Posted on Friday, 3rd December 2010 by Grace Massa Langlois
When I spotted Nigella’s recipe for Guinness Chocolate Cake I thought it was time to put my can of Guinness Draught to good use. I deviated from the recipe just a tad and decided to ice the cake with Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting.
I know it doesn’t have the look of a just poured glass of stout with the pale frothy top but necessity won out. I’ve had a dreadful week and I needed a double kick of comfort and for me that always means chocolate. Plus, if there’s ever an opportunity to justify (believe me this was!) doubling the chocolate, I will always succumb!
The lonely can of Guinness has been in my fridge since I made my last Chocolate Stout Cake. As I recall, I didn’t go with the usual frosting then either (what a rebel!). One of these days I will bake and decorate the cake as intended. I think I’ll save it for my son’s (Matt) coming of age birthday party. I also decided to make mini cakes instead (we could each have our very own) and I had enough batter left to bake a small cake that I cut in squares. It’s the perfect grab and go treat (tastes just as delicious without frosting!).
The recipes are fairly similar but I was curious to see which one would take the cake (pardon the pun). In the first Chocolate Stout Cake I used Young’s Double Chocolate Stout instead of the more commonly used Guinness. When brewing the Double Chocolate Stout, Young’s adds chocolate malt and real dark chocolate in the process.
Both cakes are absolutely divine but I must say the cake baked with the Double Chocolate Stout was intensely richer and deeper in chocolate flavour. Both cakes are extremely moist and neither will disappoint. In fact quite the opposite, both deliver huge in flavour and in texture.
Each cake rose magnificently. So much so I thought they might explode. It was like watching someone over inflate a balloon in slow motion. The whole time holding your breath for the inevitable kaboom…that thankfully never came (what a hassle that would have been to clean the oven)!
I did prefer the colour of the Guinness Chocolate Cake; it was so dark, almost black. In fact, Nigella’s description couldn’t be more fitting, “damp blackness”.
Either Chocolate Cake will have your taste buds singing but some where in between these two recipes is a killer combination that will have your taste buds singing like the Philharmonic Orchestra playing Rimsky-Korsakov’s Flight of the Bumblebee. And I intend on finding it.
Guinness Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting
(Adapted from Nigella Lawson)
- Guinness Chocolate Cake
- Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting
Guinness Chocolate Cake
- 250 ml (1 cup) Guinness Beer
- 250 g (1 cup plus 2 tablespoons) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 75 g (3/4 cup) cocoa, sifted
- 275 g (2¼ cups) plain (all-purpose) flour, sifted
- 2½ teaspoons bicarbonate (baking) of soda, sifted
- 400 g (1¾ cups) caster (superfine granules) sugar
- 2 eggs, room temperature, slightly beaten with a fork
- 150 ml (2/3 cup) sour cream
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- Preheat oven to 180° C (350° F). Lightly grease and line with non-stick baking paper a 23 cm (9-inch) baking tin, set aside.
- In a small saucepan, over medium heat, stir together the Guinness, butter and sifted cocoa until well combined and the butter has melted. Remove from heat, set aside to cool, about 10 minutes.
- Using a fine mesh sieve, into a large bowl, sift the flour and baking soda. Add the sugar and whisk together until well combined.
- Add the Guinness mixture and whisk to just combine (do not over mix).
- Add the eggs, sour cream and vanilla and whisk together until well combined.
- Pour batter into prepared baking tin. Bake, rotating tin halfway thru, about 45 to 60 minutes or until a cake tester inserted in the centre of the cake comes out clean.
- Transfer to a wire rack. Leave in baking tin to cool completely (be careful it is very damp and fragile and if you remove the cake to soon it could fall apart).
- Transfer the cooled cake to a cake stand or cake platter.
Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting
If you would prefer the traditional white Cream Cheese Frosting, leave out the chocolate and skip step 2.
- 300 g (1 and 1/3 cup) cream cheese, softened
- 150 g (6 ounces) dark chocolate, good quality, melted
- 150 g (1¼ cups) confectioners’ sugar, sifted
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 125 ml (2/3 cup) heavy cream – 35%, whipped, medium peaks
- In the bowl of an electric stand mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment, on medium speed, beat the cream cheese until fluffy (lump free).
- Add the melted chocolate and continue to beat on medium speed until well combined and fluffy.
- Reduce speed to low, gradually add (one spoon at-a-time) confectioners’ sugar and beat until well combined and fluffy.
- Add the vanilla extract and beat just to combine.
- Using a large spatula, fold in 1/3 of the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture. Fold in the remaining whipped cream until well combined.
