Celebrate St. Patrick's Day with this chocolate Guinness cake! The rich chocolate cake is made with concentrated stout beer, giving a subtle note of Guinness in each bite. To mimic that gorgeous Guinness foam, the cake is topped with a light whipped cream cheese frosting.
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Why you'll love this chocolate Guinness Cake
- Rich chocolate with subtle notes of Guinness
- Whipped cream cheese frosting
For another St. Patrick's Day recipe, try my Lucky Charms Rice Krispie Treats.
Ingredient Notes
- Guinness: The star of the show! Two of these 11.2oz bottles are boiled for about 30 minutes to concentrate the flavor, which really helps it come through in the flavor of the cake.
- All-Purpose Flour: Use a high quality unbleached all-purpose flour.
- Cocoa Powder: Use dutch process cocoa powder for the richest chocolate flavor.
- Leavening Agents: Both baking powder and baking soda give this cake the perfect rise and texture.
- Plain Whole Milk Greek Yogurt: Yogurt adds moisture and a slight tangy taste.
- Vanilla Extract: Always need a good amount of quality vanilla to make an outstanding cake!
- Cream Cheese: Use cold block-style cream cheese.
See recipe card for full information on ingredients and individual quantities.
Step by Step Instructions
Here are step by step photos and instructions on how to make this chocolate Guinness cake recipe! For the full ingredient list and method, see the recipe card at the end of this post.
STEP 1: Reduce Guinness; mix with cocoa powder. In a medium saucepan, bring two 11.2oz bottles of Guinness to a boil and allow to reduce for about 30 minutes. Weigh out 227g (1 cup) of the concentrated Guinness in a medium bowl. Whisk in the cocoa powder until smooth. Set aside.
STEP 2: Combine dry ingredients. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
STEP 3: Finish the batter. In a large bowl, whisk together the yogurt, oil, eggs, and vanilla. Mix in the dry ingredients until mostly combined. Then, mix in the chocolate Guinness mixture until fully combined.
STEP 4: Bake. Pour the cake batter into the prepared springform pan. Bake the cake for 45-55 minutes or until the cake starts to pull away from the sides of the pan. Allow the cake to cool completely in the pan.
STEP 5: Make the frosting. In a medium bowl, add the cream cheese and sugar. Use an electric mixer to beat until smooth. Pour in the heavy cream, and beat on medium speed until thick.
STEP 6: Decorate. Transfer the cooled cake to a serving plate or cake stand. Top with the whipped cream cheese frosting and spread out into an even layer.
Expert Baking Tips
- Reduce the Guinness. Boil the Guinness for at least 30 minutes to get a concentrated flavor that comes through in the cake.
- Use cold cream cheese & heavy cream. In order to create a sturdy whipped cream cheese frosting, pay close attention to the temperature of the ingredients. Cold cream cheese will ensure it's thick enough, while cold heavy cream will whip up and give the frosting enough structure.
- Cream the cream cheese & sugar thoroughly. Cream the two until completely smooth before adding the heavy cream to avoid over-mixing and risk the frosting splitting!
Recipe FAQs
You can use any stout beer you'd like!
No, reducing the Guinness concentrates the flavor so it will come through in the flavor of the cake!
Store this cake in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-5 days or wrap individual slices in plastic wrap and store in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Baking in Grams
All of the recipes on this blog are carefully developed with gram measurements so you can easily recreate them in your own kitchen with success. Volume measurements are extremely inaccurate and leave room for significant errors. Not all measuring cups are made equally, so your one cup of flour will be different from my one cup of flour. By providing precise measurements in grams (aside from minor ingredients, which are given in tsp/tbsp), you can make these recipes accurately and with less cleanup! All you need is this kitchen scale.
If this still isn't enough to convince you, I have provided volume measurements in the recipe card. If you are interested in understanding the conversions, this is the best conversion chart.
But trust me, once you try baking in grams you'll never turn back!
Happy baking! x
Other cake recipes to try
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📖 Recipe
Chocolate Guinness Cake
Ingredients
For the chocolate Guinness cake:
- Two 11.2oz bottles Guinness, reduced down to 227g (1 cup)
- 105 g (1 ¼ cups) dutch process cocoa powder
- 210 g (1 ¾ cups) all-purpose flour
- 400 g (2 cups) granulated sugar
- 1 ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 170 g (¾ cup) whole milk plain Greek yogurt
- 124 g (½ cup + 2 tbsp) neutral oil
- 2 eggs
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the whipped cream cheese frosting:
- 227 g (1 block) cream cheese, cold
- 200 g (1 cup) granulated sugar
- 227 g (1 cup) heavy cream, cold
Instructions
For the chocolate Guinness cake:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Line a 9" springform pan with parchment paper.
- In a medium saucepan, bring two 11.2oz bottles of Guinness to a boil and allow to reduce for about 30 minutes. Weigh out 227g (1 cup) of the concentrated Guinness in a medium bowl. Whisk in the cocoa powder until smooth. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the yogurt, oil, eggs, and vanilla. Mix in the dry ingredients until mostly combined. Then, mix in the chocolate Guinness mixture until fully combined.
- Pour the cake batter into the prepared springform pan.
- Bake the cake for 45-55 minutes or until the cake starts to pull away from the sides of the pan.
- Allow the cake to cool completely in the pan.
For the whipped cream cheese frosting:
- In a medium bowl, add the cream cheese and sugar. Use an electric mixer to beat until smooth.
- Pour in the heavy cream, and beat on medium speed until thick.
For assembly:
- Transfer the cooled cake to a serving plate or cake stand. Top with the whipped cream cheese frosting and spread out into an even layer.
Notes
- Reduce the Guinness. Boil the Guinness for at least 30 minutes to get a concentrated flavor that comes through in the cake.
- Use cold cream cheese & heavy cream. In order to create a sturdy whipped cream cheese frosting, pay close attention to the temperature of the ingredients. Cold cream cheese will ensure it's thick enough, while cold heavy cream will whip up and give the frosting enough structure.
- Cream the cream cheese & sugar thoroughly. Cream the two until completely smooth before adding the heavy cream to avoid over-mixing and risk the frosting splitting!
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