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Guinness Chocolate Cake with Irish Buttercream Recipe

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★★★★★

4.4 from 147 reviews

A rich and moist Guinness Chocolate Cake paired perfectly with a smooth and boozy Irish Buttercream, topped with a luscious chocolate ganache drip. This cake offers a unique depth of flavor from the stout beer and creamy Irish cream frosting, making it a standout dessert for any celebration.

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 Pans and Preheat Oven: Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Generously grease two 8-inch wide x 3-inch deep cake pans and line them with parchment paper rounds to ensure easy removal later.
  2. Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, unsweetened cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and fine sea salt until well combined and aerated.
  3. Combine Wet Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk the sour cream (or plain full-fat yogurt), vegetable oil, eggs, vanilla extract, and Guinness beer until smooth and fully incorporated.
  4. Make the Batter: Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl with dry ingredients. Gently fold together using a spatula until just combined. Take care not to overmix to keep the cake tender and light.
  5. Bake the Cake: Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans. Bake in the preheated oven for 35 to 40 minutes or until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Let the cakes cool in the pans for 30 minutes, then carefully turn them out onto a wire rack to cool completely. For easier frosting, freeze the cakes briefly while preparing the buttercream.
  6. Make Irish Buttercream: In a large bowl, use an electric or hand mixer to beat the unsalted butter until light and fluffy. Gradually incorporate the sifted powdered sugar, followed by the Irish cream liqueur. Beat on high speed for about 3 minutes until the mixture is very light, smooth, and fluffy. Adjust the consistency by adding more Irish cream if too thick or more powdered sugar if too thin.
  7. Assemble the Cake: Place one cake layer on your serving plate or cake stand. Spread a generous amount of buttercream on top as the filling. Place the second cake layer on top, flat side up. Use an offset spatula to coat the entire cake with a thin crumb coat layer of frosting. Chill the cake in the fridge or freezer until the buttercream is firm to the touch for the smoothest finish.
  8. Final Frosting: Spread the remaining buttercream evenly over the cake. For a ‘naked’ cake look, focus most of the frosting on the top and sparingly on the sides. Refrigerate the cake while preparing the chocolate drip.
  9. Prepare Chocolate Drip: Place the chopped semisweet chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Heat the heavy cream to a simmer on the stove or microwave. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate, cover for a few minutes, then stir until smooth. Cool the ganache until thickened but still pourable, about 10 minutes. Avoid refrigerating the ganache to cool.
  10. Apply Chocolate Drip: Gently pour ganache over the chilled cake top. Use an offset spatula to smooth it just to the edges. Using a squeeze bottle or spoon, allow drips to run down the cake sides one at a time. Before the ganache fully sets, decorate with sprinkles or chocolate curls if desired.
  11. Storage: Store the cake covered with a cake keeper at a cool, dry room temperature for 2-3 days for best freshness.

Notes

  • Be sure all wet ingredients like eggs and sour cream are at room temperature for better mixing and texture.
  • Freezing the cooled cake layers before frosting helps prevent crumbs from mixing into the buttercream.
  • Adjust the buttercream consistency with Irish cream or powdered sugar to get the perfect spreadable texture.
  • Do not refrigerate the ganache to cool; it should be thickened yet pourable for the perfect drip effect.
  • Use an offset spatula for smooth frosting application and neat ganache spreading.
  • This cake pairs wonderfully with a glass of Guinness or Irish cream liqueur for an authentic taste experience.

Keywords: Guinness cake, Irish buttercream, chocolate drip cake, Irish dessert, stout chocolate cake, moist chocolate cake, celebration cake

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