Our Guinness chocolate cake tastes rich, bakes to be tender and moist, and is topped with my favorite creamy, swirly cream cheese frosting. It’s super simple and guaranteed to be loved by everyone.
Every time I return to this Guinness chocolate cake, I kick myself for not making it sooner. The cake batter is ridiculously easy to make, thanks to melted butter. Since the butter is melted, there’s no need for a mixer, just a whisk, spoon, and bowls.
The creamy frosting is the same as we use for our popular carrot cake recipe. It’s intentionally whipped and creamy, so you’ll swirl it on the cake. It’s gorgeous and as heavy as some cream cheese frostings can be. As for the Guinness, you’ll need about half a bottle or can, so feel free to take a look at some of our other recipes with Guinness, like this incredible Guinness beef stew, sausage Guinness pie, or these mini beef Guinness pies.
Key Ingredients
- Guinness: You will need half a bottle or a can of Guinness for this cake. We add it to melted butter and cocoa powder, which bumps up the richness of the chocolate flavor in this cake. If you’d like to substitute the Guinness, use another stour beer, coffee, or, if you are in a pinch, water.
- Butter: I love the flavor of butter in this cake. I use unsalted butter, but no worries if you have salted butter. Reduce the salt called for in the recipe by a rounded 1/4 teaspoon.
- Unsweetened Cocoa: I recommend using natural unsweetened cocoa powder for this recipe. Some of my favorite brands are Ghirardelli, Hershey’s, or Guittard if you’re feeling fancy! Take note of our tips in the recipe for measuring cocoa. Since it is so finely ground, it is easy to pack too much cocoa into a measuring cup, leaving you with too much cocoa in the cake batter.
- Flour: I use all-purpose flour for this cake, but this recipe should work with spelt flour or your favorite gluten-free flour blend for a gluten-free cake.
- Sugar: I use plain granulated sugar in this cake batter and let the flavor of the beer and cocoa shine through. You can experiment with brown sugar, which will add a bit more malty flavor and moisture to the cake.
- Eggs and Sour Cream: The eggs help add structure and flavor, while the sour cream keeps the cake super tender and moist. Plain yogurt is a good substitute for sour cream. I do not recommend substituting the eggs.
- Baking Soda: This helps our cake rise evenly in the cake pan.
- Vanilla and Salt: I don’t want to take too much away from the flavor of the beer and cocoa, but a little vanilla and some salt really help make this cake extra delicious.
- Frosting: This cream cheese frosting reminds me of softly whipped cream. It’s light, creamy, and swoopy. I highly recommend it, but if you want a firmer, more American-style cream cheese frosting that you can pipe onto the cake, see the tips section of our carrot cake recipe.
How to Make Guinness Chocolate Cake
I love easy cake recipes, and this Guinness cake hits the mark! The batter starts with melted butter mixed with Guinness and cocoa powder. The butter and beer are warm, so the cocoa powder has a chance to bloom. One of my favorite tricks for bringing out cocoa’s rice chocolate flavor is to bloom it in warm liquid or fat. We do this when making our one-bowl brownies and these easy chocolate cupcakes.
Next, you’ll fold your dry ingredients (flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt) into the butter mixture and finish the cake batter by folding in eggs, sour cream, and vanilla extract. I told you it was easy!
Once your cake has baked and cooled completely, you can frost it. You will beat cream cheese with powdered sugar and cornstarch until fluffy and then beat in heavy cream. It turns light, swoopy, and creamy. We also use this frosting for our carrot cake.
Guinness Chocolate Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
- PREP
- COOK
- TOTAL
You’ll use about half a bottle of Guinness stout for this easy Guinness cake. It does an amazing job of bringing out the rich chocolate flavors of this cake and helps, alongside sour cream, to keep it tender and moist. The frosting is intentionally light and creamy and does best when you swirl it onto the top of the cake with a spoon or spatula (it’s too soft to pipe on).
You Will Need
Guinness Cake3/4 cup (180ml or 6oz) Guinness stout beer
3/4 cup (170g) unsalted butter, plus more for the pan
1/2 cup (40g) unsweetened cocoa powder, spooned and leveled
1 ½ cups (195g) all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
1 ½ cups (300g) granulated sugar
1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
2 large eggs
1/2 cup (113g or 4oz) sour cream
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Cream Cheese Frosting8 ounces (225g) cream cheese, at room temperature
1 ¼ cups (140g) powdered sugar
2 teaspoons cornstarch, optional
1/3 cup (80ml) cold heavy cream, not plain whipping cream, see tips
Directions
- Make Cake
1Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Grease the bottom and sides of a 9-inch round or square baking pan with butter.
2Melt 3/4 cup butter in a saucepan over medium heat, then add 3/4 cup Guinness and warm through. Remove from heat, and then whisk in 1/2 cup cocoa powder until completely smooth. Cool for 1 minute.
3Whisk 1 ½ cups flour, 1 ½ cups sugar, 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a large mixing bowl.
4In another bowl, whisk 2 eggs, 1/2 cup sour cream, and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla until well blended.
5Pour cocoa and stout mixture into the dry ingredients, then fold them into the flour with a spatula. Add the egg and sour cream mixture and fold everything together until incorporated.
6Pour the batter into the prepared pan, then bake for about 40 minutes. It’s ready to come out of the oven when you can insert a toothpick into the middle, and it comes out clean, or when you tap the top of the cake, it bounces back.
7Transfer the cake still in the pan to a cooling rack and cool for 10 minutes. Then, turn the cake out of the pan onto a cooling rack and cool it completely before frosting.
- Frost Cake
1In a large bowl, beat 8 ounces of cream cheese with a handheld mixer at medium speed until smooth and creamy, for about 1 minute.
