Indulge in the ultimate St. Patrick’s Day celebration with this incredibly moist and intensely chocolatey Chocolate Guinness Cake, crowned with a luscious, butter-free Baileys Irish Cream Frosting. This simple one-pan recipe delivers a rich, decadent dessert that’s perfect not only for festive occasions like St. Patrick’s Day or Father’s Day but also for any moment you crave a truly special treat. The unique addition of Guinness beer infuses the cake with a subtle malty depth, complementing the deep chocolate flavors, while the creamy Irish cream frosting adds a luxurious, smooth finish that’s utterly irresistible.

This remarkable cake boasts a profound chocolate flavor, drawing inspiration from my beloved Sour Cream Chocolate Cake, renowned for its incredible moisture and tender crumb. The rich, boozy frosting takes its cue from my popular No Bake Baileys Cheesecake and the innovative Chocolate Frosting (without butter), ensuring a light yet indulgent topping that perfectly balances the cake’s intensity. For a complete and delightful meal, this cake pairs exceptionally well with a hearty Reuben Soup and warm, crusty Garlic Bread, creating an unforgettable culinary experience.

🥘 Ingredient Notes for Your Chocolate Guinness Cake

Crafting this exquisite cake requires a selection of quality ingredients that work in harmony to create its signature flavor and texture. Here’s a detailed look at what you’ll need for both the cake and its luxurious Irish cream frosting:

For the Chocolate Guinness Cake:

• Semi-sweet Baker’s Chocolate: For the best results, use high-quality semi-sweet baking chocolate bars, not chocolate chips. Baking chocolate melts more smoothly and incorporates better into the batter, ensuring a uniform and intense chocolate flavor. Its higher cocoa butter content provides a richer taste and superior texture compared to chocolate chips, which often contain stabilizers to hold their shape during baking.
• Unsalted Butter: Using unsalted butter allows you to precisely control the amount of salt in your recipe. Salted butter can vary significantly in its sodium content, which could unexpectedly alter the overall flavor balance of your cake. By adding salt separately, you achieve a more consistent and perfectly seasoned dessert.
• Guinness Beer (Stout): The star ingredient for its unique flavor. I highly recommend using Guinness stout beer (specifically the draft variety) as it imparts a distinctive malty, slightly bitter, and deeply roasted note that enhances the chocolate without overpowering it. This rich stout also contributes to the cake’s incredible moisture and tender crumb.
• Sour Cream: A secret weapon for moisture and tenderness! Sour cream adds a delightful tang and richness to the cake batter. Its acidity helps to tenderize the gluten in the flour, resulting in an exceptionally soft and moist texture that melts in your mouth.

And for the luxurious Chocolate Irish Cream Frosting, which is wonderfully butter-free, you’ll need these specific components:

For the Chocolate Baileys Irish Cream Frosting:

• Shortening: Instead of butter, this frosting uses vegetable shortening (like Crisco) to achieve its incredibly creamy texture and stable consistency. Shortening provides a smooth, non-greasy mouthfeel and holds its shape beautifully, making for an ideal frosting that is robust and butter-free.
• Dream Whip Powder: This ingredient is key to the frosting’s exceptionally light, fluffy, and creamy texture. Dream Whip powder acts as a stabilizer and emulsifier, contributing to a wonderfully smooth consistency that traditional buttercreams sometimes lack.
• Irish Cream: For an authentic and indulgent flavor, I use Baileys Irish Cream Liqueur. Its sweet, creamy, and subtly boozy notes perfectly complement the chocolate cake, creating a harmonious and sophisticated flavor profile. You can also use other brands or homemade versions.
• Milk: A small amount of milk (I use 1%) is used to achieve the desired smooth, spreadable consistency for the frosting. You can adjust the quantity slightly to make your frosting thicker or thinner, depending on your preference.

*Please refer to the detailed recipe card at the bottom of this post for a full list of ingredients and precise quantities.

