Bon Appétit's 12 Best Recipes for Cooking with Beer

The humble brew adds smoky, spicy flavor to recipes both sweet and savory. As you're raising a pint of Guinness for St. Patrick's Day, remember to save some beer for cooking.

Leg of Lamb "Black and Tan"
Pan-Grilled Beer-Marinated Hanger Steak
(pictured at left)
Lamb Shanks in Guinness with Country Vegetables
Homemade Irish Corned Beef and Vegetables
Golden Pan-Fried Fish with Quick Tartar Sauce
Brisket Braised in Porter
Beer-Brined Grilled Pork Chips
Fish and Chips with Tarragon-Malt Vinegar Mayonnaise
Beef and Dark Beer Chili
Irish Cheddar and Stout Fondue
Ginger Cake with Crystallized Ginger Frosting
(pictured and recipe below)
Chocolate Stout Layer Cake with Chocolate Frosting

Ginger Cake with Crystallized Ginger Frosting

This turns a terrific gingerbread-created by Rick Rodgers, an accomplished baker and food writer-into a layer cake. Let the stout stand, opened, at room temperature overnight so that it's flat when you add it to the batter.

10 SERVINGS
Recipe by Bruce Aidells
Photograph by Noel Barnhurst


Ingredients
Cake:


  • 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour

  • 2 teaspoons ground ginger

  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

  • 2 teaspoons baking soda

  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

  • 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature

  • 1 1/4 cups (packed) golden brown sugar

  • 2 large eggs

  • 1 cup mild-flavored (light) molasses

  • 3/4 cup stout (beer), flat, room temperature

Frosting:

  • 3 cups chilled whipping cream

  • 6 tablespoons powdered sugar

  • 3 tablespoons minced crystallized ginger

  • Orange slices, quartered

  • Crystallized ginger slices

  • Fresh cranberries

Preparation
For cake:

  • Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter and flour two 9-inch-diameter cake pans with 2-inch-high sides. Sift first 6 ingredients into medium bowl; set aside. Using electric mixer, beat butter and brown sugar in large bowl until light and fluffy. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in molasses. Beat in flour mixture alternately with stout in 3 additions each (mixture may look curdled). Beat just until smooth. Divide batter between prepared pans; smooth tops.

  • Bake cakes until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 40 minutes. Cool cakes in pans on rack 10 minutes. Turn cakes out onto racks; cool completely. DO AHEAD Can be made 1 day ahead. Wrap in plastic; let stand at room temperature.

For frosting:

  • Using electric mixer, beat cream and powdered sugar in large bowl until peaks form. Fold in minced crystallized ginger. Place 1 cake layer on platter. Spread 2 cups frosting over top. Top with second cake layer. Spread remaining frosting over top and sides of cake. Arrange orange slices, ginger slices and cranberries on top. DO AHEAD Can be made 2 hours ahead. Chill. Let stand at room temperature 20 minutes before serving.


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