Cooking the Books: Murder at an Irish Bakery by Carlene O’Connor

Garda Siobhan O’Sullivan is excited that a nationally televised baking competition is coming to her village of Kilbane, Ireland. Famed bakers from all over the country will converge on the Pie Pie Love bakery, housed in a now-defunct flour mill, to compete for the chance to win not only bragging rights but also 200,000 euros. The biggest star among these contestants is Aoife McBride, the undisputed queen of Irish baking and the hands-down favorite to win it all.

Having been assigned to provide security to the event, Siobhan is envisioning a fun few days filled with sampling baked goods and hobnobbing with cooking celebrities, so she’s rather surprised to find that her professional skills are required even before the contestants arrive on set. A loud young man is vigorously protesting the entire production, claiming that sugar kills and that the bakers are all mass murderers in their own way. Siobhan tries to reason with him—the cameras aren’t even rolling yet, for goodness’ sake, so why is he straining his voice so early?—but the issue is taken out of her hands when the man abruptly drops dead. Siobhan’s first assumption is a fatal allergic reaction. But as the competition begins in earnest, she can’t help but wonder whether he was actually murdered.

Tensions are already running high on set even without the shadow of death lingering over the competition. The show is set up less like a traditional cookoff and more like a catty reality show with unpleasant twists and surprises. Being a garda, Siobhan is not fond of surprises. When the worst happens and a contestant dies, it looks like another freak accident. Siobhan doesn’t believe in coincidences like these, though, and is certain that at least one—if not both—of the recently departed were murdered.

When she’s proven right, it swiftly becomes a game of cat and mouse, as Siobhan and her husband, Detective Sergeant Macdara Flannery, must unmask a cunning killer lurking in plain sight. How high will the body count go before a murderer is found out and brought to justice?

This ninth Irish Village Mystery is an entertaining brainteaser wrapped in oodles of humor and charm. Siobhan and Macdara are so cute together; it’s impossible not to root for them. It’s also great to follow along as Siobhan’s siblings work on opening their restaurant together. I’m excited to see how that progresses in future books!

There was one recipe included here, adapted from a recipe by the Cooking Goddess herself, Nigella Lawson:

Chocolate Guinness Cake

Cake Ingredients

Butter (for the pan)

1 cup Guinness stout

10 tablespoons (1 stick and 2 tablespoons) unsalted Kerrygold Irish butter (or any butter, but of course we recommend Kerrygold)

¾ cup unsweetened cocoa

2 cups superfine sugar

¾ cup sour cream

2 large eggs

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 ½ teaspoons baking soda

Topping Ingredients

1 ½ cups confectioners sugar

8 ounces cream cheese (room temperature)

½ cup heavy cream

Cake Instructions

Preheat cooker (oven) to 350 degrees. Butter a 9-inch springform pan and line with parchment paper. In a large saucepan, combine Guinness and butter. Place over medium-low heat. When butter melts remove from heat. Add cocoa and superfine sugar, then whisk.

In a small bowl, combine: sour cream, eggs, and vanilla. Mix well. Add to the Guinness mixture. Now the flour and baking soda. Whisk until smooth.

Into the buttered pan she goes, and bake until risen and firm, 45 minutes to one hour. Place pan on a wire rack and cool completely in pan.

Topping Instructions

In a food processor or by hand, combine confectioners sugar (break up lumps) and cream cheese and blend until smooth. Add heavy cream, mix until spreadable.

Remove cake from pan. Place on a platter or cake stand. Ice top of cake, make it look like a nice pint of Guinness with a frothy head.

I foolishly forgot that springform pans are taller than your average baking pan, so I had to split this between two regular cake pans. I estimated a shorter baking time but still think I could have pulled the cake out sooner to keep it moister. I also should have made more icing, as my children never tire of reminding me.

For all that, this came out quite well! The cake wasn’t too sweet, though I fear I may have overbaked the richness out of it. And for once, I actually agree with my kids about the icing. I definitely did not manage to make my cake look like a pint of Guinness, but it still came out prettily enough overall.

Next week, we fly not only back across the pond but across the continent to solve murders past and present while making a delicious vegetarian meal. Do join me!

See alsoCooking the Books: Irish Knit Murder by Peggy Ehrhart

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    Great job on adapting to the springform pan mishap! Splitting the cake between regular pans was a clever solution. Adjusting the baking time shows your attentiveness, and it’s always a learning experience to determine the perfect level of moisture. It’s understandable that your children wanted more icing; they have such a sweet tooth! Despite the minor setbacks, it’s fantastic that the cake wasn’t overly sweet, and the overall outcome was pleasing. Don’t worry about the Guinness appearance; sometimes a pretty cake is all you need. Well done!

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