Guinness Stout beer contributes to the amazing moist texture and flavor of this chocolate cake.  Guinness contains both coffee and caramel flavors that greatly complement the rich cocoa flavor and coffee buttercream totally sends this cake over the top!  It’s a great cake for St. Patrick’s day or any occasion!

Guinness Chocolate Cake.

I asked my friends what they thought I should make for St. Patrick’s Day this year.  They suggested making something with Guinness.  The thought of Guinness had never entered my mind, so I started thinking about what would go great with Guinness.  I did a google search and realized that Guinness and chocolate are a perfect duo.

Guinness Stout contains coffee and caramelized flavors and it intensifies the flavor of chocolate and also adds a malty background.  It’s important to allow the foam to dissipate before measuring the beer.

CHOCOLATE, BEER, FLAVOR & TEXTURE

I used my favorite chocolate cake recipe here, substituting Guinness Stout for the coffee in the recipe.  As I mentioned, the Guinness Stout contains coffee and caramel flavors, which is a great complement to the chocolate.

Guinness Chocolate Cake.

I used a good quality dutch process cocoa in this recipe for a rich chocolate flavor.  Chocolate tends to draw moisture from baked goods, so you need to make sure there is a perfect ratio of liquid to chocolate to balance out the moistness.  Besides the Guinness, I used a stick of melted butter and 1 cup of buttermilk in this recipe.   If you don’t have dutch processed cocoa, feel free to use regular cocoa such as Hershey’s.  You won’t believe how flavorful and moist this cake is.

PREPARING THE CAKE PANS

Any time you prepare cake pans for a chocolate cake, reach for cocoa powder, not flour.  For this cake, I cut rounds of wax paper to fit 8-inch round cake pans.  Then I buttered the wax paper rounds and the insides of each pan and dusted them with cocoa powder.

HOW TO MAKE CHOCOLATE CHARDS FOR THE TOP (OPTIONAL)

Use a good quality 4-ounce chocolate bar that contains at least 60 percent cacao.  Break the chocolate bar into pieces and microwave in a microwave-safe bowl for 30 seconds.  Stir once with a spoon and microwave for about 20 additional seconds if necessary.

Using an offset spatula, spread the chocolate evenly onto a parchment-lined cookie sheet.  Allow the chocolate to become set.  (I placed the pan outside on my deck since it was cold outside and it set within 10 minutes).  Once the chocolate is set, use a large sharp knife and cut the chocolate into chards.  Place the chards on top of the cake.

Guinness chocolate cake.

COFFEE BUTTERCREAM

For the Coffee Buttercream, I made a regular buttercream replacing the milk with strong coffee.  The buttercream greatly complements the cake!

Guiness chocolate cake.

I hope you’ll make this amazingly moist and delicious Guinness Chocolate Cake for St. Patrick’s Day!  Your friends and family will love it.

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Guinness Chocolate Cake

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  • Author: Cindy Gibbs
  • Prep Time: 30 Minutes
  • Cook Time: 35 Minutes
  • Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
  • Yield: 8 Servings 1x
  • Category: Cakes
  • Method: Bake
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Description

Guinness Stout beer contributes to the amazing moist texture and flavor of this chocolate cake.  Guinness contains both coffee and carmelized flavors that greatly complement the rich cocoa flavor and coffee buttercream totally sends this cake over the top!  

Ingredients

Units Scale

CAKE

  • 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 3/4 cup good quality cocoa
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt
  • 2 cups granulated sugar
  • 1 stick unsalted butter, melted
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1 cup full-fat buttermilk
  • 1 cup Guinness Stout beer (1 cup without foam)
  • Cocoa powder for dusting pans

COFFEE BUTTERCREAM

  • 2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 4 1/2 cups powdered sugar
  • 1/4 cup strong coffee, room temperature

CHOCOLATE CHARDS

1 bar Ghirardelli chocolate, 4 ounces, (or other good quality chocolate)

Instructions

CAKE

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line two 8-inch round cake pans with wax paper rounds.  Butter the insides of the pans and the wax paper.  Dust the insides and the wax paper with cocoa powder, (don’t use flour).  Tap off excess cocoa and set pans aside.
  2. To a medium mixing bowl, add the flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.  Whisk ingredients together until well combined and set aside.
  3. Add the sugar, butter, eggs and vanilla to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or use a hand mixer.  Mix on medium speed for about 2 minutes to thoroughly combine.  Add the dry ingredients and buttermilk alternately in thirds, starting with the flour.  Mix to incorporate but don’t overmix the dry ingredients.  Add the beer and mix just enough to incorporate.
  4. Transfer cake batter to pans, and tap on a counter to level batter and get rid of any air bubbles.  Bake cakes until a toothpick inserted in the centers comes out clean, approximately 35 minutes.  Cool in the pans for 15 minutes.  Run a sharp knife around the edges and invert cakes onto a wire rack, peel off the wax paper, and allow to cool completely.

COFFEE BUTTERCREAM

  1. Add the butter to the bowl of a stand mixer fiitted with the paddle attachment, or use a hand mixer.  Beat the butter on high speed for about 1 minute until it is light and creamy.  Add the salt and vanilla and mix for a few seconds to incorporate.  Sift 2 cups of the powdered sugar into the mixing bowl.  Add 1/2 of the coffee and beat on medium speed to incorporate the sugar, then beat on high speed for about 30 seconds.  Repeat with 2 more cups of the powdered sugar and the remaining coffee.  Add the remaining 1/2 cup of powdered sugar gradually until the buttercream is the perfect spreading consistency. Spread frosting in a thick layer between the layers and on top.  Garnish with chocolate chards.

CHOCOLATE CHARDS

  1. Break the chocolate into pieces and place in small microwave safe bowl.  Microwave for 30 seconds.  Stir once with a spatula and microwave for an additional 20 seconds.  Stir the chocolate until it finishes melting.  Using an offset spatula, spread the chocolate in a thin layer on a parchment lined baking sheet.  Allow to cool completely.  )I place it in a freezer for about 10 minutes).  Using a sharp knife, cut the chocolate into chards.  Note:  I cut the chards into pieces that resemble long triangles.  Decorate the top of the cake with the chocolate chards.

Notes

  • This cake will stay fresh for up to 2 days at room temperature and can be refrigerated for up to 5 days.  I recommend refrigerating it.