Milk Stout Chocolate Cake – Fustini's Oils & Vinegars

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups cocoa powder
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1 tablespoon baking soda
• 1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 3 cups sugar
• 3 eggs
• 1 1/2 cups buttermilk
• 1 1/2 teaspoons Fustini’s Expresso Bean balsamic
• 1 1/2 cups milk stout beer, hot
• 1 packet (2 1/4 tsp. 1/4 oz.) unflavored gelatin powder
• 1⁄4 cup (2 oz.) cool tap water to bloom the gelatin
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract and/or 1 vanilla bean
• 3⁄4 cup (6 oz.) water for the sugar syrup
• 3⁄4 cup plus 2 tablespoons light corn syrup
• 2 cups (14 1/2 oz.) sugar
• 1⁄2 tsp. Diamond Crystal kosher salt (half as much if iodized)
• 5 sticks (20 oz.) unsalted butter, soft but cool–about 65°F