Guinness Chocolate Cake with Irish Cream Frosting
User Reviews
4.7
Guinness Chocolate Cake with Irish Cream Frosting
Description
This cake combines Guinness stout heated with butter and Dutch-process cocoa powder to form a smooth chocolate mixture that adds moisture and depth to the cake layers. Flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt provide the structure, while eggs and sour cream contribute richness and tenderness. The batter is whipped to blend all ingredients and baked in two 9-inch pans until a toothpick comes out clean, resulting in moist, dense layers with a pronounced chocolate taste enhanced by the stout.
The frosting is made by creaming room-temperature unsalted butter with sifted powdered sugar, then flavored with Baileys Irish cream and a pinch of salt, producing a creamy, lightly boozy buttercream. Spread between and atop the cooled cake layers, it balances the intense chocolate with a smooth, sweet finish.
This cake is suitable for occasions where a decadent dessert with adult flavors is appreciated. It can be stored in an airtight container at cool room temperature or refrigerated for several days. Cake layers freeze well, allowing for make-ahead preparation. Non-alcoholic adaptations for the stout and frosting are possible using coffee, water, or heavy cream substitutes.
Ingredients
For the Cake:
- 1½ cups Guinness Stout
- 1½ cups butter unsalted
- 1 cup Dutch-process cocoa powder
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 3 cups granulated sugar
- 2¼ teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3 egg
- ⅔ cup sour cream
For the Frosting:
- 2 cups butter at room temperature, unsalted
- 6 cups powdered sugar sifted
- ¼ cup Baileys Irish cream 2 tablespoons
- Pinch salt
Instructions
- Make the Cake: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease and flour two 9-inch cake pans, and line them with parchment paper circles.
- Place the stout and butter in a large, heavy saucepan, and heat until the butter melts. Remove the pan from the heat, and add the cocoa powder. Whisk until the mixture is smooth. Set aside to cool to room temperature.
- Whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl; set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat together the eggs and sour cream. Add the stout-cocoa mixture, mixing to combine. Add the flour mixture and mix together at slow speed. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl, and mix again for 1 minute.
- Divide the batter equally among the prepared pans. Bake the layers for 35 minutes, until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove the cakes from the oven and cool on a rack for 10 minutes before turning the cakes out of their pans and returning to the rack to finish cooling completely before frosting.
- Make the Frosting: In a mixing bowl, beat the butter on medium-high speed until super light and fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes, scraping the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed. Reduce the speed to medium-low and gradually add the powdered sugar, then the Baileys Irish cream and salt until combined. Increase the speed to medium and beat for an additional 3 minutes, until light and fluffy. If the frosting feels too stiff to spread, beat in 1 tablespoon of cream at a time; if it feels too soft, beat in extra powdered sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time.
- Assemble the Cake: Place one of the cake layers on a serving platter or cake stand and spread 1½ cups of the frosting over the top in an even layer. Place the second cake layer on top of the frosting upside-down, then frost the top and sides of the cake and decorate as desired.
Notes
- Use coffee or water instead of Guinness to remove alcohol from the cake while retaining moisture.
- Dutch-process cocoa powder contributes to a deeper chocolate flavor but can be sourced from specialty stores or online.
- Substitute sour cream with plain Greek yogurt or buttermilk for similar texture and tang.
- Replace Baileys Irish cream in the frosting with heavy cream for a non-alcoholic version or try cream cheese or vanilla buttercream frostings as alternatives.
- Keeps well stored in an airtight container at cool room temperature or refrigerated for up to 4 days.
- Freeze baked cake layers wrapped tightly for up to 3 months; thaw overnight in the refrigerator before frosting.
- Frosted cake can be wrapped and frozen for up to 1 month; thaw in refrigerator before serving.
- Can be made up to 2 days ahead and kept in airtight container in a cool place for optimal flavor.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
4.7
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