As a food blogger, I feel like – when it comes to all things culinary – I’m pretty much up to date with all of the trends.  I spend a lot of time browsing food blogs, foodie websites, and have more food magazines in my mailbox every month than anything else.

So, when I saw {this post} from I Am Baker a several months ago, I was completely stunned.  It was one of those “Why didn’t I think of that???” moments.  I’ve been putting roses on my cupcakes for a long time now, but it never occurred to me to try it on a cake.

I feel inferior.

Of course, Amanda’s blog posts have always inspired me.  I put her right up there on my Sweetapolita/Bakerella/Sweetopia pedestal, right there among my favorite foodie folks.  They’re all so talented and so fun to read that I suppose it’s ok to feel a little inferior to the likes of them.

See how I try to make myself feel better?

A few weeks ago, I made a wedding cake for my Mom.  She loves wedding cake, probably more than anything else in the whole world.  Maybe even her kids.  Right, Mom?

You don’t have to answer that.  Actually, please don’t answer that.

Anyway, the wedding cake had a beautiful crusting butter cream recipe, so it was the perfect opportunity to try the rose-technique, and it worked like a charm.

And now that I’ve had a few practice runs, I thought it was time to share it with you all.  I’ll share my wedding cake recipe soon, but today we’re going the opposite direction.  This is a chocolate stout cake, frosted with an Irish cream butter cream frosting.

It’s kind of amazing.  The cake is dark and super-moist, with only a slight hint of the stout flavor.  The frosting is sweet and rich with just a light taste of the Irish Cream.

I doubled the recipe and made a four-layer cake, but you don’t have to be like me.  Especially when your husband is trying to look like Captain America for our upcoming beach trip, and won’t even look at the cake for fear of losing his six pack.  (Insert eye roll here.)

I shouldn’t be so hard on him, right?  It just means more cake for me.  (The hub-abs are a plus too, I suppose.)  And Lord knows after two babies, washboard abs are not exactly in my near future, so I might as well eat the cake.

You would understand if you tasted it.

1 and 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
4 large eggs at room temperature
1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
1 and 1/3 cups sour cream

In a heavy bottomed saucepan over medium heat, bring beer, coffee and butter to a low simmer.  Add the cocoa powder and whisk until smooth, then remove from heat.

In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking soda and salt.  Set aside.

In the bowl of your stand mixer, beat together eggs, vanilla and sour cream.  Add the beer mixture and beat until just combined.  Slowly add the flour mixture and beat until the mixture just comes together and all of the flour is incorporated.  Don’t over beat.

Divide batter evenly among cake pans (I use a kitchen scale) and bake until a cake tester comes out clean, about 30-35 minutes.  Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes, then remove from pan and cool completely.

Irish Cream Butter Cream
You will need to double this recipe if you are using the rose frosting technique.)

3 sticks (1 and 1/2 cups) unsalted butter, room temperature
2 lbs powdered/confectioners sugar
1/4 cup Irish Cream (I used Bailey’s)
2 Tablespoons vanilla extract
2 Tablespoons whipping cream
Pinch of salt

In the bowl of your stand mixer using the paddle attachment, combine butter, sugar, vanilla and cream until the mixture starts to come together.  Add Irish cream and salt, and beat until smooth and fluffy.  If the mixture is too thick, you can add whipping cream 1 Tablespoon at a time until desired consistency is met.  This will need to be a fairly stiff frosting for the rose technique.

Frost as desired, and enjoy!

Recipe source and inspiration:  Frosting technique: I Am Baker, Cake:  My Baking Addiction, Frosting, LS Original