I saw Nigella once.
And there she was.
The Domestic Goddess herself.
Just sauntering past me.
Now this is Kate Middleton's stomping ground, and locals must be used to seeing Very Important People Who Feature Regularly in Hello Magazine strolling in their midst. No one battered a very-expensively-mascarad eyelid as Nigella swept by.
I meanwhile, awestruck, flattened myself against the nearest shop window, in incredible wonder that Nigella was within touching distance! Heck, I could have reached out and poked the Domestic Goddess!
(The irony wasn't lost on me that I'd suctioned myself onto a Boot's shop window, at the time advertising some miracle anti ageing cream. So there I was plastered onto an advert for wrinkles while the woman with THE MOST FLAWLESS SKIN IN THE WORLD EVER passed by)
Did I ask for her autograph? Did I compliment Nigella on her Devil's Food Cake? Did I ask for the secrets of her skincare regime?
I did none of the above.
I starred, open mouthed, gave an involuntary bow and hyperventilated.
Afterwards, once I'd recovered, I congratulated myself on having a new Number 1 Celebrity Spot. Nigella stormed to the Number 1 position. The previous occupant had been Pat Sharp, off of Fun House, spotted on a late night Birmingham New Street to Aberystwyth train eleven years ago*.
Anyways, all this is a lengthy preamble to introducing my first contribution to Forever Nigella: Chocolate Guinness Cake.
Forever Nigella is a really lovely blogging challenge involving all things Nigella, and created by Sarah at Maison Cupcake. This month the theme is iced or chilled desserts and is hosted by Arthi at Soul Curry.

You may rightly question how this particular bake qualifies as 'an iced or chilled dessert'. Well, I figured that Chocolate Guinness Cake ought to really be enjoyed with a cold glass of the Irish stout that gives the cake its name, which is ideally served iced cold. This, I agree, is a very tenous link, but I have my fingers crossed that it counts.
The original recipe for Chocolate Guinness Cake is from How to be A Domestic Goddess and can be found here, on Nigella's website.
Baker's notes....
- When removed from the oven, it does have a certain 'aroma'; as A delicately put it: 'It smells kinda earthy and musty, like soil, doesn't it?'. Upon which I refused to give him a slice until he had apologised, and meant it.
- If I'm honest I was a little dubious as I decanted the Guinness into the cake, but, it lent itself to a beautifully dense, rich and chocolately cake.
- And the sweet, more-ish cream cheese frosting perfectly resembles the creamy Guinness head.
* It remains my lifetime ambition to appear on this show with Pat and the twins.