Description
A deeply chocolatey, incredibly moist chocolate cake made with Guinness and topped with a rich Irish cream frosting. This reliable holiday dessert is easy to make, requires no fancy equipment, and stays moist for days.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 cup (240ml) Guinness Draught
- 2 cups (250g) all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ cups (300g) granulated white sugar
- ¾ cup (75g) unsweetened cocoa powder (Dutch-processed preferred)
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup (240ml) buttermilk
- ½ cup (120ml) vegetable oil
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup (225g) butter, softened
- 4 cups (480g) powdered sugar, sifted
- ⅓ cup (80ml) Irish cream liqueur
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2–3 tablespoons whipping cream
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease two 9-inch round cake pans and line bottoms with parchment paper.
- Warm the Guinness in a small saucepan over low heat until just warm (do not boil). Set aside to cool slightly.
- In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together buttermilk, vegetable oil, eggs, vanilla extract, and the warm Guinness.
- Gradually add wet ingredients to dry ingredients. Stir gently until just combined; do not overmix.
- Pour batter evenly into prepared pans. Tap pans to release air bubbles.
- Bake for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Let cakes cool in pans for 10 minutes, then invert onto a wire rack to cool completely.
- For frosting, beat softened butter until creamy. Add sifted powdered sugar, Irish cream liqueur, vanilla, and salt. Beat on medium-high speed until fluffy.
- Add whipping cream gradually until desired consistency is reached.
- Place one cake layer on a serving plate, spread frosting on top, add second layer, and frost top and sides.
- Refrigerate for 30 minutes to set before slicing and serving at room temperature.
Notes
Do not boil the Guinness; warming it helps dissolve cocoa powder. Sift cocoa powder to prevent lumps. Ensure ingredients are at room temperature for best results. Do not overmix the batter to avoid a tough cake. Cool cakes completely before frosting to prevent melting. The cake stays moist for up to 3 days at room temperature or 4 days in the fridge.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30-35 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Cuisine: Irish
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 45
- Sodium: 350
- Fat: 20
- Saturated Fat: 12
- Carbohydrates: 65
- Fiber: 3
- Protein: 5
Keywords: chocolate cake, guinness cake, holiday dessert, irish cream frosting, moist chocolate cake, easy baking, christmas dessert