GUINNESS CHOCOLATE LAYER CAKE

Steps:

• Whisk all ingredients for syrup over medium heat in a saucepan until smooth and sugar has dissolved.
• Preheat oven to 350.
• For the cake, add the stout to a small saucepan, combine with 1/3 C cocoa and bring to a simmer.
• Remove from heat and add semisweet chocolate, stirring until melted.
• Add buttermilk to slightly cooled mixture.
• Combine 2T cocoa, 2T sugar, and 2T flour and use to coat 2 8 or 9 inch cake pans coated with cooking sprag.
• Beat butter until smooth, and add 1 3/4 c sugar until blended.
• Incorporate eggs and vanilla.
• Add 2 C flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt to butter mixture alternately with chocolate mixture, stirring until blended. Batter may look curdled.
• Pour batter into prepared pans, and bake for 25-30 minutes or until toothpick in center comes out clean.
• Cool in pans for 10 minutes, invert onto cooling rack.
• Poke holes in top of cakes with a skewer or toothpick, and spoon drizzling syrup over cakes.
• For Bittersweet icing, boil cream, remove from heat, and add chocolate and stir until combined. Cover tightly and chill, then beat with hand mixer UP TO 3 HOURS BEFORE SERVING CAKE. Add remaining ingredients when soft peaks form.
• Spread warmed jelly onto one cake (bottom layer).
• Cover jelly with 1/4 of bittersweet icing, place 2nd layer on top, and ice cake with remaining icing.
• Press Nuts into sides of cake.