A Guinness Cake

With Kelly Delaney

A Guinness Cake in Honor of St. Patrick’s Day

Cake decorating expert Kelly Delaney of Cakes For Occasions originally attended the world-renowned cooking school at Ballymaloe, Ireland created and run by Darina Allen. While there she learned that St. Patrick’s Day is celebrated differently by the Irish, but over here it is known as a day to consume Irish beer. In honor of that tradition she will show us how to make a cake of a draft of Guinness, the most famous beer from Ireland. It uses her favorite frosting, chocolate ganache.

Ingredients

Ganache

1 pint of heavy cream
18 ounces Merckens chocolate wafers (aka Buttons) (available at AC Moore and other craft stores. You can use other brand names as well, but be sure to buy the ‘coating wafers’)

Instructions

1. Bring Heavy cream to the scalding point.
2. Remove from heat immediately and add chocolate wafers.
3. Stir with wooden spoon until evenly melted.
4. Place in refrigeration over night to set. * this must be done ahead of time to allow the chocolate to set.
5. Remove from the refrigerator at least 3 hours before use.
In order to use as frosting the chocolate ganache should be at room temperature, smooth enough to frost. So, more time should be allowed out of the refrigerator.
Recipe courtesy of Kelly Delaney, Cakes For Occasions, 2010.

Owner of Cakes for Occasions Kelly received her culinary education from the Ballymaloe Cookery School in Ireland and the Cordon Bleu in London. She started her business with a single oven in her mother's home and has won dozens of awards for her outstanding products. These include Reader's Choice Awards and North Shore Magazines "Best of Boston" Award. Her "Pearls & Shells" cake was voted the viewer favorite and featured on NBC's Today show for their Destination Wedding segment in 2004.

Delaney has also been featured on Boston's Fox 25 News, NECN's Good Morning Live and Phantom Gourmet, TV Diner with Billy Costa, KISS 108's Matty in the Morning Show, Oldies 103's Breakfast Club, MAGIC 106.7's Exceptional Women as well as numerous other programs.

Cakes for Occasions is a gourmet bakery located in Danvers, MA produces over 700 wedding cakes a year.