Chocolate Guinness Cake

This Guinness chocolate cake is a rich, moist, chocolate cake spiked with stout beer. Malty, sweet, and perfect for a St. Patrick's Day party.

A Slice of Chocolate Guinness Cake on a Plate

Simply Recipes / Elise Bauer

Get in the mood for St. Patrick's Day with this rich, chocolatey, moist, out-of-this-world chocolate guinness cake, adapted from Nigella Lawson by Simply Recipes contributor Garrett McCord. And for more ideas, see our St. Patrick's Day recipes section. ~Elise

A Slice of Chocolate Guinness Cake on a Plate and in the Background, a Bottle of Guinness and More in a Glass

Simply Recipes / Elise Bauer

Chocolate and Guinness, a Perfect Match

I'm not a big chocolate person. Nor am I a huge stout drinker. Yet, combine the two together for Guinness chocolate cake, and you have my attention.

The two ingredients have a lot of dark, husky flavor notes in common and combined with a bit of flour, sugar, and sour cream they blend into a rich as old money dessert that's perfect for any St. Patrick's day party.

How to Serve Chocolate Guinness Cake

A simple cream cheese frosting blends perfectly with the slightly bitter crumb and makes it all the better. This stout cake is best served with, you guessed it, a pint of stout or porter beer (such as Guinness). So be sure to buy a six-pack so you have enough to drink with your slice of cake.

This chocolate Guinness cake recipe is a riff on the classic Nigella Lawson recipe, but with some of the white refined sugar replaced with dark brown sugar which brings out some of the malty, twangy flavors of the beer; and a bit of salt added to highlight the chocolate. For something sweeter, use all white sugar and add a tablespoon more of cocoa powder.

A Slice of Chocolate Guinness Cake on a Cake Stand

Simply Recipes / Elise Bauer

How to Store and Freeze

The unfrosted cake can be made ahead. Tightly wrap the cooled cake and store it at room temperature for up to 5 days. Store the frosted cake in an airtight container at room temperature for a day or in the fridge for up to 3 days. Let come to room temperature before serving.

The unfrosted cake can be tightly wrapped in plastic wrap and then aluminum foil and frozen for up a month.

More Dishes for St. Patrick's Day

From the Editors Of Simply Recipes

Chocolate Guinness Cake

Prep Time 10 mins
Cook Time 60 mins
Total Time 70 mins
Servings 10 to 12 servings
Yield 1 (8 or 9-inch) cake

Ingredients

  • 1 cup Guinness Extra Stout

  • 10 tablespoons unsalted butter

  • 3/4 cup unsweetened natural cocoa

  • 1 1/2 cups superfine sugar

  • 1/2 cup dark brown sugar

  • 3/4 cup sour cream

  • 2 large eggs

  • 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour

  • 2 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

  • 1/2 cream cheese frosting recipe

Special Equipment

  • 8 or 9-inch springform pan

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.

    Grease a 8 or 9-inch springform pan with butter and line the bottom with a round of parchment paper.

  2. Heat the Guinness and butter, add the cocoa and sugar:

    In a large saucepan place the stout and butter. Cook over medium-high heat until the butter has melted. Add the cocoa powder and sugars and whisk together. Take off the heat and allow it to come to room temperature.

  3. Combine the wet ingredients:

    In another bowl beat together the sour cream, eggs, and vanilla extract until very, very well combined. Add to the butter-stout mixture and whisk together.

  4. Whisk in the dry ingredients:

    In another bowl whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Add to the stout-butter mixture and whisk together until it just comes together.

  5. Bake:

    Pour into the prepared pan and give the pan a few short drops onto the countertop to shake the air pockets in the batter to the surface and out of the cake. Bake at 350°F for 50 to 60 minutes.

  6. Cool:

    Allow to cool on a wire rack. Run a knife around the edge to separate the cake from the pan and pop the ring off the springform.

  7. Frost:

    Spread frosting on the cooled cake and serve.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
479 Calories
19g Fat
72g Carbs
5g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 10 to 12
Amount per serving
Calories 479
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 19g 24%
Saturated Fat 9g 45%
Cholesterol 65mg 22%
Sodium 382mg 17%
Total Carbohydrate 72g 26%
Dietary Fiber 2g 6%
Total Sugars 51g
Protein 5g
Vitamin C 0mg 1%
Calcium 34mg 3%
Iron 3mg 17%
Potassium 81mg 2%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. In cases where multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.