Bittersweet Icing for Guinness Cake

To make the icing for the Guinness Stout Chocolate Layer Cake, boil the cream and melt the chocolate a day ahead to allow plenty of time for the mixture to chill. Once the cake is iced, keep it cool.

• Ready In: 40 mins
• Yields: 1 cake

Ingredients

• 1 1⁄2 cups heavy cream
• 6  ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
• 4 1⁄2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar
• 4 1⁄2 tablespoons  cocoa
• 1 1⁄2 teaspoons vanilla
• 1⁄8 teaspoon salt

Directions

1. Bring cream to a boil. Place chocolate in a heatproof bowl, pour boiling cream over it, and whisk until chocolate melts and is thoroughly combined. Cover tightly and chill. Chill beaters from a hand-held mixture at the same time.
2. Up to 3 hours before serving the cake, whip chocolate mixture with a hand-held mixer. When soft peaks form, sift in confectioners’ sugar and cocoa and add vanilla and salt. Continue whipping until combined.