 minutes. Every time I have made this cake, the time has always varied.

As the cake is quite damp, leave to cool completely in the tin on a cooling rack.

When the cake is cold, you can get on with the icing. Lightly whip the cream cheese until smooth, sieve over the icing sugar and beat them together. Add the cream and beat on a high speed until the the frosting becomes a good spreadable consistency. Do not over beat or the cheese will begin to split.

Ice over the frosting to your cake and enjoy the mighty Guinness experience.

Lauren loves... The Hummingbird Cafe.

Not be be confused with the famous Hummingbird Bakery!

So i'm sat here, loving the Hummingbird Cafe. It's tucked away just off the Uxbridge Road, famous for it's plethera of chicken and chip shops. It's Shepherds Bush's well kept secret for sure!

When I moved here nearly 2 years ago, I unexpectedly found the Hummingbird Cafe (then called the Cupboard) and fell straight in love. The best time to eat here is most definitely for breakfast, my all time favourite has got to be their eggs benedict with serrano ham and spinach. The Hummingbird always poach their eggs just right, there is nothing more satisfying than popping the yolk all over my plate. Gooey yolky yumminess! 

By bigging up the breakfasts I don't want to necessarily ignore the rest of its opening hours. Often after work I cannot resist popping in and buying myself a sweet treat. Their cakes and sandwiches often change regularly so i'm never stuck for choice. They sell a beautifully light currant bun, aptly named the QPR bun. A Hummingbird speciality is their lemon and rosemary sponge. Absolutely dripping with sweet, lemony, herby syrup, it has opened my eyes to baking with herbs. 

So if your ever in W12, head to Oaklands Grove. It would be a shame to miss this wonderful cafe come deli. Even if your not hungry, its worth a trip just for the coffee. 

Chocolate Cupcakes with Peanut butter icing.

I can't stand peanut butter, I'm not even a fan of peanuts.


Then I discovered Reese's peanut butter cups, who would have thought chocolate and peanut butter would work so well! I became completely addicted to the taste combination, spreading peanut butter and chocolate spread on toast, melting a flake over peanut butter in a pancake on shrove tuesday, heaven!


So here is my latest chocolate and peanut butter combination, cupcakes with peanut butter frosting. I have used a devils food cake recipe for the cupcake, using a deep and dark chocolate flavour really brings out the sweet taste of the peanut butter without it becoming too sickly.  

For the Cupcakes


100g plain flour
20g cocoa powder
140g caster sugar
1½ tsp baking powder
a pinch of salt
40g unsalted butter (at room temperature)
120ml whole milk
1 egg
¼ tsp vanilla extract


For the Frosting


85 g butter, softened

• 195 g crunchy peanut butter
• 35 ml milk, or as needed
• 190 g icing sugar
• a couple of squares of dark chocolate, finely grated, to decorate

Preheat the oven to 170°C (325°F) Gas 3

Put the flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking powder, salt and butter into a mixer (or use a handheld electric whisk) and beat on slow speed until you get a sandy consistency.

Whisk the milk, egg and vanilla extract in a jug, then slowly pour about half into the flour mixture, beat to combine and turn the mixer up to a high speed and get rid of any lumps.

Turn the mixer down to a slower speed and slowly pour in the remaining milk mixture (scrape any unmixed ingredients  from the side of the bowl with a rubber spatula). Continue mixing for a couple of minutes until the mixture is smooth. Be careful not to overmix!

Spoon the mixture into the paper cases (I use muffin sized cases) until 2 thirds full and bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, or until the sponge bounces back when touched. A skewer inserted in the centre should come out clean. Leave the cupcakes to cool slightly in the tray before turning out onto a wire cooling rack to cool completely.

To make the icing,

Place the butter and peanut butter into a medium bowl, and beat with an electric mixer. Gradually mix in the sugar, and when it starts to get thick, incorporate milk one tablespoon at a time until all of the sugar is mixed in and the frosting is thick and spreadable. Beat for at least 3 minutes for it to get good and fluffy.

When the cupcakes are cold, spoon the peanut butter icing on top and decorate with grated dark chocolate. 


If your feeling a bit exciting, why not try making the icing out of cashew nut butter, or hazelnut butter.