Why I love this Guinness chocolate 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 baked corned beef and sautéed cabbage, and for dessert, we’re keeping things sweet with this incredibly easy Guinness 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 a flavorful dark beer instead. It’s super easy, and I made this one in a regular 9×13 baking dish rather than an actual sheet pan.
More St. Patrick’s Day recipes: Irish beef stew / Irish sausage with onion gravy / Irish champ recipe / Guinness braised beef / Irish potato candy
Ingredient notes:
- Guinness – Any stout or dark beer will work in place of Guinness. I like to use the extra stout for added flavor.
- Dairy free butter – We like to use Earth Balance buttery sticks, but any brand of dairy free butter should work. Only take it out of the fridge when you start preheating because dairy free butter softens a bit faster than traditional butter.
- Coconut yogurt – This keeps the cake tender and adds a bit of tang. Any unsweetened dairy free yogurt will work.
- Dairy free milk – Any unsweetened dairy free milk will work. We normally use oat or flax milk when baking, but almond or coconut will work, too.
Making changes to a recipe can result in recipe failure. Any substitutions listed below are simple changes that I believe will work in this recipe, but results are not guaranteed.
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?
Melissa’s tips + tricks:
- Frost while slightly warm. The frosting is pourable, so spreading it on a slightly warm cake helps it settle evenly across the top. Use one pan. Make the beer-butter mixture for the cake first, then reuse the saucepan for the frosting – less cleanup.
- Skip the cleanup. Use the same saucepan for the cake and the frosting – you don’t even need to clean it between steps so you’ll have less cleanup!
- Serve with ice cream. This cake is made for ice cream! Top each piece with a scoop of dairy free mint chip, coconut or even vanilla to really take it to the next level.
Frequently asked questions
Guinness adds a deep, malty flavor that amplifies the chocolate without making the cake taste like beer. The carbonation also helps lighten the batter slightly, contributing to a tender crumb.
The cake is ready when it springs back when you gently press the center, or when an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Start checking at 35 minutes.
Yes. Freeze individual slices on a baking sheet until solid, then transfer to an airtight container. Thaw at room temperature before serving. The frosting texture may change slightly but it will still taste great.
More dairy free cake recipes one layer yellow cake / pistachio cake / dairy free chocolate cake / 1234 cake
Guinness Cake
Ingredients
For the cake:
- 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
Frosting:
- 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
For serving:
- 1 – 2 pints dairy free ice cream
Instructions
For the cake:
- Mise en place. Preheat your oven to 350˚F and grease a 9×13 baking dish. Then, measure out all of your ingredients before you being.
- 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.
- Bloom the cocoa. Heat the butter and Guinness in a saucepan until the butter melts. Remove from heat, add the cocoa powder and whisk until smooth.
- Finish the batter. Pour the cocoa mixture into the dry ingredients, and whisk to combine. Next, whisk in the eggs, yogurt, milk, and vanilla extract until smooth.
- Bake the cake. Pour the batter into your prepared cake pan and bake for 35 – 40 minutes, or until the cake springs back when gently pressed in the center or a inserted toothpick comes out clean.Remove from the oven and let the cake cool while you prepare the frosting.
For the frosting:
- Make the frosting. Heat the dairy free butter, chocolate chips, Guinness, and cocoa powder in a large saucepan until the butter and chocolate chips have melted.Pour the melted chocolate mixture into a large mixing bowl and add the powdered sugar. Whisk until smooth.
- Frost the cake. Spread the frosting onto the cake while it's still slightly warm in the baking dish. Allow it to cool completely before slicing.
- To serve: Slice cooled and frosted cake into squares. Top each piece with a scoop of your favorite dairy free ice cream (optional).
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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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!