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.
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.
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 granulated 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 commentsSimply brilliant! Comes together so easily and the taste is out of this world! Family devoured it. Will make this again and again.
I’ve made this cake for St Patrick’s Day for the past few years. It’s easy to make and decorate, you just need to set aside the time.It’s delicious and I’ve yet to meet anyone who didn’t like it. Probably my all time favourite cake recipe Happy St Patrick’s Day
This is our grandchildren’s favourite cake. It is always requested at birthdays, high days and holidays. It is delicious.
I love chocolate so much that I'm usually disappointed by chocolate desserts, especially chocolate cake, because they aren't chocolatey enough.
But, my GOD, this is good.
An easy-to-make yet utterly delicious, rich and dense cake that everyone loves. Sometimes cracks or sinks in the middle but I just flip it over to so I have a nice flat surface on top, then cover with frosting. No one would ever know! Makes a very loose batter too that can leak through loose bottom tins so use ones without a loose bottom or mould a little foil around the bottom to prevent a messy oven and bake fail!
It’s the best cake on earth - hands down , make it often, I use 3/4 of ingredients for topping , just right for me for 8 inch cake. Cake itself always dips at the middle just a little, have no fear, topping solves this. Perfect cake.
I made this cake for the first time this week and gave it to my colleagues on labour ward and it was an immediate success!!! Magnificent and incredible were the comments I received. Everyone was raving about it. Thank you Nigella for the best ever recipe x
Just made this for work's 'Bake Off' competition for Red Nose Day. Made 2 so that I could judge it before the day tomorrow. I'm a winner, it's so lush! Rich deep chocolately taste. Very indulgent!
omg this is the best cake ever! It tastes like betty crocker but 1000 times better. So moist and incredible. I seperated the batter into two and put the icing in the middle. Never using another choclate cake recipie ever again!
Just made this, it's incredibly tasty! Simple, dense, chocolatey with rich flavour. The only thing I changed was the icing: I swapped out the sugar and added a bit of honey since the cream I used was already sweetened :)
Used 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!