Chocolate Guinness Cake

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5 from 1 vote


Satisfy your sweet cravings with this Chocolate Guinness Cake – a delectable dessert that brings together the bold flavors of Guinness Stout and the sumptuousness of chocolate. Perfect for an American audience, this recipe strikes a harmonious balance between sweet and robust, ensuring a memorable treat for all.

image of a plate with a slice of guinness chocolate cake in the foreground and the whole cake with a sliced portion at the back, placed on a cake table

I’m not going to lie, I’m not a Guinness fan. The coveted “Meal in a Glass” is not for me.

Put it in a cake, however, and that is VERY much for me.

Far from tasting like a pint of beer, this cake is deliciously dark malty, and super moist.

Topped with a simple layer of cream cheese frosting, this is the easiest cake in the world to make and SO delicious!

collage of two images: on the left, a chocolate cake on a table with parchment paper; on the right, a cake with cream cheese frosting and a dusting of cocoa powder

(Also can we appreciate the new *non-Christmas-themed* cake stand?!)

image of a hand using a strainer to sprinkle cocoa powder onto a chocolate cake covered with cream cheese frosting

This really is the easiest cake to make. It’s literally a one-bowl mix, straight to the tin, cover it in a frosting kind of situation.

No cutting, no leveling, no fancy decoration. Just a good cake.

The mixture itself is extremely wet, almost like water, but don’t be alarmed, it will set as it cooks.

The batter consistency creates a beautifully light and fluffy cake that is just addictive.

Like seriously, don’t leave me near this cake.

close-up image of a cake being delicately sliced, with the slices being lifted by a hand using a cake slicer

So grab a slice and a fork and get stuck in!

close-up photo of a woman holding a plate with a slice of chocolate Guinness cake on it, along with a fork

Recipe from The Hummingbird Bakery’s book “Cake Days”

Chocolate Guinness Cake - Lauren Caris Cooks
Print Recipe
5 from 1 vote

Chocolate Guinness Cake

Satisfy your sweet cravings with this Chocolate Guinness Cake – a delectable dessert that brings together the bold flavors of Guinness Stout and the sumptuousness of chocolate. This recipe strikes a harmonious balance between sweet and robust, ensuring a memorable treat for all.
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time45 minutes
Total Time1 hour 5 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Irish
Diet: Vegetarian
Servings: 12 cake
Calories: 518kcal

Equipment

  • 1 round cake pan 9-inch
  • 1 saucepan
  • 1 stand mixer
  • 1 cooling rack
  • 1 offset spatula

Ingredients

Cake

  • 250 ml Guinness draught
  • 1 1/8 cups butter
  • 3/4 cup cocoa powder
  • 1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 tsp. vanilla extract
  • 2/3 cup buttermilk
  • 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 tsp. baking soda
  • ½ tsp. baking powder

Frosting

  • 1/4 cups butter
  • 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
  • 4.4 oz. cream cheese full-fat
  • cocoa powder for dusting (optional)

Instructions

  • Line a 9-inch round cake pan with parchment paper and preheat the oven to 338°F (170°C).
  • In a saucepan, add the Guinness and butter and heat on low heat until the butter is completely melted. Take the pan off the heat and whisk in the granulated sugar and cocoa powder to cool the mixture down. Add the eggs, vanilla, and buttermilk and whisk until you have a smooth batter.
  • In a stand mixer, combine the remaining dry ingredients and add the Guinness mixture until everything is smooth and well combined.
  • Pour the batter into the cake pan and bake for 45 minutes, or until a toothpick can be inserted and come out clean. Place the baked cake on a cooling rack to cool.
  • When the cake is fully cool, make the frosting. To make the frosting, beat the butter and powdered sugar in a stand mixer until you have a fine crumb mixture. Add the cream cheese and beat on high speed for 2-3 minutes. Using an offset spatula, frost the cooled cake and dust it with cocoa powder before serving.

Notes

If you do not have buttermilk, substitute the same amount of regular milk with 1 teaspoon of lemon juice added. 
Let it sit for a minute before using.

Nutrition

Calories: 518kcal | Carbohydrates: 67g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 27g | Saturated Fat: 16g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 95mg | Sodium: 473mg | Potassium: 156mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 45g | Vitamin A: 851IU | Calcium: 59mg | Iron: 2mg

Images by Lauren Caris Short.

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0 thoughts on “Chocolate Guinness Cake”

  1. Is this cake firm enough to cover with sugerpaste? Want to shape into a rugby ball and cover in sugerpaste then decorate

    Reply
    • Hi Davina, I don’t think it’s the ideal texture as it’s a very moist, soft cake, don’t think it would do too well as a rugby ball then fondant covered. Something like a madeira cake would work better for that. Maybe you could make this recipe into little cupcakes for the size and just reduce the cooking time?

    • Hi Sara, yes definitely just don’t frost it until you want to use it, otherwise the frosting will go a funny consistency when it defrosts. You can still make the frosting ahead and freeze it in an airtight container, but once it comes to room temperature give it another quick whip up before you frost the cake.

      Probably best to let the cake come to room temperature overnight to avoid any dry or sogginess. Hope it goes well!