Chocolate Guinness Cake
by Nigella. Featured in FEASTIntroduction
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.
For US cup measures, use the toggle at the top of the ingredients list.
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.
For US cup measures, use the toggle at the top of the ingredients list.
(UK only)
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Ingredients
Yields: about 12 slices
For the Cake
- 250 millilitres Guinness
- 250 grams unsalted butter
- 75 grams cocoa powder
- 400 grams caster sugar
- 150 millilitres sour cream
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 275 grams plain flour
- 2½ teaspoons bicarbonate of soda
For the Topping
- 300 grams cream cheese
- 150 grams icing sugar
- 2 teaspoons cornflour
- 125 millilitres double cream (or whipping cream)
For the Cake
- 1 cup Guinness
- 2 sticks plus 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa
- 2 cups superfine sugar
- ⅔ cup sour cream
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2½ teaspoons baking soda
For the Topping
- 8 ounces cream cheese
- 1¼ cups confectioners' sugar
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- ½ cup heavy cream (or whipping cream)
Method
- Preheat the oven to gas mark 4/180°C/160°C Fan/350ºF, and butter and line a 23cm / 9 inch springform tin.
- Pour the Guinness into a large wide saucepan, add the butter — in spoons or slices — and heat until the butter's melted, at which time you should whisk in the cocoa and sugar. Beat the sour cream with the eggs and vanilla and then pour into the brown, buttery, beery pan and finally whisk in the flour and bicarb.
- Pour the cake batter into the greased and lined tin and bake for 45 minutes to an hour. Leave to cool completely in the tin on a cooling rack, as it is quite a damp cake.
- When the cake's cold, sit it on a flat platter or cake stand and get on with the icing. Lightly whip the cream cheese until smooth, sieve over the icing sugar and cornflour and then beat to combine.
- If using double cream, add it and beat until you have a spreadable consistency. If using whipping cream, whisk first to soft peaks, add a couple of spoonfuls into the cream cheese mixture and once this is combined, fold in the rest.
- Ice the top of the black cake so that it resembles the frothy top of the famous pint.
- Preheat the oven to gas mark 4/180°C/160°C Fan/350ºF, and butter and line a 23cm / 9 inch springform tin.
- Pour the Guinness into a large wide saucepan, add the butter — in spoons or slices — and heat until the butter's melted, at which time you should whisk in the cocoa and sugar. Beat the sour cream with the eggs and vanilla and then pour into the brown, buttery, beery pan and finally whisk in the flour and bicarb.
- Pour the cake batter into the greased and lined tin and bake for 45 minutes to an hour. Leave to cool completely in the tin on a cooling rack, as it is quite a damp cake.
- When the cake's cold, sit it on a flat platter or cake stand and get on with the icing. Lightly whip the cream cheese until smooth, sieve over the confectioners' sugar and cornstarch and then beat to combine.
- If using heavy cream, add it and beat until you have a spreadable consistency. If using whipping cream, whisk first to soft peaks, add a couple of spoonfuls into the cream cheese mixture and once this is combined, fold in the rest.
- Ice the top of the black cake so that it resembles the frothy top of the famous pint.
Additional Information
MAKE AHEAD / STORE:
The cake can be stored, without icing, in an airtight container in a cool place for up to 5 days. Store the iced cake in an airtight container in the fridge for 1-2 days.
The un-iced cake can be frozen, wrapped in a double layer of food wrap and a layer of foil, for up to 3 months. Unwrap and thaw at room temperature for about 4 hours.
MAKE AHEAD / STORE:
The cake can be stored, without icing, in an airtight container in a cool place for up to 5 days. Store the iced cake in an airtight container in the fridge for 1-2 days.
The un-iced cake can be frozen, wrapped in a double layer of food wrap and a layer of foil, for up to 3 months. Unwrap and thaw at room temperature for about 4 hours.
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Show more commentsUsed this recipe so many times. Love it and so do friends and colleagues. Make it every St Pats day even though I am not Irish but have an Irish surname. Highly recommend this recipe
This recipe is delicious will definitely make it again! My only critique is I wish it had a bit more of the Guinness flavour, but otherwise a beautiful moist, rich and indulgent cake!
I'm not a big baker but I've made this over and over. It's easy and it's really good. I made some for my colleagues, for birthdays and I've taken one to the pub before to have with a pint of Guinness. Everyone loves it!
Fabulous dark moist malty tasting cake a joy in each slice! I've made this cake several times now for many different occasions, easy delicious scrumptious cake it's wonderful!
Made this cake and had to use non alcoholic Guinness due to medical reasons and it was amazing without alcohol. A great recipe and would make again and again. Very light and not too sweet. The base is so moist. Thanks Nigella x
I asked my nephew and niece what they would like for their birthday. Nephew said The Chocolate Guinness Cake and my niece said the chocolate raspberry pavlova! These two are supberb and everybody loves them!
Outstanding! This cake will be made again and again. Why haven’t I made it before.
I add a teaspoon of ground Sichuan pepper to this recipe just as I did to the Guinness gingerbread. It combines well with the taste of the stout.
Love this! Even better if you make into cupcakes instead! Thank you for the recipe! Will make again and again.
The best chocolate cake ever. also works well in muffin cases and made it for a friend for her birthday with raspberries on top of the beautiful cream cheese frosting. I also managed to get some gluten free stout etc.and made it for a friend who had just been diagnosed with coeliac disease. It had always been her favourite cake. She declared it delicious
I've made this batter for the 2nd year now but used muffin cases and baked for 25mins. The hope is that when they're unwrapped theyll look like mini pints of Guinness. Hopefully the birthday boy will be happy with this change up! It also means I can leave a couple un-iced for the kids as they can be a bit more picky.
This is by far, THE best Guinness cake recipe I have ever tried. I don't use any other recipes. My only comment would be that I add more cocoa powder, but that's personal preference. I have shared it with my nearest and dearest, as I think it's the nicest cake I've ever tasted.