A Tirrell Family tradition is to welcome in the holiday season with Sam Smith’s Winter Welcome Ale.  It makes its first appearance at Thanksgiving and stays around till the New Year.  It is a welcome and comforting reminder of my dad and his LOVE for the stuff and it puts us all in the “holiday spirit”.  I tend to forget how good it is from year to year, and this season I really had a mind lapse… I was thinking that it was a dark stout that I could use for a cake.  My memory was refreshed with the first pour and while excited to be sipping this old friend again, I was left without a key ingredient for my STOUT CAKE. Luckily, Sam makes an exceptional Oatmeal Stout!!

I made this cake for Thanksgiving.  Our family has many old favorites around the holiday dessert table, including grandma’s Chocolate Cream Pie and mom’s Apple Pie, but I try to make something new to share every year.  I found a recipe for Guinness Cake on the Design Sponge and I fell in love with the pictures of it and decided I had to make it.  It was a HUGE hit and my mom has requested that I make it for Christmas Eve at her house (she only got a little piece to take home at Thanksgiving).  I have also decided to bring it to my staff holiday party.  I have tweaked the original recipe a bit which is reflected below.

This cake is good for any occasion, not too sweet, moist and delicious – even better after it has been refrigerated for a day!!! Enjoy!

Notes on Oatmeal Stout from Wikipedia :  Oatmeal stouts usually do not specifically taste of oats. The smoothness of oatmeal stouts comes from the high content of proteins, lipids (includes fats and waxes), and gums imparted by the use of oats. The gums increase the viscosity and body adding to the sense of smoothness.