2Beat in 1 ¼ cups powdered sugar and optional 2 teaspoons cornstarch. I like sifting the powdered sugar and cornstarch over the cream cheese to remove lumps. If you do not have a fine mesh sieve, beat in the cornstarch and powdered sugar a 1/4 cup at a time until combined.
3Pour in 1/3 cup cold heavy cream. Beat at medium speed for 2 to 3 minutes or until the frosting is whipped and creamy. This frosting resembles the texture of whipped cream. Chill covered until ready to frost the cake.
4When the cake is completely cool, frost the top, swirling the creamy frosting to make it look pretty. Serve!
Adam and Joanne's Tips
- Storing: Frosted Guinness cake lasts up to 1 week in the refrigerator. I keep it covered with plastic wrap or use a cake keeper or large bowl turned upside down to cover the cake. I do not recommend freezing the frosted cake (the frosting does not thaw well). You can refrigerate the unfrosted cake for 5 days or freeze it for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before adding your frosting.
- Measuring the cocoa powder and flour: Weigh it or use the “spoon and level” method. Fluff the flour, spoon it into the measuring cup, then level off the top with a flat edge.
- Heavy cream (US bakers): Heavy cream has more milk fat (about 36%), while whipping cream has less (around 30%). Use “heavy cream” or “heavy whipping cream.” Plain “whipping cream” does not whip as well and can cause your frosting to be too soft. If you only have whipping cream or cream with less than 35% fat content: If you only have whipping cream or are unsure what you have in your kitchen, whisk it in a separate bowl until soft peaks. Add a couple of spoonfuls of the whipped cream to the beaten cream cheese mixture and combine to loosen. Then, fold in the remaining whipped cream.
- UK & Australia bakers: Use plain flour for the batter and “double cream” or “thickened cream” with at least 35% fat content for the creamy frosting.
- This recipe was inspired by two fantastic Stout cakes, one from Nigella Lawson’s book, Feast, and the other printed in Bon Appétit Magazine, September 2002.
Wow this cake is really scrumptious. Just the righ amount of chocolate flavor and beautiful creamy icing. I used a newer lower profile Bundt pan to bake for 40 minutes. Thanks for this recipe. I can’t wait to try some others.
Is this for one or two pans? Could I use a Bundt pan? Thanks
Hi there, The recipe is for 1 pan. You may not have enough batter for a bundt pan.
Absolutely loved this recipe! Wondering how is best to store it though once the icing is on it? Fridge? Or can I just cover it and leave it out for a few days?
Hi Kate, Once the frosting is on the cake, I keep it in the fridge. Extra storing tips are below the recipe.
Hi! Would any other beers work? Thank you
Hi Belle, Any stout beer will work. For other varieties of beer, you’ll want to test them out to see. I’d stick with less hoppy, malty styles of beer if you plan to experiment.
Hi, if I dont have beer on hand and exclude the beer from the recipie will that chocolate cake still be delicious and moist?
Yes, replace the beer with brewed coffee (also brings out the flavor of cocoa) or water.
The 1st time I made this cake everyone at the gathering absolutely loved it. I’ve made it 3 times now. Chocolate lovers must try this CAKE!!! Most amazing cake! Also love Insired Taste carrot cake!
This cake looks fabulous. You are such great cooks! I want to thank you for the Cream Cheese Frosting recipe of my dreams. I have never been able to find a recipe without butter in it. I love butter but it dilutes the cream cheese flavor in my opinion. I don’t know why I didn’t just try it without a recipe. Chicken I guess. Thanks so much for another wonderful recipe.
Hello,
This cake is so awesome! I’ve made it a few times now, and I and my friends just love it. The only problem I’m having is that the center sinks somewhat and doesn’t look cooked like the other parts of the cake. I have even baked the cake for 45 minutes, but it doesn’t change. It looks darker and bubbly towards the center on the top, which is somewhat sunken (there’s no dome). It’s still delicious though!! Any advice would be appreciated. Thank you very much.
I made this cake for St. Patty’s Day and it was amazing but the frosting came out very runny. 1/2 cup of whipping cream is way too much and I would caution others to just use enough whipping cream to make the frosting creamy and it really depends on how much Bailey’s you add also. Most cream cheese frosting recipes don’t even call for whipping cream so I think you could even omit it. Hope this is helpful to others!
This cake sounds amazing! I’m looking for something to make for my Grandpas 85th and this is right up his ally. One question tho, he has to be dairy free, any substitute for the sour cream? I’ve got vegan butter and can hopefully find an alternative frosting (Any suggestions for that would be great as well) Thanks so much!
How about a dairy-free yogurt — like coconut yogurt or soy?
Hello! I made your carrot cake and it was incredibly delicious. My family and friends absolutely loved it!!! I plan to try the chocolate cake recipe next. I have a quick question regarding the frosting. You mentioned this is the same frosting used for the carrot cake. However, the carrot cake frosting does not list vanilla as an ingredient and also uses 1/3 cup cream (instead of 1/2 cup). Can you please tell me which is correct? Again, the frosting made from the carrot cake recipe was awesome. Thank you very much for sharing your recipes!
We now prefer the frosting with 1/3 cup of cream. I have updated the recipe.
Made this cake for a dinner party and everyone loved it. One of the best chocolate cakes ever!! I added some strawberries on top to look pretty. Great pics and directions. Thanks for the recipe.
Hi! I love your website! Tried your muffins and they were to die for. Tried to bake this last night but my cake came out with a mound in the middle (,uneven rising?) And my frosting was quite runny…can I check if I am supposed to use the handmixer for the powdered sugar addition and the heavy cream parts too? Or just the handmixer for the cream cheese and vanilla? Tastes heavenly though! My husband found the frosting a tad sweet but what does he know? Haha…will make this again!!