This cake is magnificent in its damp blackness. I can’t say that you can absolutely taste the stout in it, but there is certainly a resonant, ferrous tang which I happen to love. The best way of describing it is to say that it’s like gingerbread without the spices. There is enough sugar – a certain understatement here – to counter any potential bitterness of the Guinness, and although I’ve eaten versions of this made up like a chocolate sandwich cake, stuffed and slathered in a rich chocolate icing, I think that can take away from its dark majesty. Besides, I wanted to make a cream cheese frosting to echo the pale head that sits on top of a glass of stout. It’s unconventional to add cream but it makes it frothier and lighter which I regard as aesthetically and gastronomically desirable. But it is perfectly acceptable to leave the cake un-iced: in fact, it tastes gorgeous plain.

Brilliant Cake! Made this for my stepdad's birthday last year and he loved it! Especially good as he isn't a cake person. Definitely will be making again.

Emily56

I made this wonderful cake today, just to celebrate my Irish roots. Everyone in my office got crazy about it. It tastes insanely good, very strong, you can taste the chocolate and the beer making it an unique and tempting combination of flavours. Another hit by my beloved Nigella. Please try it today! Cheers, Dave

Dave Falcon

This is the most fabulous cake! Dark, rich and very moist. It is also a very easy to make. Thank you Nigella, this is a truly wonderful recipe!

Charlie1

This is the MOST fave cake for my family and friends and impossible to botch. I was making it for a 70th birthday party and decided to do as Nigella said, pre prepare all the ingredients. About twenty minutes after the cake was in the oven, I noticed one ingredient left over. When I tasted it, I discovered it was in fact the flour. I had put the icing sugar in by mistake. I thought it would be a flop so I took it from the oven to throw it out but thought, oh well give it a go, I don't have time to do much else. I mixed the flour in, threw it back in the oven and it turned out perfectly. Just a bit sweeter then the norm and everyone raved over it yet again. Thanks for this one Nigella, its perfect. :-)

firefly254

I love this cake! I have made it a few times now and each time everyone loves me even more! I sometimes find myself daydreaming about this cake. :)It's perfect in every way. Moist and chocolaty with cream cheese frosting, awesome.

Sirona

I have had marriage proposals as a result of baking this, sadly I am already married and the proposal was from a married man in his wife's and my husband's earshot! Superbly easy and always turns out devilishly moreish.

sarahmacp

somehow the words are inadepuate for this one... suffice it to say that I made it again, many, many times and it never went wrong... always divine and is just... perfection

Novice1403

I loved this cake. A friend cooked it for my brother in law and he raved about it! I told him I could beat her. So added treacle to the cake and white chocolate to the topping! Very luxurious!! mmmm

SuzeFargeot

OMG! This is a sumptious and wonderful to eat, outrageous cake.....fab!

DaveCollins

I made this cake for some friends recently and one of them said it was the best chocolate cake she had ever had! So easy to make and almost impossible to stuff up. The cream cheese icing is divine.

missS

Wow, we love the damp blackness. A huge hit with the teen birthday boy who loved the notion of a cake with beer in it, it even looked a bit serious and butch. :o) This is now in the number one cake position in our house. x

Angeldrawers

This cake rose so beautifully and served well more than 12 people! And it was moist without being too dense. I've already bought more guinness to make another one!

samd

Lovely cake. Had no Guinness unfortunately, but used a(nother) stout instead. Served it without the icing but with a dollop of vanilla - whipped cream. Gorgeous!

Trisana

Heard this on the radio while going work - ran home that night and made it. Everyone is going crazy about it. I did not have parchment for lining the spring-form pan so I dusted the buttered pan with sugar - this gave the moist cake a bit of a crunch that the boys love!

HBjR

This was so delicious and so simple my 7 year old made it with only a little help from me! It also kept well, we made it last for 4 days (might have been longer had someone hidden from me!)

e1simone

This is a firm family favourite and is now requested by family members for special occasions. Very easy to make and the saucepan method makes for easy baking...A true masterpiece!!

domesticgodessintraining

Made this last weekend and making again today to take to lunch at a friends - absolutely delicious! the Guiness gives it this really rich dark flavour, the uncooked cake batter encourages the childhood 'lick the bowl out' habbit. I make it without the topping and serve with white chocolate sauce or cream - delicious!!!!!

s10marshall

This moist black cake is loved by all....look forward to making it again!

NYinRome

Incredibly moist and not too sweet, this is my favorite chocolate cake. In fact it's been my birthday cake of choice for the second year in a row. And talk about easy! No sifting, just mix a few ingredients and--voila--chocolate cake perfection. I prefer this cake plain or topped with sweetened whipped cream, as I think the cream cheese frosting is too tangy for this deep, dark, gem of a cake. Thank you, Nigella!

merridithk

This is yummy! I didn't have a big enough tin so I used a smaller one and put the leftover mix into a muffin tin. The muffins were great too!

redrach