📖 Variations & Substitutions to Customize Your Cake

This Chocolate Guinness Cake recipe is incredibly versatile, allowing for several delicious variations and substitutions to suit your taste or dietary needs. Feel free to get creative and make this dessert uniquely yours:

• Beer Alternatives: While Guinness stout is traditional and highly recommended for its deep flavor, you can certainly experiment with other types of Guinness beer, such as a lager or blonde stout for a lighter flavor profile. Other dark beers like a porter or another brand of stout would also work wonderfully, each adding its own subtle characteristics to the chocolate cake.
• Whipped Cream Powder (Dream Whip): If Dream Whip powder is unavailable, you can use a different brand of whipped cream stabilizer or powder. These products are designed to enhance the texture and stability of frostings, ensuring a light and airy consistency.
• Irish Cream Liqueur: The recipe calls for Baileys Irish Cream for its classic flavor, but you can certainly use another brand of Irish cream liqueur. For a truly homemade touch, consider preparing your own Irish cream to add a personalized twist to the frosting.
• Butter Type: If you typically keep salted butter on hand, you can use it in the cake recipe. Just be sure to omit the additional salt specified in the ingredient list to avoid an overly salty flavor, as salted butters vary in their sodium content.
• Milk Fat Content: For the frosting, 1% milk is used for a lighter finish. However, you can opt for 2% or whole milk if you prefer a richer, slightly creamier frosting texture. The higher fat content will make the frosting a bit more decadent.
• Cake Shape and Size: This recipe is designed for a convenient one-pan 9×13 inch cake. However, you can easily transform it into a stunning layer cake by dividing the batter evenly between two 8-inch round pans. Remember to adjust the baking time accordingly, as layer cakes will typically bake faster (around 30-35 minutes).
• Non-Alcoholic Version: To make this dessert suitable for all ages or for those who prefer to avoid alcohol, simply substitute non-alcoholic beer for the Guinness. For the frosting, use an Irish Cream flavored coffee creamer instead of the liqueur. You’ll still achieve a delicious flavor profile without the alcohol content.
• Cupcakes: For individual servings, pour the cake batter into lined cupcake tins. Bake them at 350°F (176°C) for approximately 20-25 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean. This is a great option for parties or bake sales!

🔪 How to Make Guinness Chocolate Cake with Baileys Frosting

Creating this rich and moist Chocolate Guinness Cake with its dreamy Baileys Irish Cream frosting is a straightforward process. Follow these step-by-step instructions to bake your masterpiece:

Preparing the Chocolate Guinness Cake:

Prep Ahead: Begin by preheating your oven to 350 degrees F (176 degrees C). This ensures the oven is at the correct temperature when your batter is ready.

In a large mixing bowl, or the bowl of your stand mixer, combine all the dry ingredients: flour, sugar, salt, and baking soda. Whisk them together thoroughly to ensure they are well combined and evenly distributed.

Next, combine the semi-sweet chocolate and unsalted butter in a microwave-safe medium bowl. Melt them gradually in the microwave at half power for about 2 minutes, stirring after 1 minute, and then in 30-second intervals until completely smooth and melted. Alternatively, you can achieve this by melting them gently in a large saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly to prevent scorching.

Gradually pour the warm, melted chocolate mixture into the bowl with your dry ingredients. Beat well with your mixer until just combined, being careful not to overmix, which can lead to a tough cake.

Pour in the Guinness beer and continue to beat the mixture for an additional 20 seconds. The beer will add a wonderful depth of flavor and contribute to the cake’s moistness.

Finally, blend in the remaining wet ingredients: eggs, sour cream, and vanilla extract. Beat for about 30 seconds at medium speed until the batter is smooth and well combined, being careful not to overmix. Room temperature ingredients blend more easily and create a smoother batter.

Prepare your 9×13 inch baking pan by greasing it thoroughly. For easy release, I highly recommend using a commercial cake release spray or homemade version. Alternatively, a non-stick cooking spray or a light coating of butter and flour will also prevent the cake from sticking.

Carefully pour the rich, wet cake batter into your prepared 9×13 inch pan, spreading it evenly to ensure uniform baking.

Bake the cake in your preheated oven at 350 degrees F (176 degrees C) for 40-50 minutes. To check for doneness, insert a cake tester or toothpick into the center; it should come out clean. Once baked, remove the cake from the oven and allow it to cool completely on a wire rack before frosting.

Crafting the Irish Cream Frosting:

While your cake cools, you can begin preparing the delightful Irish Cream Frosting.

In a separate large mixing bowl, add the vegetable shortening. Begin mixing it, slowly incorporating the powdered sugar (also known as icing sugar) until it’s fully combined and forms a thick, crumbly mixture. Be sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl as you go.

