Description
Guinness chocolate cake brings Irish spirit to dessert tables with rich, deep chocolate flavors melding perfectly with smooth stout. Dark and luscious layers embrace classic buttercream, delivering a memorable slice of Ireland’s culinary charm you’ll savor to the last crumb.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup Guinness beer
- ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- ¾ cup sour cream or plain full-fat yogurt
Leavening and Seasoning Ingredients:
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon fine salt
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
Wet and Flavor Ingredients:
- 3 large eggs
- ½ cup fresh vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Irish Buttercream Ingredients:
- 4 sticks (1 pound / 454 grams) unsalted butter
- 6 cups powdered sugar
- ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons Irish cream
Chocolate Drip Ingredients:
- 4 ounces (113 grams) semisweet or bittersweet chocolate
- ½ cup heavy cream
Instructions
- Prepare workspace by heating oven to 350°F (175°C) and positioning rack in center.
- Thoroughly coat two 8-inch round cake pans with butter, then dust with flour. Line bottom with parchment paper for easy removal.
- Sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt in a large mixing bowl to eliminate potential lumps and ensure even distribution.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together sour cream, vegetable oil, large eggs, pure vanilla extract, and Guinness stout until smoothly combined.
- Gradually fold liquid mixture into dry ingredients, stirring gently until just incorporated. Avoid overmixing to maintain cake’s delicate texture.
- Evenly distribute batter between prepared cake pans, using a spatula to smooth surfaces.
- Bake in preheated oven for 35-40 minutes, rotating pans halfway through to ensure uniform cooking. Test doneness by inserting a toothpick that comes out clean.
- Remove cakes and let rest in pans for 15 minutes to stabilize structure.
- Carefully transfer layers to wire cooling rack, allowing complete cooling for approximately 1 hour.
- Place cooled cake layers in freezer for 30 minutes to facilitate easier frosting.
- Cream softened unsalted butter in a stand mixer until light and fluffy, approximately 3-4 minutes.
- Incrementally add powdered sugar, mixing on low speed to prevent sugar clouds.
- Pour Irish cream liqueur into buttercream, blending until silky and consistent.
- Apply initial thin crumb coat to cake layers, then refrigerate for 15 minutes to set.
- Generously frost cake with remaining buttercream, creating smooth, even layers.
- Prepare chocolate ganache drip by warming heavy cream and mixing with dark chocolate.
- Carefully drip ganache around cake edges, allowing elegant cascading effect.
- Garnish with optional chocolate shavings or decorative elements as desired.
Notes
- Capture the rich, malty depth of Guinness by ensuring all ingredients are at room temperature for seamless blending.
- Prevent dry cake by avoiding overmixing, which can develop tough gluten structures and compromise the tender crumb.
- Enhance chocolate intensity by using high-quality dark cocoa powder and allowing cake layers to cool completely before frosting.
- Store leftover cake covered in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, bringing to room temperature before serving for optimal flavor and texture.
- Create clean cake layers by using a serrated knife to level tops and ensuring even frosting application for a professional finish.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Desserts, Drinks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Irish
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 12
- Calories: 738 kcal
- Sugar: 72g
- Sodium: 375mg
- Fat: 49g
- Saturated Fat: 30g
- Unsaturated Fat: 19g
- Trans Fat: 0.5g
- Carbohydrates: 83g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 6g
- Cholesterol: 112mg