Assembling Guinness Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting
- Chocolate Curls, optional
- Sweetened Whipped Cream, optional
- Sweetened cocoa powder, to serve, for dusting, optional
- Place a dollop of frosting in the centre of the cake.
- Using a large offset spatula spread a thin layer of frosting just to edges (make sure it does not go down the sides of the cake). Repeat with a second layer, making sure to spread just to the edges of the cake.
- If using chocolate curls, decorate with a good amount of chocolate curls in the centre of the cake.
Guinness Chocolate Cake Serving Suggestions:
- On its own or with a dusting of Sweetened Cocoa Powder.
- Serve with a dollop of Sweetened Cream and a dusting of Sweetened Cocoa Powder.
- Serve with a dollop of Sweetened Cream and decorated with Chocolate Curls.
You may also enjoy:
Tags: afternoon tea, beer desserts, brownies, cake, cakes, chocolate, chocolate cake, chocolate cupcakes, chocolate dessert, chocolate frosting, cream cheese, cupcakes, dessert, desserts, frosting, gourmet cupcakes, individual dessert, individual desserts, mini cakes, quick desserts, small cakes
Posted in Baking & Pastry, Baking Mise en Place, Fillings, Frostings & Dessert Sauces, Pastry Doughs & Batter, Recipes
Comments (23)
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December 3rd, 2010 at 5:01 pm
These cakes look so delicious. Why bother with dinner, head straight for dessert! Looks like a great dessert for the weekend too. Thanks, Grace!
December 3rd, 2010 at 9:06 pm
These chocolate recipes look amazing! Thanks for the chocolate fix! It’s a great way to start off the holiday baking season.
December 4th, 2010 at 12:09 am
Thank you Sandy, I love this time of year, all the baking and entertaining and of course eating!
December 4th, 2010 at 8:08 am
i have been looking for a good guinness chocolate cake recipe and this looks great, thanks for sharing!!
December 4th, 2010 at 10:38 am
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by elena cestafe, Grace Langlois. Grace Langlois said: New Blog Post – Guinness Chocolate Cake w' Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting http://su.pr/2PbCjV #desserts #sweets #cakes #fbz #beer #Guinness [...]
December 5th, 2010 at 5:48 am
Wow!.. These look incredible!.. Thank you so much for sharing. Luna
December 5th, 2010 at 8:15 am
I love that it looks like a glass of stout. It’s perfect.
December 6th, 2010 at 9:50 am
WOW! All of your pictures are amazing. You are great with presention! I can’t wait to try this recipe.
December 6th, 2010 at 11:06 am
Grace, I always come here and just gasp! Really! Because the photos are stunning and the recipes are always spot-on!!!
December 6th, 2010 at 1:46 pm
Thank you Debra! It means so much coming from you because your site is one of my absolute favourite!
December 6th, 2010 at 1:47 pm
Thank you Rhonda, if you can get Chocolate Stout you must give it a try it really tastes amazing.
December 6th, 2010 at 8:49 pm
Must be rich and moist. I have not tried this cake yet. But then I am not a big fan of Stout.
December 6th, 2010 at 9:57 pm
Very rich and moist Penny and you really can’t taste the stout. I’m not a fan of beer, any kind really and this beer cakes have become favourites.
December 7th, 2010 at 7:26 am
wow this such a divine dessert, I just adore them any more recipes with guinness?
December 7th, 2010 at 11:08 pm
This one and the Chocolate Stout (this one uses Chocolate Stout Beer) with Peanut Butter Frosting – absolutely delicious!
February 14th, 2011 at 5:00 pm
[...] * Guinness Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting [...]
March 14th, 2011 at 5:19 pm
Looks like a great recipe. have to ask- is it necessary to use caster sugar or would plain white refined sugar be ok?
March 14th, 2011 at 5:31 pm
Karen caster sugar is just a super fine granule white sugar, regular granule sugar is fine but it could affect the crumb because caster sugar dissolves better because it is finer. If you have a food processor just blitz the regular sugar for a second or two and you will have caster sugar.
March 17th, 2011 at 7:20 pm
I love chocolate cream cheese frosting! Everything about this looks delicious!
March 17th, 2011 at 7:22 pm
Haha wow, just realized I had already commented……. long day!
January 13th, 2012 at 4:10 am
[...] Guinness Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting Image by GracesSweetLife Guinness Chocolate Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting [...]
August 9th, 2012 at 5:28 pm
This look awesome! Im a big guinness lover! And definitely will try this cupcakes (by the way, what kind of mold did you use for those?? They are cool! Not the typical muffin. )
thanks!
August 14th, 2012 at 10:51 am
Didi are you talking about the mini cakes?