Guinness Chocolate Cake
This Guinness chocolate cake is rich, moist, and deeply chocolatey, with malty undertones and a smooth Baileys frosting. It’s a cake you don’t want to miss!
Guinness and chocolate have been paired in desserts for years, particularly in Irish-inspired baking, where stout beer is used to add depth and moisture to cakes, brownies, and puddings. It’s the same combo I use in my Guinness brownies, and it’s amazing!
The slight bitterness of Guinness balances the sweetness of the cake, creating a rich, complex flavor with a soft, moist crumb. As it bakes, the smell of cocoa, vanilla, and malt makes it almost impossible to wait for the first bite.
Topped with a silky Baileys frosting, this cake can’t get any better.
Want more chocolate desserts? Try our earthquake cake, chocolate peanut butter bundt cake, and best chocolate cake recipes!
Why Use Guinness in Chocolate Cake?
If you’ve never baked with beer before, you might be thinking, Guinness in a cake? Really? But trust me. It works. And not just in a gimmicky way.
Guinness brings out the best in chocolate, giving the cake a depth and richness that’s hard to achieve with cocoa alone.
- It deepens the chocolate flavor. Think of it like adding a pinch of salt to caramel sauce. It enhances what’s already there. The roasted malts in Guinness pair perfectly with cocoa, making the chocolate taste bolder, darker, and more intense.
- It keeps the cake moist. No one wants a dry chocolate cake. The carbonation and liquid content from the stout help create a soft, tender crumb that stays moist for days.
- It balances the sweetness. This isn’t your typical sugar-loaded cake. The slight bitterness of the beer cuts through the richness, giving you a cake that’s sweet but not sickeningly sweet.
- It’s like coffee, but different. You’ve probably heard of adding coffee to chocolate cake to intensify the flavor. Guinness does something similar, but with an extra layer of warmth and maltiness that takes it to another level.
Do I Need to Reduce the Guinness?
Nope, reducing the Guinness isn’t a must but if you want to amp up the malty flavor, it’s easy to do. Simmering the stout until it reduces by half concentrates its flavors, making the chocolate taste even bolder.
If you go this route, start with 2 cups of Guinness and cook it down to 1 cup, then let it cool before adding it to the batter. Either way, you’ll get a moist, flavorful cake, but the reduced version packs an extra punch!
Tips for the Best Guinness Chocolate Cake
- Use fresh baking powder and baking soda: These are the secret to a perfectly risen cake. Expired leavening agents can leave you with a dense, flat cake.
- Let the stovetop mixture cool slightly: Pouring it in too hot can scramble the eggs. Not exactly what we want in a chocolate cake! Give it some time to cool before mixing.
- Don’t overmix: Mixing too much can make the cake tough. A few lumps in the batter are fine.
- Room temperature butter for the frosting: Soft butter blends smoothly, giving you a creamy frosting that spreads like a dream.
Draught or Extra Stout—Which One Should I Use?
Either works! Guinness Draught is smoother and creamier, giving the cake a slightly milder malt flavor, while Guinness Extra Stout has a bolder, more roasted taste that deepens the chocolate richness even more.
If you like a more pronounced stout flavor, go with Extra Stout. Want something a little softer? Stick with Draught.
Storing and Making Ahead
- Refrigerator: Refrigerate any leftovers in an airtight container for up to five days.
- Make-ahead option: The cake can be baked a day in advance and stored unfrosted. The frosting can also be made ahead and kept in the fridge. Just let it soften before spreading.
More St. Patrick’s Day Recipes
Ingredients
For the Cake
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup sour cream, room temperature
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup Guinness Extra Stout beer
- 1 cup unsalted butter, cut into pieces
- ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 cups granulated sugar
For the Baileys Frosting
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- ¼ cup Baileys Irish Cream liqueur
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
To Make the Cake
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9×13-inch baking pan.
- In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.3 cups all-purpose flour1 tablespoon baking powder½ teaspoon baking soda½ teaspoon salt
- In a large bowl, whisk the sour cream, eggs, and vanilla extract until smooth.1 cup sour cream3 large eggs1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- In a saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter with the Guinness. Whisk in the cocoa powder and sugar until smooth. Let cool for 10-15 minutes.1 cup Guinness Extra Stout beer1 cup unsalted butter¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder2 cups granulated sugar
- Gradually whisk the chocolate mixture into the wet ingredients. Stir until combined.
- Gently fold in the dry ingredients, mixing until just combined. Do not overmix.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 45-50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool completely.
To Make the Frosting
- Beat the butter until light and fluffy. Gradually mix in the powdered sugar.1 cup unsalted butter4 cups powdered sugar
- Add the Baileys and vanilla extract, then beat until smooth and creamy.¼ cup Baileys Irish Cream liqueur1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Spread the frosting evenly over the cooled cake. Slice and serve.
Notes
- Servings: This cake makes anywhere from 12-20 servings. The calories provided are based on 1 slice of cake assuming the cake is cut into 20 equal slices.
- Storage: Store leftover cake in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to five days.
- Overmixing: Make sure not to overmix the batter; otherwise, the cake becomes dense and tough.
- Frosting: The alcohol doesn’t cook out of the frosting, but it does cook out of the cake.