Beer is becoming the new wine. With the growing trend of beer as a cooking ingredient, combined with the rise of the craft beer industry, the variety of foods and beers available to consumers has never been more diverse and flavorful.
Combining these trends, along with the impending March Madness (NCAA basketball tournament), is the second annual “Betty Bracket” program presented by Betty Crocker and sports-loving actor and popular TV personality Mario Lopez.
So, while your hubby may be focusing on the NCAA Brackets – we’re gonna take part in Betty’s Brackets ! We’ll be featuring a new fave recipe from the 16 Recipe Betty Bracket Program daily…and you don’t even have to be a basketball fan to thoroughly enjoy this bracket !
The Betty Bracket program creates the ultimate recipe tip-off between eight savory “Beer Meets Bar Food” recipes and eight sweet “Beer Meets Bakery” recipes. Each of the recipes features beer as an ingredient to provide a unique flavor and to help deliver the perfect assist to any viewing party. During three rounds of voting, you cancast your vote online to determine the nation’s top party food.
The sweet and savory brackets are made up of four smaller brackets – “Cheesetastic”, “Meaty Eats”, “Chocolate!”, and “Sweet Treats” – and include ideas like Beer Queso Nachos and Black and Tan Beer Pops, which plays upon the current craze for frozen pops. Also, just in time for St. Patrick’s Day, there are four new chocolate stout recipes that capitalize on the festive flavor of Guinness and other stout beers.
Some interesting tips about cooking with beer:
Beer has a tenderizing effect and is a perfect matchup for meat-based recipes
Beer helps keep baked good moist and fresh, while adding a little extra puff
The beer flavors will be enhanced in those recipes with a longer cooking time
Craft beers are ideal as a cooking ingredient due to the quality and variety of flavors available
And of course, we’ve selected the Beer Meets Bakery Bracket to get started, featuring Betty’s Chocolate Bracket and the Sweet Treats Bracket to share with you…hmmm…wonder why ?
I love this recipe because it has minimal ingredient requirements and is budget friendly !
Tall, Dark and Stout Chocolate Layer Cake – Rich layers of chocolate cake, combined with stout beer and caramel, make for an extra-dreamy dessert indulgence.
PREP TIME:
40 min
TOTAL TIME:
6 hr 30 min
SERVINGS:
16
CAKE INGREDIENTS:
1 box of Betty Crocker® SuperMoist® devil’s food cake mix
1 1/4 cups stout beer
1/3 cup vegetable oil
3 eggs
CHOCOLATE FROSTING INGREDIENTS:
12 oz semisweet baking chocolate, finely chopped
1 1/2 cups whipping cream
1/2 cup butter
CARAMEL FILLING:
6 tablespoons caramel topping
STEP 1:
Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pans). Grease bottoms only of three 9- or 8-inch round cake pans. Make cake batter as directed on box, using cake mix, beer, the oil and eggs. Pour about 1 1/2 cups batter into each pan.
STEP 2:
Bake 18 to 22 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes before removing from pans. Cool completely.
STEP 3:
Meanwhile, for frosting, place chocolate in medium mixing bowl. In 2-quart saucepan, heat whipping cream and butter to just boiling over medium heat. Pour cream mixture over chocolate; stir with whisk until melted and smooth. Cover and refrigerate about 3 to 4 hours or until spreading consistency.
STEP 4:
Place 1 cake layer on serving plate. Frost top of layer with 1 cup of the frosting. Drizzle with 3 tablespoons caramel topping. Top with another cake layer, 1 cup of the frosting and remaining 3 tablespoons caramel topping. Top with remaining cake layer and frosting. Garnish with chunks of chocolate covered caramels with sea salt, if desired. Refrigerate cake at least 2 hours before serving. Store loosely covered in refrigerator.
All I can say is ….Yum !! And don’t forget to get Coupons for your ingredients in our COUPON DATABASE
Will you be testing this one out ?
©Betty Crocker 2012 – Betty Crocker provided all recipes and images for the purpose of publishing to readers at frugalfabulousfinds.com.
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