Making me melt......

I did say, didn't I, that this blog was suposed to be about food and all the excitement and adventure that goes with it?

The OH and I have always cooked this Nigella recipe when we have felt meltingly tender with each other - a symbol of us together - strong, dark and yummy. The fact that my love wants to make me delicious yummy things makes me melt. I love making him this cake too (Guiness is a favourite treat drink in Summer) and this cake has always proved successful for any celebration - my best friends 30th not withstanding.

I love this cake and I love my OH - it's a bit unclear as to where the future lies for us both at the moment - we are in summit and UN negotiations about it all. It's my 30th birthday soon and I can't help but feel that we are both holding our breath until it's all over to make that decision.

I should make this cake, don't you think? Try and melt his heart once more? Funny how food entwines with the rest of our emotions. This recipe is from Nigella Lawsons book Feast. It is a celebration cake, (maybe of your love) and can provide solace for the brokenhearted. I am melting now but not in a joyful way.

Chocolate and Guiness Cake

250ml Guinness
250g butter (1 cup)
75g cocoa (a rounded 1/2 cup)
400g caster sugar (2 cups)
140ml sour cream (I used plain yoghurt)
2 eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
275g plain flour (2 1/4 cups)
2 1/2 teaspoons bicarb soda

for the icing:
300g cream cheese (I used 250g which was plenty)
150g icing sugar (1 cup)
125ml cream

Preheat the oven to 180C, and grease and line (yes! lining is essential) a 23 centimetre springform tin.

Pour the Guinness into a large saucepan, and add the sliced butter. Heat until the butter is melted, and remove the saucepan from the heat. Whisk in the cocoa and sugar. Beat the sour cream with the eggs and vanilla, then pour into the saucepan. Finally, beat in the flour and bicarb.

Pour the batter into the greased and lined tin, and bake for 45 mins to an hour. Leave to get completely cool in the tin, as it's quite a damp cake.

For the icing, beat the icing sugar and cream cheese together. Add the cream, and beat again until it's a spreadable consistency. Ice the top of the black cake until it resembles the frothy top of the famous pint.