Chocolate Guinness Cake

by Nigella. Featured in FEAST

Introduction

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.

As featured in

FEAST

2004

Buy Now

Chocolate Guinness Cake — Photo by James Merrell

As featured in

FEAST

2004

Buy Now

Ingredients

Makes: about 12 slices

Metric Cups

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
17 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.

Tell us what you think

What 131 Others have said

I have been making this cake for a few years now. It never disappoints. It’s the one most asked for by my work colleagues and friends. I have made this cake in the above version, also as a two layer 8” and as cupcakes and the larger muffin type of cupcake. I have layered it into a wedding cakes too. I usually top with a buttercream with Baileys added for extra decadence. Thank you Nigella. You truly are a domestic goddess.

Posted by BTbaker on 26th June 2020
Made this delicious cake for one layer of my sons wedding cake the other layer was red velvet cake everyone said how good they were even the guests that said they didn’t like chocolate cake ! I have made it several times now and it’s always great.

Posted by HOBBIT1 on 20th June 2020
Has anyone made this using an 8" tin and can recommend how to adjust timings and temperature to suit?

Posted by Dawniesb on 17th April 2020
This cake is a classic chocolate cake, lovely moist texture without being too heavy or rich, one that everyone will enjoy. I made the frosting and added 2 tablespoons of Baileys which added an extra layer of flavour however, the frosting is not very thick and I even froze it for about 10 minutes before putting it on the cake. The cake had to be kept in the fridge at all times so next time I’ll use a buttercream frosting instead of the one in this recipe.

Posted by Veemw on 17th April 2020
The cake is as rich and as deep as Irish folklore. The taste is legendary. Thank you Ms. Lawson.

Posted by AlfredoAndrea on 12th April 2020
Beautiful. The perfect bittersweet and moist chocolate cake.

Posted by Sree07 on 9th April 2020
Made this for the first time today to offset lockdown blues. Fantastic! A real crowd pleaser. Might do less icing next time but 100% delighted. Thanks!

Posted by System55 on 25th March 2020
One of a kind cake for sure! Made it for us after St. Patrick's Day. We are not cake people but my husband and I are fans of Guinness beer so it was a must try. Definitely will make again. Thank you for the recipe!

Posted by mbsaas on 24th March 2020
This Glass half full cake is a one of a kind! With time on my hands at home, I tried the recipe to mark St Patrick’s Day 2020 amid the coronavirus lockdown. It’s delicious! I have to say that as a result of stockpiling madness, the supermarket shelves had no regular cream cheese to offer so I opted for a ricotta frothy top. Result was perfetto! This rich cake is a real treat - particularly for Mums-to-be for whom reaching for the stout is a no no. #QuarantineLife

Posted by CjParis on 17th March 2020
This cake is beautiful, dark, and so satisfying. It may very well be my favorite of Nigella's chocolate cakes. Even my husband, who wants only the most normal simple standard chocolate cake with chocolate frosting, adored this cake.

Posted by Arvona on 17th March 2020
I make a double layered version of this in two 12 inch tins, I find that there is still enough cream cheese topping to do a layer between and on top. So if your making a single layer I would reduce this in half personally.

I also add raspberries onto the top which just cut nicely into the sweetness. Everybody loves it and it's so easy. I have made gluten free versions which also work but need just a little bit less baking time.

Posted by Timboie on 16th March 2020
I have made this cake so many times! I generally don't like chocolate cakes but I LOVE this one! When I made the first one I accidentally used the full strength cocoa powder. It proved to be perfect mistake as this cake is Devine! Though I don't do the cream cheese topping it was too rich for us so just plain fresh cream. I test with a wooden skrewer before removing from the oven and it's always PERFECT and DELICIOUS!

Posted by PandaBear on 16th March 2020