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Guinness Chocolate Cake with Irish Buttercream Recipe

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★★★★★

4.8 from 84 reviews

This Guinness Chocolate Cake with Irish Buttercream is a rich, moist chocolate cake enhanced by the deep flavors of Guinness beer. Paired with a light and fluffy Irish cream buttercream frosting and finished with a luscious chocolate ganache drip, this cake is a decadent treat perfect for celebrations or St. Patrick’s Day.

Ingredients

Scale

For the Guinness Chocolate Cake:

  • 1 3/4 cups (222 grams) all-purpose flour, measured correctly
  • 2 cups (400 grams) granulated sugar
  • 3/4 cup (64 grams) unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 3/4 cup (170 grams) sour cream or plain full-fat yogurt, at room temperature
  • 1/2 cup fresh vegetable oil
  • 3 large eggs, at room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 cup Guinness beer

For the Irish Buttercream:

  • 4 sticks (454 grams) unsalted butter, at cool room temperature
  • 6 cups (750 grams) powdered sugar, sifted
  • 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons Irish cream, such as Bailey’s

For the Chocolate Drip:

  • 4 ounces (113 grams) semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream
  • Sprinkles or chocolate curls for topping, optional

Instructions

  1. Prepare the pans and preheat oven: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Generously grease two 8-inch wide by 3-inch deep cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper rounds to prevent sticking.
  2. Mix dry ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, unsweetened cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and fine sea salt. Mixing these thoroughly ensures even distribution of leaveners and cocoa.
  3. Combine wet ingredients: In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the sour cream (or yogurt), fresh vegetable oil, eggs, vanilla extract, and Guinness beer until smooth. The beer adds moisture and a rich depth of flavor.
  4. Combine wet and dry: Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Stir gently with a spatula until just combined, taking care not to overmix which can toughen the cake texture.
  5. Bake the cake layers: Divide the batter evenly between the two prepared pans. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes at 350°F, or until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean. After baking, cool the cakes in their pans for 30 minutes, then turn them out onto a wire rack to cool completely. Optionally, freeze the cakes to make frosting easier later.
  6. Prepare the Irish buttercream: Using an electric or hand mixer, beat the unsalted butter in a large bowl until light and fluffy. Gradually add the sifted powdered sugar, then blend in the Irish cream liqueur. Beat the frosting on high speed until very light, fluffy, and smooth, about 3 minutes. Adjust consistency by adding more Irish cream if too thick, or powdered sugar if too thin.
  7. Assemble the cake: Place one cake layer on a serving plate or stand. Generously frost the top with buttercream as a filling. Add the second cake layer on top, flat side up. Apply a thin crumb coat layer of frosting all over the cake to seal in crumbs. Chill the cake in the refrigerator or freezer until the crumb coat is firm.
  8. Finish frosting: Spread the remaining buttercream over the cake, focusing more on the top if maintaining a ‘naked’ cake appearance. Chill again while preparing the chocolate drip.
  9. Make the chocolate drip ganache: Place chopped semisweet or bittersweet chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Heat the heavy cream in a small pan until it just reaches a simmer, then immediately pour it over the chocolate. Let sit covered for a few minutes, then stir until smooth. Allow the ganache to cool and thicken slightly for about 10 minutes but remain pourable.
  10. Apply the ganache drip: Pour some ganache carefully over the top center of the chilled cake. Use an offset spatula to gently spread evenly to the edges before it sets. Using a squeeze bottle or spoon, create drips down the sides of the cake carefully one drip at a time. Before the ganache sets completely, decorate with sprinkles, chocolate curls, or other decorations if desired.
  11. Storage: Store the finished cake covered with a cake keeper at a cool, dry room temperature for 2 to 3 days. The frosting acts as a protective seal to maintain moisture and freshness.

Notes

  • Frosting seals in moisture and helps keep the cake fresh for up to 3 days at room temperature, especially with the alcohol content in the Irish cream.
  • Avoid plastic wrap on frosted cake to prevent condensation and frosting separation. Use a cake keeper instead.
  • For best texture, measure flour correctly using a scale or spoon and level method.
  • Do not overmix batter to maintain a tender crumb.
  • Ganache should be thick but pourable; do not refrigerate to cool as it will become too hard to spread properly.
  • Freezing cake layers before frosting can make assembly easier and less messy.
  • This cake pairs beautifully with coffee or Irish whiskey for a themed celebration.

Keywords: Guinness chocolate cake, Irish buttercream, chocolate ganache drip, St. Patrick's Day cake, moist chocolate cake, Irish cream frosting

Find it online: https://messykitchenmagic.com/guinness-chocolate-cake-with-irish-buttercream-recipe/