Man Flowers Recipe

Prepare

Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour two 8-inch round cake pans (or three 6-inch pans) and line bottoms with parchment rounds.

Dry ingredients

In a large bowl, sift (or whisk) together the all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, unsweetened cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and sea salt until evenly combined and lump-free.

Wet ingredients

In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, buttermilk, oil, and vanilla extract until smooth. Stir in the hot brewed coffee.

Combine with stout

Gradually pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and whisk gently until just combined. Fold in the stout beer last — the batter will be thin. Do not overmix; a few small streaks are fine.

Bake

Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans and smooth the tops. Bake for 28–35 minutes (shorter for 6-inch pans) or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs. Rotate pans halfway through for even baking.

Cool

Cool cakes in the pans on a wire rack for 15 minutes, then run a knife around edges, invert onto racks, remove parchment, and cool completely (at least 1 hour) before frosting.

Cream butter and cocoa

In a large bowl with an electric mixer, beat the softened butter on medium speed until smooth and slightly paler, about 2 minutes. Add the dark cocoa powder and beat until combined and no powdery streaks remain.

Add sugar and liquids

With the mixer on low, add powdered sugar in two additions to avoid clouds, then add heavy cream, vanilla extract, and sea salt. Increase speed to medium-high and beat 2–3 minutes until light, fluffy, and spreadable. Adjust consistency with additional cream (1 tsp at a time) if too stiff or a little extra powdered sugar if too loose.

Frost cake

If cake layers have domes, level them with a serrated knife. Place one cake layer on a cake board or serving plate, spread about one third of the frosting to make a crumb coat, and chill 15 minutes. Apply remaining frosting to create a smooth, slightly tall crown to echo the 'tall, proud' profile.

Heat cream

Place the finely chopped bittersweet chocolate in a heatproof bowl. In a small saucepan, warm the heavy cream until just simmering (do not boil). Remove from heat.

Emulsify ganache

Pour the hot cream over the chopped chocolate and let sit 1 minute. Gently whisk from the center outward until smooth and glossy. Whisk in the butter until melted and incorporated, then whisk in the tablespoon of stout beer if using for added depth. Let the ganache cool and thicken at room temperature until pourable but not runny (about 20–30 minutes), stirring occasionally.

Form top hat

To make a 'top hat' topper: pour a thin layer of ganache onto a sheet of parchment to form a flat brim (use the back of a spoon to spread a 5–6 inch round about 1/8 inch thick). Refrigerate briefly until set, then pipe or pour a thicker cylinder of ganache in the center atop the brim to form the crown. Alternatively, create a simple dome by pouring thickened ganache over the center of the frosted cake to form a glossy mound. Chill briefly to set the ganache hat before moving to plating.

Plate dessert

Slice the tall chocolate cake into generous wedges. Place one wedge on each plate. Add a generous scoop (about 1/2 cup) of Irish cream ice cream alongside the cake.

Garnish

Drizzle soft caramel sauce over the ice cream and a little onto the cake if desired. Sprinkle dark chocolate shards and a whisper of sea salt flakes over the ice cream and cake for salty-sweet contrast. If you made a separate ganache brim and crown, set the hat gently atop the frosted cake wedge for dramatic presentation.

Serve

Serve immediately so the ice cream sits cold against the moist cake and ganache retains a glossy top-hat sheen. Leftover cake keeps well refrigerated for 3–4 days; ganache and frosting may firm in the fridge—bring to room temperature before serving.