Now, add the unsweetened cocoa powder, Baileys Irish Cream, and vanilla extract to the mixture. Continue mixing, then gradually add the milk, a little at a time, until you achieve a beautifully smooth texture and the perfect, spreadable consistency for your frosting. If you prefer a thicker frosting, simply use less milk; for a thinner consistency, add a touch more.

Assembling and Decorating:

Once the cake has completely cooled, you can conveniently frost it right in the pan. Use a butter knife or an offset spatula to spread the rich Irish Cream frosting evenly across the top, creating elegant swirls for a rustic yet appealing finish.

For a festive touch, generously add rainbow sprinkles, whether non-pareils or jimmies, across the top of the frosting. These add a pop of color and a playful texture. Once decorated, use a serrated knife to slice the cake into 12 generous pieces, ready to be served and enjoyed!

💡 Tips for Baking with Beer

Baking with beer, especially a rich stout like Guinness, can elevate your desserts to a new level, adding moisture, flavor complexity, and a delicate crumb. To achieve the best results with this unique ingredient, keep these essential tips in mind:

• Room-Temperature Beer is Best: Always use beer that has just been opened and allowed to come to room temperature. This is crucial for proper ingredient incorporation and ensures the beer integrates smoothly into your batter without causing any drastic temperature changes that could affect the emulsion. Allow it to sit for at least 5 minutes after opening to let any excess foam dissipate before adding it to your recipe.
• Opt for Full-Fat Dairy: When baking with beer, it’s generally best to use full-fat dairy products (like full-fat sour cream or milk). The acidity in beer can sometimes cause lower-fat dairy ingredients to curdle or separate, leading to a less desirable texture in your finished baked good. Full-fat dairy is more stable and less prone to adverse reactions.
• Serve Freshly Baked or Properly Frozen: While many desserts improve over time, the subtle flavor of beer can change and sometimes diminish with prolonged storage. Ideally, beer desserts are best served when they are freshly baked to capture their optimal taste. If serving immediately isn’t possible, I highly recommend freezing this cake. Freezing helps to preserve the integrity of the beer’s flavor and the cake’s moistness. Simply defrost it completely before serving, and it will taste just as delicious as when it was first baked. I’ve tested this method, and it works perfectly!

🥗 What to Serve with Chocolate Guinness Cake

This rich Chocolate Guinness Cake with Irish Cream Frosting is a standalone delight, but it also complements a variety of savory dishes and beverages, especially for a themed meal or gathering. For a hearty main course that pairs wonderfully with this dessert, consider serving a comforting Shepherd’s Pie with Ground Turkey or a flavorful Turkey Reuben Panini. The savory and robust flavors of these dishes provide a perfect counterpoint to the cake’s sweetness.

To complete your festive spread, especially for St. Patrick’s Day, try serving this cake alongside a refreshing Green Grasshopper Mocktail (as shown in the image below)! Its minty, creamy notes offer a delightful palate cleanser. For those who enjoy a warm beverage, a cup of strong Irish coffee (with or without the spirits) or a simple black tea would also be excellent choices.

🌡️ Storage Recommendations for Your Cake

To ensure your Chocolate Guinness Cake remains as fresh and delicious as possible, proper storage is key. Whether you plan to enjoy it over a few days or save it for a special occasion, here are the best practices:

Store this cake in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days. The airtight seal prevents it from drying out and helps maintain its moist texture. If you’re simply storing it overnight, covering it tightly with plastic wrap will suffice to keep it fresh.

For longer storage, this cake freezes beautifully, even with the frosting! Place the frosted cake in an airtight freezer-safe container, and it can be frozen for up to 3 months. To enjoy, simply transfer the cake from the freezer to the refrigerator to thaw overnight, or at room temperature for a few hours. This method ensures you can savor a slice of this delightful cake whenever a craving strikes.

👪 Serving Size & Adjustments

This recipe is designed to yield 12 generous servings, making it perfect for family gatherings or parties. However, if you prefer smaller portions, you can easily cut the cake into 15-20 pieces without compromising its rich flavor. The versatility of this recipe also extends to its yield: you can conveniently halve, double, or even triple the recipe to suit your needs. Simply click on the serving number in the recipe card below and select your desired number of servings. The ingredient quantities will automatically adjust, making scaling a breeze and ensuring consistent results every time.

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