A great twist on a traditional devil's food cake, this is my favorite chocolate recipe to bake for St. Patrick's Day. It's a moist cake, with a rich chocolate flavor and whipped cream topping that resembles an Irish coffee. It's finished with a stout beer syrup that is magic. You can make the cake and syrup in advance and assemble the cake the day you serve it.
Unique cake
Sometimes, a holiday is an excuse to bake or grab a favorite themed drink. Others to share your heritage. And a chance to make boozy chocolate cake recipes. St. Patrick's Day recipes might include all of them.
Give me some Irish booze and a baking recipe, and I will get down to business and make a batch of brownies with whiskey and raisins or my two favorite recipes with chocolate: this phenomenal Baileys chocolate ice cream and the popular and dreamy chocolate Irish cream cheesecake.
This unique Guinness chocolate cake today comes with a thick layer of whipped cream topping that makes it look very similar to an Irish coffee. The dark syrup is the finishing touch to a fantastic dessert!
Testing notes
Stout or Guinness beer: I found that the creamy style works best. But since all beers differ depending on where you are, I recommend you use one that is not extremely bitter.
Cream: I use heavy or double cream as they hold well due to their higher fat content. You can whip it up the day before and keep it refrigerated in an airtight container.
Chocolate cake: can be made in advance and kept in the fridge for a week or the freezer for a month, always well wrapped (in plastic wrap for the refrigerator and adding aluminum foil for the freezer).
Syrup: You can make it ahead and keep it in the fridge for weeks. Use it at room temperature and add it just before serving the cake or to the individual servings.
FAQ
For many, Guinness is the king of stout, the best type of dark beer. It's drier and sometimes referred to as a 'dry stout'. That's why I use a creamy stout for this recipe; it's mellow and better for a dessert. But that's my opinion; you can definitely use a stronger, more bittersweet Guinness stout.
No, I don't recommend it. The flavor and color are completely different; regular beer just doesn't do it for this cake.
Ingredients
Quantities are listed in the recipe card toward the end of this post. The Ingredients page has more details and lists the brands I use.
- Stout beer: I use a creamy stout and highly recommend it because it is less bitter and mellower than the regular Guinness beer. Guinness Draught mild beer is smooth and creamy, and a popular one.
- Cocoa powder: always use unsweetened. In my experience, the dark ones are the best (this does not apply to the super dark used for making homemade Oreo cookies, known as dark or black cocoa powder).
- Chocolate: Use your favorite dark semisweet chocolate.
- Brown sugar: light or dark.
- Milk: I like to use regular, full-fat milk because it adds richness, but low-fat milk also works for this cake.
- Baking soda: Make sure it's not expired.
Variations & Substitutions
- Coffee: add a teaspoon or two of espresso powder dissolved in the milk. It brings out the flavor of the chocolate without adding coffee flavor.
- Chocolate ganache: drizzle it on top of the cream and omit the beer syrup.
- Extra chocolate: sprinkle semisweet chocolate chips on top of the batter before baking.
- Layer cake: Use two 8-inch or 9-inch cake pans to make layers. Fill and frost (top not sides) with whipped cream, regular or chocolate flavored.
- Bundt cake: another alternative is to use a 10 or 12-cup plain bundt pan and serve it with whipped cream and the stout syrup.
How to make chocolate stout cake
This is an adapted devil's food cake recipe, where you make a chocolate mixture, or thick custard, and then add it as the liquid part of the recipe.
Chocolate mixture
Mix the liquids, including the stout beer, to make a chocolate mix, similar to a drink.
Smooth batter
It might look somewhat curdled at some point before adding the flour mixture, but it will smooth out when you add the dry ingredients and flavorings.
Cake pan
Smooth the top with a spatula and bake as directed.
Using a rectangular pan allows you to frost the cake more easily and cut it into squares.
Paula's Tip
Top the cake with the cream topping a few hours before serving and refrigerate it. This will make it firmer and will hold better when it's at room temperature.
Whipped topping
You can make it a day in advance and keep it well covered in the refrigerator.
More stabilized whipped cream: add a tablespoon of cream cheese before whipping to give it more structure.
The Guinness syrup
This part was almost an afterthought because there was some leftover stout beer after making the cake, but after I tried it, it became crucial!
It's so good and easy to make. Simply boil stout and sugar for a few minutes until it thickens.
Serving
This is a cake to be served not completely cold or at room temperature, somewhere in between, but that can be assembled a few hours or up to a day before and kept in the refrigerator, covered to prevent drying out.
I like to bake the cake and whip the cream and put it together not long before I plan to serve it but enough to give the cream time to firm up so it cuts easier and neater.
Syrup: drizzle some on the cake before serving it, and pass some extra in a jar or small bowl for those who want more.
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Chocolate Stout Cake with Cream Topping
Ingredients
For the cake:
- 1 ounce semisweet chocolate
- ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- ⅔ cup creamy stout beer, Guinness beer
- ⅓ cup whole milk
- 10 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
- ½ cup white, granulated sugar
- 3 eggs, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract or paste
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose or cake flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
For the cream topping:
- 1 ⅓ cups heavy cream, cold
- 6 tablespoons powdered sugar
For the stout syrup:
- ⅔ cup cream stout
- ⅓ cup sugar
Instructions
For the cake:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).
- Butter or spray a rectangular 8x12 inch (20x30 cm) cake pan lined with parchment paper. See Notes below for variations.
- Chop 1 ounce semisweet chocolate and put it in a medium bowl with ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder.
- Heat ⅔ cup creamy stout beer in a medium saucepan over medium heat until it almost boils. Don't let it boil. Add to the chocolate and let stand 1 minute. Whisk carefully until the chocolate is completely melted and the mixture is smooth. Add ⅓ cup whole milk and mix. Reserve.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat the 10 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened, with an electric mixer, or use the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, at medium speed for 30 seconds.
