Spiced Beer Cake with Cherries and Pecans
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During the holidays to say there’s an abundance of baked good recipes floating around on the internet is quite the understatement. And, yep, here I go adding another one to the mix. But this recipe for Beer Cake, practically jumped off the page of one of my Aunt Carole’s cookbook begging me to give it a go. So, I had to do it. I just had to.
After reading the ingredients, a melange of warm spices with nuts and fruit, it sounded like the perfect introduction to fall. But with our crazy schedule, Beer Cake didn’t make the baking list until two weeks ago. I wasn’t sure what to expect, except that I thought the beer would add some kinda oomph to the flavor, as well as moisture. I was quite surprised that there was no prominent beer or “hoppy-ness” flavor. In fact, there were no hints of beer whatsoever. I did use a pale ale, so maybe if you chose a dark beer, the flavor would be more distinct.
But moisture? Definitely a moist cake. A dense moist cake that reminded me of gingerbread without the ginger. It was quite addictive, and I think a perfect addition to the holiday dessert spread to balance out all the real super sweet stuff.
The original recipe called for nuts and dates. I chose pecans and substituted dried cherries for dates. You could easily substitute other nuts and fruit in place of those or delete them altogether if needed. The original recipe also had a cream cheese icing along for the ride, but I decided to pass on the sweet topping. The cake had just enough sweetness to go solo, and was perfect with warm cup of coffee.
Another note, I baked the full recipe in a tube pan, but I think next time I will be splitting it into two loaf pans – one for me, one for sharing.
To get started you’ll need brown sugar, butter, eggs, flour, baking soda, salt, dried cherries (or dried fruit of choice), chopped nuts, and beer, of course.
Accompanied by a comforting blend of ground cloves, allspice, and cinnamon.
Using a whisk, mix all the dry ingredients, flour, baking soda, salt, ground cloves, allspice and cinnamon, together and set aside.
Next cream the butter and brown sugar together, add eggs and beat well. Alternate adding in the dry ingredients and beer. Mix until just combines. Add the nuts and cherries, and fold them into the batter.
Pour into a greased tube pan and bake for about one hour at 350°F, or until toothpick, wooden skewer or cake tester comes out clean.
Slice a piece, find a good book, and comfy blanket, then relax and enjoy.
Yum.
Beer Cake
Adapted from “Hospitality Southern Style” by my sweet aunt, Carole Radford.
Ingredients
- 3 cups flour
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1/16 teaspoon salt (pinch)
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
- 2 teaspoon ground allspice
- 2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 2 cups brown sugar
- 1 cup butter
- 2 eggs
- 2 cups beer
- 1 cup pecans, chopped (or nut of choice)
- 1 cup dried cherries, chopped (or dried fruit of choice)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350-degrees F.
- Using a whisk, mix all the dry ingredients, flour, baking soda, salt, ground cloves, allspice and cinnamon, together and set aside.
- Cream the butter and brown sugar together, add eggs and beat well.
- Alternate adding dry ingredients and beer. Mix until just combined.
- Add nuts and cherries and fold into batter.
- Pour into a well greased tube pan and bake for 60 minutes at 350-degrees F, or until toothpick, wooden skewer or cake tester comes out clean.
- Let cool for about 15 minutes in pan on a wire rack, then carefully invert on cake plate.
I just love a good moist spice cake! Thanks for this addition to my spice cake collection ; ) and how fun it has beer in it! Cheers!
I’ve never made a beer spice cake, just chocolate with guinness. This sounds just pure divine!
This sounds amazing Amy!! I need to try it!! Thanks for linking up!
I’ve never had a cake with beer in it. It looks good!
Would love for you to come by and link up at my recipe party!
This caught my eye when I saw beer and cake in the same sentence! How interesting! This looks fabulous!
Wow – this looks like it would taste great! It is definitely on my holiday baking “to do” list! Thanks for sharing!
I’m going to have to make this one day. Looks totally delish! 🙂
yum!
Sounds delicious!!!
Your pictures are wonderful, too!
Now that’s the best looking beer cake I’ve ever seen! Yum! Merry Christmas Amy!
It looks like a spice cake.
You said it was moist and yummy so I will try it out for myself.
Thanks.
Oh …sooooo sweet a website !!
loving the beer cake , can see how beautifully moist ie!
And me too have those super cuteeeeee eared mini ramekins , arent they cute or what??
Loveeee them!
Looking forward to hear from u too!
☆♪♫•*¨*•.¸¸♥ ¸¸.♪♫•*¨*•♫♪ ░M░E░R░R░Y░ (¯”•.¸*♥♥♥* ¸.•”¯) ░C░H░R░I░S░T░M░A░S░(¯”•.¸ *♥♥♥* ¸.•”¯) ! ♫•*¨*•.¸¸♥ ¸¸.•*¨*•♫♪☆
Beer in cake? You just made my hubby one happy guy!
Amy, I can just imagine the incredible flavor coming from each tender slice. I don’t think this cake would make it very long in my house.
Hello, I was wondering if I could make this cake using regular sugar instead of brown sugar. Where I live we can’t really get brown sugar 😐 and if yes, would it still be 2 cups? Thanks, and btw it looks delicious.
Love this recipe…I feel a vegan version coming on!
Made this last year using The Blue Moon’s molasses seasonal. I used Sam Adams’s Old Fezziwig Ale this year… equally outstanding and I had to make 3 because it was such a success, I promised to share!!
Thanks so much for sharing this recipe… this is a holiday favorite here!
Hey Conni,
Oh, I’m so glad to hear it. It’s nothing fancy, but so very satisfying, isn’t it? Happy baking!
Looks yummy, never bake for five years, this cake waking me up. Back to my baking apron.
Thanks.
Is it light or dark brown sugar? Also I’m assuming that it’s unsalted butter, since there is salt added to the recipe? Thanks
I like dark for this recipe, but you may use either light or dark. I used salted butter for this cake.