Recipe: Old Rasputin chocolate cake from North Coast Brewing Co.

"Dark beers don't get much darker than Old Rasputin Russian Imperial Stout from North Coast Brewing Co. in Fort Bragg, Calif. The jet-black elixir is rich and roasty with a dense, tan head, and packs a punch at 9% ABV. It's developed a cult following well beyond Mendocino County, magnetizing beer aficionados with a power appropriate to its namesake, Russian mystic Grigori Rasputin."

"This recipe for an Old Rasputin chocolate cake was developed by Sheila Martins, the brewery's vice president of administration and operations. Sheila happens to be married to North Coast's brewmaster, Chuck Martins, in a sweet culinary arrangement she loves to bake, he loves to cook. The cake is offered as a seasonal dessert at the brewery's pub, where it is often topped with powdered sugar. For a more decadent option, Martins has included instructions for a ganache drizzle."

Old Rasputin Russian Imperial Stout is a jet-black, roasty stout at 9% ABV with a dense tan head and a cult following. Sheila Martins of North Coast Brewing Co. developed a chocolate Bundt cake recipe using one cup of Old Rasputin and traditional cake ingredients including sugar, flour, Dutch-process cocoa, sour cream, oil, eggs, and optional mini chocolate chips. The cake yields 10–12 servings. The recipe includes an optional ganache glaze made from heavy cream and semi-sweet chocolate. The cake is served seasonally at the brewery's pub, commonly dusted with powdered sugar or drizzled with ganache.

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