- Add 1 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar and ½ cup white, beating for 3 minutes, until light-colored and fluffy, and scraping the sides of the bowl frequently.
- Add 3 eggs, one at a time, mixing well each time. Add 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract or paste and mix well, scraping down the sides.
- Sift the dry ingredients: 1 ½ cups all-purpose or cake flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda and ½ teaspoon salt, and add them in 3 parts, alternating with the Guinness mixture in 2 parts, mixing well but just until it's incorporated. You start and end with the flour mixture. Don't be tempted to beat too much at this point, as it will make the cake tougher. You can have the dry ingredients measured and sift directly over the butter mixture, or do it in a different bowl if that's easier for you.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for about 40 minutes, until a cake tester or toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. The time might vary depending on the pan and oven.
- Let the cake cool completely on a wire rack (cooling rack).
For the cream topping:
- In a large bowl, whip 1 ⅓ cups heavy cream, cold, with 6 tablespoons powdered sugar until it's thick and almost firm peaks form. Be careful at the end, when it's very thick, not to overbeat it, as it might curdle.
- Using a spatula apply to the top of the cake and refrigerate until 20 minutes before you plan to serve it.
- Drizzle with syrup and serve.
For the stout syrup:
- In a small saucepan, mix ⅔ cup cream stout and ⅓ cup sugar.
- Boil for 3 or 4 minutes, until reduced to a honey consistency. Remove from the heat.
- Let cool completely and use to top the cake before serving.
Notes
Cake adapted from Baked Explorations, by Matt Lewis and Renato Poliafito
Susan says
Wow, Paula! This is just gorgeous - and so inspired! You should definitley post a link on the Baked FB page!
I'm not much like my mother, personality-wise, but every now & then, I say something that sounds exactly like her! LOL! And, she did give me pretty blue eyes!
Happy St. Patty's Day!
Abbe@This is How I Cook says
I'll eat this cake any day and have a beer to go with it!Beautiful story. My mom used to put all her makeup on in a cigarette smelling bathroom with the aroma of Shalimar surrounding her.Luckily she gave up the cigarettes at the age of 42.And so wise to start telling people to subscribe!
Laura Dembowski says
We always called my grandmother Granny too! Everyone called her that, family or otherwise. I miss her so much. I am a lot like my mom in some ways but we are so different in many more.
Cake Duchess says
I recently discovered that I like to apply lip gloss at a red light...don't ask me why. I suppose it's much safer than texting or checking my FB:D. I realize how I'm so much like my dad. I guess I always was and now that he's gone, I appreciate his qualities I've inherited so much more. This was a fun post to read and this cake makes my head spin in delight.
Monica Cheng says
Yum! This looks absolutely delicious!
Heather Schmitt-Gonzalez says
I am a master knee-driver! And oh my gawd- I need these in my life. I think they sound like the perfect dessert to get us through the weekend.
Andrea_TheKitchenLioness says
Paual, I believe these decadent treats of yours would be perfect to serve not only at a St.Patrick´s Day celebration but any day that you feel like preparing a special dessert...love the story that you told abou your mom. What a wonderful post!
Have a great Thursday!
Cher Rockwell says
I am not a big chocolate person, but these look absolutely wonderful to me. Absolutely wonderful!
Alice @ Hip Foodie Mom says
Hi Paula! you know I think I am turning into my mother. . and that's not a bad thing. . OMG, this cake?! What a great St. Patty's Day dessert.. not that I need an excuse to bake. . or EAT. Looks delicious!!!!
e / dig in says
i love that this looks like a pint of guinness - dark cake topped with the foamy head! i have a nigella recipe for choclate and guinness cake that i'd love to try but i'm always scared to. maybe now i've read your experience with it, i shall try it.
Patty says
Beautiful looking decadent squares for St. Patrick's Day- such a wonderful way to celebrate 😉
Kate@Diethood says
I saw these on Pinterest this morning and couldn't wait to get a moment come by and see the recipe. These are incredible! And I am lovin' that fudgy texture...yum!
Ally @ Om Nom Ally says
This looks lovely and perfect for St. Patrick's Day! While I'm not a beer drinker, I love beer and stout in recipes and I bet it is delicious in these scrumptious looking stout squares.
yummychunklet says
How decadent!
Guru Uru says
This dessert looks beyond decadent my firend, time to get out those stretch pants 😉
Cheers
Choc Chip Uru
Renee says
I can't figure out what I like best about these squares. The dark chocolate and stout part, the frosting, or the "it's calling to me" stout drizzle. And I'm not even a beer drinker...
Chef Di says
What a fun post! Plum pudding as wedding cake- would love to try that some time! And yes, seems we get those "annoying" traits from our mothers/grandmothers... but sounds like we both got lucky in that department none the less 😉
Nancy @ gottagetbaked says
Girl, love love love this post. I really enjoy reading about your family and your history, especially with your sweet 'n sassy tone. My husband used to drive with his knee all the time, back when he was a young punk who thought he was invincible. He also used to drive down whole city blocks backwards and sometimes with his eyes closed, usually in the middle of the night. What a goof, eh? Thankfully he's developed into a responsible adult. And GAH I need this gorgeous cake in my life! Especially with your brilliant stout syrup! I admire your ingenuity with not letting the stout go to waste.
Deb says
With deep admiration I find I am more like my Mom than I care to admit! I do savor the "best parts" I have inherited! Although I am not Irish, my husband is and he finds St. Patrick's Day time to reflect on his heritage. His love of chocolate would pair nicely with the holiday motif in this scrumptious dessert!
Kathy says
Oh wow Paula! This is incredible looking…decadent and delicious!! I love beer in baked goods. Have you ever made a beer bread?