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Guinness Chocolate Cake Easy Dessert Recipe for Chocolate Lovers

Guinness Chocolate Cake with Irish Buttercream

This Guinness Chocolate Cake is a rich, dark, and moist chocolate layer cake infused with stout beer, then topped with a silky Irish cream buttercream and glossy chocolate drip — a decadent dessert that’s perfect for St. Patrick’s Day or any celebration.
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 2 hours
Servings: 12 slices
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American, Irish
Calories: 720
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 1.75 cups All-purpose flour
  • 2 cups Granulated sugar
  • 0.75 cup Unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 2 teaspoons Baking soda
  • 0.5 teaspoon Baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon Fine sea salt
  • 0.75 cup Sour cream or plain full-fat yogurt (room temperature)
  • 0.5 cup Vegetable oil
  • 3 whole Large eggs (room temperature)
  • 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
  • 1 cup Guinness beer
  • 4 sticks Unsalted butter (cool room temperature)
  • 6 cups Powdered sugar, sifted
  • 0.375 cup Irish cream (such as Bailey’s)
  • 4 ounces Semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
  • 0.5 cup Heavy cream
  • Sprinkles or chocolate curls (optional, for topping)

Method
 

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease two 8-inch round cake pans and line with parchment paper rounds.
  2. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
  3. In another bowl, whisk sour cream, oil, eggs, vanilla, and Guinness until smooth. Add wet mixture to dry ingredients and stir gently until combined. Do not overmix.
  4. Divide batter evenly between pans and bake for 35–40 minutes, or until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool for 30 minutes, then remove from pans and cool completely.
  5. Make the Irish buttercream: Beat butter until light and fluffy. Gradually add powdered sugar, then pour in Irish cream. Beat on high for 3 minutes until smooth and fluffy. Adjust consistency with more sugar or cream as needed.
  6. Assemble: Place one cooled cake layer on a plate or stand. Frost the top with buttercream, then stack the second layer flat side up. Apply a thin crumb coat, chill until firm, then finish frosting the cake.
  7. Make the chocolate drip: Pour hot heavy cream over chopped chocolate. Let sit 2–3 minutes, then stir until smooth. Cool until thickened but pourable (about 10 minutes). Drizzle over chilled cake, spreading to edges for a drip effect.
  8. Decorate with sprinkles or chocolate curls before the ganache sets. Store covered at room temperature for 2–3 days.

Notes

For a stronger Irish twist, replace a few tablespoons of Guinness with extra Bailey’s in the frosting. You can also bake this recipe as cupcakes — adjust bake time to about 18–22 minutes.