This chocolate stout layer cake is rich and moist. The deep, malty complexity it gets from the Irish stout is what makes it truly special. I use Guinness because I love its notes of coffee and caramel and its subtle bitterness too. Believe it or not, it pairs wonderfully with chocolate!
I got creative with this one and made the frosting to resemble the frothy head on a fresh pint of Guinness. This is sure to be a popular St. Patrick’s Day dessert, but I’d make it again next time I want something to impress my guests. Let’s get baking!
Cake with beer in it might be your new favorite dessert.
Does chocolate stout cake taste like beer?
Not really—at least not in the way you might expect. A good chocolate and stout cake won’t taste like you just poured beer in your dessert. The stout actually enhances the cocoa, deepening its rich chocolate flavor. It’s kind of like when you add espresso to a chocolate cake—it doesn’t taste like coffee, it tastes more chocolatey. This chocolate cake with stout beer is balanced and slightly bittersweet, and it has a deliciously tender crumb.
Is there alcohol in the finished chocolate stout cake?
As in many recipes with an alcohol ingredient, most of the alcohol bakes off during the cooking process. Simmering and reducing the stout will cook off even more alcohol, leaving you with tons of flavor and none of the booziness.
What kind of beer should I use?
Of course I love using Guinness for my classic Guinness stout chocolate cake recipe, but any Irish stout will work just as well. Look for something dark, malty, and not too hoppy. The key is choosing a beer with chocolate and coffee notes. That’s why I made mine a chocolate Guinness cake recipe—Guinness just fits the bill!
Do I HAVE to reduce the stout for this chocolate cake?
Reducing the stout isn’t essential—but it adds a lot of depth. Simmering the beer down concentrates its flavor and, in my opinion, makes this stout beer chocolate cake even more delicious.
If you’re short on time, you can skip the reduction. If you choose not to reduce it, use one cup of stout instead of two and heat it up just enough to melt the butter. Your cake will still turn out great!
How do I know when this chocolate stout cake is done?
The acidity in the stout reacts with baking soda to help leaven this batter, so the finished cake will be soft and have a delicate crumb. When it’s done, it should spring back gently when pressed in the center, and a toothpick inserted should come out clean. A few moist crumbs on the toothpick are okay, as long as you don’t see raw batter stuck to it. You do want your chocolate & Guinness cake to be moist, so avoid overbaking.
How long does chocolate stout cake keep?
This chocolate stout cake keeps beautifully for 3 or 4 days in the refrigerator. The flavors actually deepen overnight.
How to Freeze Chocolate Stout Cake
You have a couple options here. You could make the recipe as written, enjoy one layer of the cake, and freeze the other for later. Or you can freeze everything and assemble later. If you plan to freeze half the cake (a single layer), make sure to halve the cream ingredients. Top each slice with a nice dollop just before serving instead of building a layer cake.
Now, for the freezing part: Let the baked layers cool completely. Wrap each layer tightly in plastic wrap, or place a sheet of parchment between the two layers and wrap them together. Add a layer of foil over the plastic and freeze for up to 2 months. A day before you’re ready to assemble or serve your cake, thaw overnight in the refrigerator, still wrapped, to preserve moisture and structure. On the day of serving, you can go ahead and make the cream—I don’t recommend doing that part in advance.
How far in advance can I make this cake?
You can bake the layers 1 to 2 days in advance and store them wrapped in plastic wrap. Room temperature or chilled is fine. The cream can be made a few hours ahead and kept refrigerated. As you can see, this chocolate stout cake recipe is a wonderful make-ahead option for St. Patrick’s Day gatherings or dinner parties.
Marmalade whipped cream is just plain magical.
I like to make this cake around the end of wintertime, the same time of year I start to get excited for spring. The marmalade cream in this recipe is a wonderful way to bridge that gap. It's delicate and sweet—so it helps me look forward to the brighter days ahead.
What’s the difference between fine-cut orange marmalade and orange marmalade?
My recipe for orange marmalade cream frosting calls for fine-cut marmalade, which is different from regular orange marmalade. The fine-cut version has smaller, more delicate pieces of peel, while traditional marmalade has larger pieces and sometimes even whole strips of peel. Regular marmalade varies in its sweetness level, but fine-cut is more consistently sweet without being overpowering. For this cake, fine-cut marmalade blends seamlessly into the mascarpone cream for lots of citrus flavor without the overly chunky texture.
You can use any fine-cut orange marmalade, but personally, I love the kind made from Seville oranges.
If you can find Seville orange marmalade, definitely pick that one! Seville oranges have some natural bitterness, and that bittersweet quality balances out the rich chocolate really well. Any good-quality marmalade will work, but Seville adds a special quality.
Can I make marmalade cream frosting in advance?
Sort of. You can prepare the marmalade cream a few hours ahead and keep it chilled before assembling your cake. I don’t recommend making it farther ahead than that.
More Dessert Recipes from the Other Side of the Pond
Chocolate Stout Cake Recipe (Homemade Marmalade Cream Recipe Included)
This rich chocolate stout cake made with Guinness is topped with tangy marmalade cream for a bright citrus finish. Perfect for St. Patrick’s Day and guaranteed to satisfy your chocolate cravings.
Ingredients
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 °F.
- Pour the stout into a medium saucepan, add the orange peel, and bring to a boil. Watch carefully as it boils because the foam can rise up quickly. Turn down the heat and simmer until reduced by ½ to 1 cup (about 30 minutes).
- Meanwhile, butter and line the base of two 9-inch cake pans with parchment.
- Once the stout is reduced, remove and discard the orange peel. Add the butter and stir until it’s fully melted. Whisk in the cocoa until smooth, then gently whisk in both sugars. Turn off the heat and let the mixture cool for a few moments.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the sour cream, eggs, and vanilla. Add the cooled chocolate mixture and whisk gently until fully combined.
- In a separate medium bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Then, in three batches, sift and whisk this flour mixture into the wet ingredients, mixing after each addition, until there are no specks of flour and you have a rich, custard-like batter.
- Divide the batter evenly between the two pans using a rubber spatula to scrape and get every last drop. Smooth the surface and bake in the center of your oven for 30 minutes or until the cake springs back when pressed and a toothpick test comes out clean. Cool your cake in the pan for 10 minutes, then turn it out onto a rack to cool completely.
- While your cake is cooling, combine the mascarpone, marmalade, and salt in a small bowl, then in a separate medium bowl or stand mixer, whip the heavy cream and the powdered sugar to stiff peaks. Fold the mascarpone mixture into the whipped cream until you have a smooth and spreadable cream. Refrigerate the cream while your cake layers cool.
- When you’re ready to assemble the cake, place one cake layer on your serving plate. With a clean spatula, spread half of the marmalade cream over its surface, leaving a half-inch space around the edge. When you place the second cake layer down, it will squeeze the cream perfectly to the edge. Top with the second layer of cake, pressing down gently, and then spread the remaining cream over the top. Garnish with orange zest.
- Chill for 30 minutes so the cream sets up and the cake is a little easier to slice. Enjoy!
