Chocolate Stout Cake
Infused with the flavor of your favorite Irish beer, this simple chocolate stout cake is full of intense chocolate flavor and topped with a silky, sweet chocolate frosting. This chocolate Guinness cake is the perfect way to end your St. Patrick’s Day, but it’s great anytime of year.
Why I love this chocolate Guinness cake
As you know, we love a good St. Patrick’s Day feast in our house. Last year, we had shepherd’s pie with Lucky Charms ice cream sandwiches, and my kids were thrilled. This year we’re going with the Irish-American classic corned beef and cabbage, and for dessert, we’re keeping things sweet with this incredible chocolate stout cake.
This particular cake is inspired by a twist on a Texas sheet cake that normally uses cola, but I’ve swapped it out for beer instead. It’s super easy, and I made this one in a regular 9×13 baking dish rather than an actual sheet pan.
Here’s what you’ll need to make it
How to make chocolate stout cake
Mise en place. Measure out your ingredients, preheat your oven to 350˚F and grease a 9×13 baking dish.
Whisk the dry ingredients. Start by mixing the flour, sugar, baking soda and salt together in a bowl. Whisk to make sure everything is evenly distributed.
Melt the butter and beer. Heat the butter and Guinness in a saucepan until the butter melts. Next, stir in the cocoa powder.
Mix together. Pour the butter/beer mixture into the dry ingredients, and whisk to combine. Then, add the eggs, yogurt, milk, and vanilla extract, whisking until smooth.
Bake the cake. Pour the batter into your prepared cake pan and bake for 35 – 40 minutes, or until the cake is set. You will know it’s ready when the cake bounces back when gently pressed, or an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Remove from the oven and let the cake cool while you prepare the frosting.
Make the frosting. Heat the vegan butter, chocolate chips, Guinness, and cocoa powder in a large saucepan until the butter and chocolate chips melt. For easy cleanup, use the same saucepan you used earlier.
Pour the melted chocolate mixture into a large mixing bowl and mix in the powdered sugar until smooth. Then, spread the frosting onto the cake while it’s still slightly warm in the baking dish. Allow it to cool completely before slicing.
Top with ice cream. This cake was made for ice cream, so don’t forget a scoop of your favorite dairy free pint. Mint chip or creamy coconut would taste great with this!
More dairy free cake recipes
More St. Patrick’s Day recipes
- Irish beef stew
- Irish sausage with onion gravy
- Irish champ recipe
- Guinness braised beef
- Irish potato candy
No. Eggs are not dairy.
But, if you thought eggs were a dairy product, you are not alone. It’s common misconception that stems from the fact that eggs are sold in the dairy section at the grocery store and they usually need to be refrigerated, which is something we often associate with dairy. See more: Are eggs dairy free?
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 cups sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
- 1 1/2 cups Guinness
- 1 cup vegan butter 2 sticks
- 1/3 cup cocoa powder
- 2 eggs
- 1/4 cup unsweetened almond milk
- 1/4 cup unsweetened coconut yogurt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons vegan butter
- 4 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1/2 cup Guinness or other stout
- 1/4 cup cocoa powder
- 4 cups powdered sugar sifted
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 – 2 pints dairy free ice cream
Instructions
For the cake:
- Whisk the flour, sugar, baking soda and salt in a large mixing bowl.
- Heat Guinness, butter, and cocoa powder in a saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil, and heat until butter is melted. Remove from heat and whisk until smooth.
- Pour into the flour mixture and whisk to combine.
- In a medium mixing bowl, whisk the eggs, almond milk, coconut yogurt and vanilla extract until smooth.
- Whisk the egg mixture into the batter.
- Bake at 350˚F for 35 – 40 minutes, or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
- While the cake is cooling, prepare the frosting.
For the frosting:
- Sift the powdered sugar into a large mixing bowl, discarding any clumps that are left in the sieve.
- Add the beer, chocolate, cocoa and butter to a saucepan and heat until melted.
- Pour the chocolate mixture into the powdered sugar and whisk to combine.
- Add the vanilla extract and whisk until the frosting is smooth.
- Pour onto the cake and spread to coat the top completely.
- Allow the cake and frosting to cool completely before serving.
To serve:
- Slice cooled and frosted cake into squares.
- Top each piece with a scoop of your favorite dairy free ice cream.
As the first person to enjoy this cake, I will let everyone know that it is the best chocolate cake I have ever eaten! The pairing with the ice cream was so perfect that I definitely ate more than I should have but absolutely no regrets here!