Beating Eggs and Sour Cream for Guinness Cake

Asked by Maira Toledo. Answered on 30th January 2016

Full question

Hi there! I would like to try the Chocolate Guiness Cake recipe but I'm not sure for how long should I beat the eggs with the sour cream and vanilla. I don't want the cake to smell and taste like egg, but I wonder if I would ruin the cake if I beat the eggs with the sour cream, plus vanilla, for too much time. I normally use a stand mixer. Could you please help me? Thank you in advance!

Our answer

Nigella's Chocolate Guinness Cake (from Feast and on the Nigella website) is made using what is known as the "melting method". So the butter and sugar are melted rather than creamed and the cake rises thanks to the raising agents, rather than having air beaten in.

So you do not need to beat the eggs, sour cream and vanilla together for very long, only until they are just mixed. You do not really need a freestanding mixer for this and if you are worried we suggest beating the eggs and vanilla with a fork or whisk until the eggs whites and yolks have broken down but not become foamy and then stirring or whisking in the sour cream until just combined.