Rich Guinness Chocolate Cake

Guinness Chocolate Cake layered with silky old-fashioned chocolate ermine frosting, brushed with Guinness syrup and finished with glossy chocolate ganache. A show-stopping chocolate stout cake that’s perfect for St. Patrick’s Day celebrations and a must for chocolate lovers everywhere! ☘️

Dessert with Irish Flair!

Guinness is one of Ireland’s most famous exports and I personally love it – it’s my usual pub order! If you are not familiar, Guinness is a dark stout with roasted, malty flavors. It has a complex and smooth flavor with notes of coffee, cocoa and toasted bread, mild bitterness and almost no sweetness.

Chocolate stout cakes became popular in the UK and Ireland as bakers discovered how well this dark elixir pairs with cocoa. The roasted barley and malty notes in Guinness amplifies chocolate flavor much like coffee does. You don’t have to worry about the cake being boozy or tasting bitter however – you won’t actually detect the beer when enjoying a slice!

What You’ll Need

• All purpose flour (plain flour): provides structure while keeping the crumb tender.
• Sugar: Granulated or light brown sugar balances the bitterness from cocoa and stout and keeps the cake moist.
• Cocoa powder: Use good-quality unsweetened cocoa for deep chocolate flavor.
• Baking powder & baking soda: Work together to give lift and a soft crumb.
• Unsalted butter: Adds richness and classic cake flavor.
• Guinness: Enhances chocolate flavor with roasted, malty depth and keeps the cake moist and fudgy. I am also making a reduced Guinness sugar syrup for added flavor!
• The frosting uses whole milk, flour, chocolate chips, unsalted butter, sugar and vanilla.
• And finally our ganache topping uses chocolate chips, heavy cream, vegetable oil and some of the syrup.

How to Make Guinness Chocolate Cake

Prepare the Cake

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Mist two 20 inch round pans with cake release and line with baking paper.
2. Add the flour, cocoa powder and sugar in large bowl or the bowl of your stand mixer. Add the baking powder, baking soda and salt and stir together using a balloon whisk.
3. Add the cubed butter and beat together on low speed until you have a sandy texture.
4. Combine the Guinness and eggs in a measuring jug and add to the bowl. Beat together on low speed, increasing the speed gradually until the batter is completely smooth. Stop the mixer and scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed to make sure the butter is smooth.
5. Divide the batter between the two prepared pans and level. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until the cake is springy to the touch.
6. Cool the cakes in the pans to 5 minutes then carefully invert onto a rack to cool down.

Make the Syrup

1. Add Guinness and sugar into a saucepan and bring to a simmer over low heat, stirring constantly until the sugar has dissolved and you have a smooth syrup.
2. Brush some of the hot syrup over the cake layers and reserve the rest to use in the ganache or to drizzle over the cake.

Prepare the Frosting

1. Add the milk and flour into a saucepan and stir to combine using a balloon whisk. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until you have a smooth paste.
2. Remove the pan from the heat, add the chocolate chips and stir until melted. Cool down before using – place a piece of parchment paper directly on the surface to prevent a skin from forming.

1. Cream the butter and sugar using a stand or hand mixer for 3-5 minutes, scraping the bowl as needed.
2. Gradually add the cooled chocolate mixture and beat on medium-high speed until the frosting is light and fluffy, scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.Add the vanilla and continue to whisk on high speed until the frosting is creamy, silky and completely smooth.

Assemble the Cake

1. First prepare the ganache: place chocolate chips and cream in a measuring jug and microwave in brief 20-30 second bursts until the chocolate starts to melt. Add the Guinness syrup and oil and stir until completely smooth. Cool slightly before using.
2. Pipe a generous amount of frosting over the bottom cake layer and sandwich with the second, pressing down lightly.
3. Cover the top and sides of the cake with frosting, smoothing it down with a scraper. Use a patterned scraper to create a textured effect on the sides if you like.
4. Pour the ganache over the cake, letting it drip down the sides. Sprinkle with the sanding sugar and serve!

Recipe Notes and Tips

• Prep ahead: The cake layers and Guinness syrup can be made up to a day in advance. Store the cake layers at room temperature, covered with plastic wrap. The syrup will keep for up to a week in a jar in the refrigerator.
• Leftovers and storage: Store the frosted cake in a covered container at room temperature (away from sunlight and heat) for up to 4 days. You can also store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Serve at room temperature.
• Worried about baking with alcohol? You can replace the Guinness with alcohol-free Guinness without losing any of the flavor 🙂

Frequently Asked Questions

Not at all – the stout acts as a flavor enhancer, bringing out the deep chocolate notes of the cocoa and adding a subtle malty note without leaving a bitter after taste.

Guinness Draught is the best choice for baking. It has a smoother, milder flavor and lower alcohol content, which enhances chocolate without adding bitterness or a boozy taste. You can also use alcohol-free Guinness Draught.

You can, but I would not advise it as it is much stronger with a more pronounced bitterness. If using Guinness Export reduce the quantity to 1/2 cup (120ml) and add 1/2 cup (120g) of buttermilk or whole milk.