CHOCOLATE-ORANGE GUINNESS CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375F, and grease 2 8”-9”cake pans.
• Cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.
• Sift the flour, baking powder, salt and cocoa powder into a bowl.
• Add the orange rind to the creamed butter and beat in the eggs, one at a time, including a spoonful of the measured flour mixture with each one, and beating well between additions.
• Gently mix in the Guinness, a tablespoonful at a time, including another spoonful of flour with each addition.
• If there's any flour left over, fold it in gently to mix; blend thoroughly without over-beating.
• Divide the mixture between the tins, smooth down, and put the cakes into the center of the preheated oven.
• Reduce the heat to moderate (350F) and bake for 35-40 minutes, or until the cakes are springy to the touch and shrinking slightly in the pans.
• Turn out and cool on a wire rack.
• While the cakes are baking, make the icing.
• Cream the softened butter and icing sugar together thoroughly, then blend in the grated orange rind and enough juice to make an icing that is soft enough to spread.
• When the cakes are cold, use half the icing to sandwich them together, and spread the rest on top.