Chocolate stout cake with Irish cream buttercream

Instructions

1. Heat your oven to 180°C (350°F) and lightly grease two 23 cm (9 inch) round cake pans with non-stick cooking spray. Line the bottom of each pan with a circle of baking (parchment paper) and set aside.
2. In a large bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Whisk well to combine and set aside.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, oil, eggs, vanilla and instant espresso powder. Add about a third of the dry ingredients to this wet mixture, mixing until almost combined then stir in half of the stout. Continue with another third of dry ingredients, the remaining stout, and the remaining dry, mixing after each addition. Alternatively, you can mix everything all at once but it might be a bit tricky to get the mixture going.
4. Divide the batter between the prepared pans and bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until the centre of the cakes are set and springy or a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean. Allow the cakes to cool in their pans for at least 20 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack and cooling completely to room temperature.
5. Meanwhile, make the buttercream by beating together the butter and cream cheese using a hand or stand mixer on medium speed, scraping down the bowl a few times to evenly combine. With your mixer on low, beat in the icing sugar about a cup at a time until smooth and creamy, scraping the bowl after each addition. Add in the salt and vanilla, turn the mixer up to high, and beat for 1 minute. Beat in ¼ cup (60 ml) of cream or Irish cream, adding more cream or icing sugar if needed to reach a thick, spreadable consistency. 
6. Place one of the cooled cakes flat side down onto a cake pedestal or plate and top with a thick layer of the buttercream. If you’d like to add any additional fillings, scatter or drizzle over the buttercream. Place the second cake flat side up and spread the remaining frosting evenly over the top and sides of the cake. (Alternatively, you can reserve a little of the frosting and use to pipe decorations.)