Guinness Chocolate Cake

The Inspiration

This past weekend was my new husband’s birthday. Not like I have an old husband, but this husband thing is new to me and not to sound like a 1950s housewife, but this marriage has certainly awakened the domestic goddess in me.

I wanted to make said new husband a birthday cake. Husband orders the same thing whenever we go out to eat - a burger and a pint of Guinness. He grew up eating the “All American” chocolate cake from Costco that was outrageously discontinued. A petition can be signed here - change begins with us, people!

I’ve honestly never seen Matilda, but I’m very aware of the cake scene and in my head, this cake is a pared-down version of that.

The Cake

This cake is decadent with a few out-of-the-norm ingredients that add so much to the final texture and taste. Like mayo which is nothing but fat and egg; it adds so much moisture to the end product, and sour cream which brings a little tang that lends itself well to the otherwise overly intense chocolate flavor.

I’ve always struggled a bit with cake frosting, buttercream for example can be quite tricky and dependent on the temperature of your ingredients and even your kitchen. So I always turn to this frosting recipe which is fairly fool-proof and sets in just the amount of time it takes for your cake to cool.

The Recipe

For the cake

• 1 bottle (12 oz) of Guinness

• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

• 2 tablespoons of strongly brewed coffee or espresso

• 1 2/3 cups (200 grams) all-purpose flour

• 1 cup (96 grams) unsweetend cocoa powder

• 1 teaspoon kosher salt

• 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda

• ½ teaspoon baking powder

• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened

• 1 ½ cups (300 grams) granulated sugar

• 3 large eggs

• ¼ cup mayonnaise

• ¼ cup sour cream

• 4 oz bittersweet or semisweet chocolate chips

For the frosting

• ½ (4 oz) cup heavy cream

• 2 tsp unsweetened cocoa powder

• 1 cup (160 grams) bittersweet or semisweet chocolate chips

• ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter

• ½ cup (85 grams) powdered sugar

• 2 tsp of strongly brewed coffee or espresso

• ½ tsp kosher salt

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Make the cake

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F and make sure your highest placed rack is in the middle to ensure even baking.

2. Prepare your baking pans by greasing with butter and lining the bottom with parchment paper. I used 2 - 9 inch rounds.

3. In a medium bowl, mix together the Guinness, vanilla and coffee. Set aside.

   

4. In a large bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Set aside.

   

5. In a stand mixer or using a hand mixer, cream the sugar and butter together for 5 minutes until fluffy.

   

6. Add in one egg at a time until incorpated, scraping the bowl between each egg. The mixture may start to appear grainy, this is totally fine, it will all come together in the end.

7. Add in the mayo and sour cream and mix for 1 minute.

8. Add 1/3 of the flour mixture. Mix on low speed until almost no traces of flour appear and add 1/3 of Guinness mixture until mixed in. Continue alternative the flour and Guinness. Scrape down the bowl after each round.

9. Gently fold in the choclate chips.

   

10. Distribute batter evenly between the two prepared pans.

    

11. Bake for 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.

12. Let the cakes cool in the pans for 20 minutes and then place on a wire rack and let them cool for at least 2 hours. While your cake cools, make your frosting.

Make the frosting

1. In a skillet over medium heat, warm the heavy cream stirring occasionally until it starts lightly bubbling.

2. Add in the cocoa and mix. Use a rubber spatula to break down any big lumps, dont worry about the small lumps.

   

3. Lower the heat and add in the butter, chocolate chips, vanilla and coffee. Gently stir the mixture until it’s smooth.

   

4. Transfer the mixture into a bowl and allow it to cool for 5 minutes on your counter.

5. Then cover with plastic wrap, making sure the plastic wrap is touching the surface of the mixture, this will prevent a weird skin from forming.

6. Place bowl in fridge for 2 hours.

Assembly

1. Put some parchment paper on your cake stand. I just reuse the parchment from my cake rounds.

2. Place your first round on the cake stand and using a offset spatula or spoon cover the layer with 1/3 of your frosting.

   

3. Place the next cake layer on top. Use the next 1/3 to cover the remaining and then the remaining to cover the sides.

   

4. The cake can be sliced right away. It can stay on the counter with a lid for 3 days, or in the fridge for a week. I really like to put a slice in the microwave for 5-10 seconds to turn this into a fudgy mess.

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Tools

Revolving Cake Stand
Rubber Spatulas
Offset Spatula
Stand Mixer