Chocolate Guinness Cake
Updated Feb. 27, 2026
- Total Time
- 1 hour 15 minutes
- Prep Time
- 25 minutes
- Cook Time
- 50 minutes
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
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Ingredients
- Butter, for the pan
- 1cup Guinness stout
- 10tablespoons (1 stick plus 2 tablespoons) unsalted butter (see Tip)
- ¾cup unsweetened cocoa
- 2cups superfine sugar
- ¾cup sour cream
- 2large eggs
- 1tablespoon vanilla extract
- 2cups all-purpose flour
- 2½teaspoons baking soda
- 1¼cups confectioners' sugar
- 8ounces cream cheese at room temperature
- ½cup heavy cream
For the Cake
For the Topping
Nutritional analysis per serving (12 servings)
512 calories; 26 grams fat; 15 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 7 grams monounsaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 66 grams carbohydrates; 3 grams dietary fiber; 46 grams sugars; 6 grams protein; 345 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
- Step 1
For the cake: Heat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9-inch springform pan and line with parchment paper. In a large saucepan, combine Guinness and butter. Place over medium-low heat until butter melts, then remove from heat. Add cocoa and superfine sugar, and whisk to blend.
- Step 2
In a small bowl, combine sour cream, eggs and vanilla; mix well. Add to Guinness mixture. Add flour and baking soda, and whisk again until smooth. Pour into buttered pan, and bake until risen and firm, 45 minutes to 1 hour. Place pan on a wire rack and cool completely in pan.
- Step 3
For the topping: Using a food processor or by hand, mix confectioners' sugar to break up lumps. Add cream cheese and blend until smooth. Add heavy cream, and mix until smooth and spreadable.
- Step 4
Remove cake from pan and place on a platter or cake stand. Ice top of cake only, so that it resembles a frothy pint of Guinness.
- The recipe for this cake in Nigella Lawson's cookbook "Feast: Food to Celebrate Life" (Hyperion, 2004) calls for 18 tablespoons (2 sticks plus 2 tablespoons) unsalted butter. This adapted recipe has less butter, but still tastes rich.
Private Notes
Comments
I bought a 6-pack of Guinness and used one cup for the cake. Drank the rest while I proceeded, because I don't like to waste anything. I don't recall anything after that.
By volume, a 9" springform pan is 10 cups. You can use 2 "standard" 8" or 9" pans instead. Or make 18-24 cup cakes.
I used a 9" square pan and made 6 cupcakes as well (the 9" square has a volume of about 8 cups). I baked the cupcakes for about 25 minutes and the cake for 45.
We make this cake one day in advance. It tastes better and it's a little more moist. We release the spring form after about an hour in the cooling process so the sides don't stick the next day. We prepare the frosting the day we plan to serve.
In a side by side taste test with my family of 19 tasters... this was a clear winner over the epicurious three layer Guinness cake.
I made this cake twice in two days because it was so good. Gave away pieces to friends who all loved it. It was so moist. Other than adding a tad of salt and subbing in a tiny amount of a different beer the second time since I didn’t have enough stout, I pretty much followed this to the T. It is a near perfect recipe, and I have very high standards for chocolate cake bakes. My bake time was 43-45 min in case that is helpful for others.
It’s funny I ever thought there might be a leftover piece or two when I bring this cake somewhere. I add 1 TB instant espresso powder to the batter & cut the frosting’s heavy cream w/2 TB homemade Irish Cream.
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