The Yummiest Chocolate Cake
This Guinness chocolate cake recipe is rich, fudgy, and one of my all-time favorites. ♡
I’ve been baking some version of this recipe — a slight adaptation of Nigella’s famous Guinness cake — for over a decade now. And it’s one of those recipes that is always, always a winner. The added stout doesn’t make the cake taste boozy at all. But instead, deepens the cocoa flavor and gives the crumb this ultra-moist, almost velvety texture that is just perfection.
Over the years, I’ve made a few small tweaks to the recipe — a pinch of espresso powder to dial up the chocolate, a slightly fluffier, more buttery cream cheese frosting, small adjustments here and there. It’s the kind of cake that’s perfect for St. Patrick’s Day or a cozy weekend baking project anytime you just want a really, really good chocolate cake. I promise you’re going to love it.
Recipe Tips
This is a wonderfully forgiving cake, but these small tips will help it turn out extra great every time:
- Use regular Guinness Draught. Extra Stout can push the bitterness a bit too far here.
- Don’t let the beer boil. Warm it just until the butter melts — boiling can dull the chocolate flavor.
- Sift the cocoa powder and powdered sugar. I’m generally one to skip sifting steps when I see them in recipes. But cocoa loves to clump, and sifting keeps the batter silky smooth. Sifting the powdered sugar for the frosting also makes it extra smooth.
- Stop mixing once the flour is in. Over-mixing can make this cake dense instead of tender, so mix until the dry ingredients are just combined.
Recipe Variations
If you feel like playing around, here are a few of my favorite ways to customize this cake:
- Add chocolate chips to the batter for little pockets of melted chocolate.
- Swap the espresso powder for instant coffee granules or omit it entirely if you prefer.
- Add orange zest to the batter for a subtle chocolate-orange vibe.
- Swap sour cream for full-fat Greek yogurt if that’s what you have on hand.
- Turn it into cupcakes by baking for about 18–22 minutes.
- Add a splash of Irish cream to the frosting for a boozy twist.
FAQ
Not at all. The Guinness deepens the chocolate flavor but doesn’t taste distinctly beer-ish.
A 10-inch springform will work (the cake will just be a bit shorter and may bake a few minutes faster). You can also use two 8-inch round pans and turn it into a layer cake — just start checking for doneness around 30–35 minutes. A 9×13-inch pan works too for a more casual, sheet-cake vibe — just bake for about 35–40 minutes and frost right in the pan.
Because of the cream cheese frosting, yes, I recommend storing it in the refrigerator once it’s frosted. That said, it tastes best at room temperature, so I like to pull slices out about 30 minutes before serving.
The unfrosted cake freezes beautifully for up to 2 months. Wrap it tightly and thaw overnight.
Guinness Chocolate Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients
For The Chocolate Guinness Cake:
- 2 cups Guinness (or other stout)
- 2 cups (4 sticks) unsalted butter
- 1 1/2 cups dark chocolate unsweetened cocoa powder (or regular unsweetened cocoa powder)
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- 4 cups sugar
- 1 Tbsp. baking soda
- 2 tsp. salt
- 4 large eggs
- 1 1/3 cups sour cream
For The Cream Cheese Frosting:
- 3 (8 oz.) bricks cream cheese, room temperature
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 Tbsp. vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 6 cups powdered sugar
Instructions
To Make The Cake:
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Butter three 8-inch round cake pans with 2-inch-high sides, and line the bottoms of the pans with parchment paper. Butter paper.
- Bring the Guinness and 2 cups butter to simmer in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add cocoa powder and whisk until mixture is smooth and no lumps remain. Transfer the mixture to the freezer and let cool for 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, whisk flour, sugar, baking soda, and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt in large bowl to blend.
- In a stand mixer, beat the eggs and sour cream on medium speed until combined. Add the slightly-cooled Guinness mixture to the egg mixture, and beat on low speed just until combined. Add flour mixture and beat briefly on slow speed for 10 seconds. Using rubber spatula, fold batter the rest of the way until completely combined. Divide batter equally among prepared pans. (I use a kitchen scale to be sure that the cakes are even.)
- Bake cakes until a toothpick inserted into center of cakes comes out clean, about 35-40 minutes. Transfer cakes (within their pans) to rack, and cool 10 minutes. Then carefully turn cakes out onto rack and cool completely. Frost with cream cheese frosting once cooled. Keep cake covered in a sealed container, and refrigerate for up to 3 days, although this cake is best enjoyed the day it is made!
To Make The Frosting:
- Using an electric mixer, cream together cream cheese and butter on medium speed for 1 minute or until smooth with no lumps remaining. Add in vanilla extract and salt, and continue mixing until combined. Lower speed to medium-low and gradually add in powdered sugar. Increase speed to medium-high and beat until combined. If frosting is too thick, you can add in a teaspoon or two of water. If it is too thin, you can add in more powdered sugar.
Notes
Did you make this?Let me know how it turned out in the comments below!
What a fun week! And I love the amount of cream cheese frosting on this. All other frosting? Eww. But put some cream cheese in there and just give me the bowl and a spoon. No cake needed! ;)
But if I did need a cake, I’d want it to be this one. :)
I’ve made Guinness chocolate cupcakes before but instead of regular cream cheese frosting I made Bailey’s cream cheese frosting. It was amazing. Try it!
I love you’re doing Guinness Week and this cake! Oh my! My favorite dessert/cake combo is chocolate and cream cheese. Sounds amazing! I also read your Aldi posts. I’ve never shopped at Aldi. My mom does. We only have 1 locally and it isn’t anywhere close to me but now I’m totally curious and next time I’m in the area I’m stopping in! Hope you’re doing well. It’s been a while. :)
This is just heaven covered in frosting!! Have I told you lately I love you?
Oh. My. GOODNESS! And, I mean Guinness Goodness! Wow. This sounds AMAZING! And, perfect timing for my Irish husband’s upcoming birthday this week! THIS will be his birthday cake for SURE! Thank you for the inspiration. :) LOVE your blog. LOVE IT! Will definitely need to blog about his bday cake and give props to you! Thanks!
~doreen at whereisyourhappyplace.blogspot.com
Yum! This cake looks divine!
That is one gorgeous cake Ali! I’ve been meaning to make a Guinness cake this year, yours is so calling my name!
Wow! THat is seriously an amazing looking cake. I have actually never baked with beer, but I am convinced I need to give it a try! And all the frosting coming out of the layers…swoon!!!!
you should try Guinness cake with Bailey’s frosting… so good! i’ve had people asking me to make those cupcakes again since last st. patrick’s day. :)
I don’t usually like Guinness, but I can totally get on board with a cake like this! It’s gorgeous!