Chocolate-Stout Vinegar Cake With Raspberry Coulis

(Mark Boughton Photography/Styling by Teresa Blackburn)

Vinegar is the surprise ingredient in this boozy chocolate cake, a scrumptious last-minute dessert to make for your valentine. Top it with a tangy raspberry sauce for a sweet ‘n’ sour treat.

Adapted from chef Jonathon Sawyer‘s cookbook House of Vinegar.

By Alison Ashton

Ingredients

CHOCOLATE-STOUT CAKE:
4 Tbsp butter, melted, plus more for pan
1 cup flour
6 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
½ tsp baking soda
¼ tsp kosher salt
1 cup sugar
1 large egg, at room temperature
½ cup stout
1½ tsp malt vinegar
1 tsp vanilla extract
RASPBERRY COULIS:
1 (6-oz) container raspberries
2 Tbsp sugar
1 tsp balsamic vinegar
Whipped cream, for serving (optional)

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Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter an 8- or 9-inch cake pan; line bottom of pan with parchment paper.
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt. In a large bowl, stir sugar and melted butter until well combined. Stir in egg. Add flour mixture, stirring just until moistened. Stir in stout, malt vinegar and vanilla until smooth. Pour into prepared pan. Bake 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into center comes out clean. Cool in pan 10 minutes. Run a knife around edge to loosen. Invert onto a wire rack and remove parchment; cool completely.
In a blender, combine raspberries (reserving a few for garnish), sugar and balsamic vinegar; puree. Strain through a fine-mesh strainer into a small bowl. Serve cake garnished with whipped cream, if desired, and drizzled with coulis.