This chocolate stout cake may be the most tender and moist chocolate cake of all time. The rich chocolatey flavor is enhanced by Guinness stout (without tasting like beer), and it is smothered in the most heavenly browned butter cream cheese frosting and filled with silky chocolate ganache. Written for a cute 2-layer 6-inch cake, easily adaptable for a 2-layer 8-inch cake or large sheet cake.
Guinness seems to have mislabeled their bottles with the statement “Best enjoyed poured into a glass.” The correct wording should be “Best enjoyed baked into a chocolate cake.” Once you try this chocolate stout cake, you’ll understand why. A little late for St. Patrick’s Day, but luckily cake is appropriate for any day of the year.
Chocolate Stout Cake
The big question about this cake: Does it taste like beer?
The answer: Absolutely not.
To be totally honest, there’s nothing that I dislike more than the taste of beer. And I am in love with this cake. I can’t really explain the science behind beer’s effect on the chocolate flavor and moisture level of the cake (plus you probably don’t care), but I can tell you that whatever happens is pure magic. Adding stout is analogous to adding coffee for a richer chocolate flavor without the distinct taste of coffee. Except with the stout, not only is the chocolatey flavor enhanced, but the crumb becomes outrageously tender, soft, and moist. Probably the best mouthfeel of any cake I’ve ever made.
Browned Butter Cream Cheese Frosting
Perhaps most importantly, we need to talk about this frosting.
Browned butter.
Cream cheese.
Buttercream.
Holy moly. It’s silky-smooth, ultra creamy, light, luscious, and blissfully indulgent all at once, with the richest depth of flavor from nutty browned butter combined with tangy cream cheese. Truly cannot be beat.
At room temperature, the frosting is super soft and silky, perfect for dolloping atop a sheet cake. When chilled, it will be a bit more spreadable to hold up a layered cake, but the consistency is still gloriously creamy and smooth, almost like a custard that just melts in your mouth. Since the chocolate stout cake stays SO moist and tender when chilled as well, I think I prefer this cake served cold (but a tough call).
Chocolate Ganache
Finally, hidden in the center is a very important layer of rich chocolate ganache. A 1:1 ganache made with bittersweet chocolate and heavy cream works perfectly for balanced sweetness and smooth, spreadable texture in this cake. For different variations, you can sub any of the following (double the amounts for larger cakes):
- semisweet/bittersweet chocolate (1:1): 2 oz chopped semisweet or bittersweet chocolate to 2 oz (1/4 cup) heavy cream
- dark chocolate (1:1.5): 2 oz chopped dark chocolate to 3 oz heavy cream
- white chocolate (2:1): 2 oz white chocolate to 1 oz heavy cream
While the ganache and frosting are both loose (close to room temperature), you can swirl some ganache in with reserved frosting and spread it around the sides to create an ombre effect like I did here (or let some of the ganache from the center drip over the sides then swirl it in with the frosting…which is what really happened, unintentionally).
For the neatest result, chill the frosting first, frost the bottom layer, add a ganache filling, then place the bottom layer in the fridge for the ganache to firm up before adding the next cake layer. Finish by placing the top layer over the ganache and frosting the top and sides.
If adapting the recipe for a sheet cake, simply cover the cooled cake with ganache, refrigerate to set, then generously frost with the buttercream.
Bottom line: Incorporate the ganache as you please, just as long as you end up with a surprise bite of fudgy, rich chocolatey goodness somewhere amidst the fluffy cake layers. When chilled, the ganache will solidify into a smooth fudge center that will blow you away.
Chocolate Stout Cake with Browned Butter Cream Cheese Frosting
This chocolate stout cake may be the most tender and moist chocolate cake of all time. The rich chocolatey flavor is enhanced by Guinness stout (without tasting like beer), and it is smothered in the most heavenly browned butter cream cheese frosting and filled with silky chocolate ganache.
Notes
The recipe is written for a 2-layer 6-inch cake.
- For a 2-layer 8-inch cake, double all ingredients and increase baking time to 32-37 min.
- For a 9x13-inch sheet cake, double all ingredients and bake 29-34 min.
For different ganache variations, you can sub any of the following (double the amounts for larger cakes):
- semisweet/bittersweet chocolate (1:1): 2 oz chopped semisweet or bittersweet chocolate to 2 oz (1/4 cup) heavy cream
- dark chocolate (1:1.5): 2 oz chopped dark chocolate to 3 oz heavy cream
- white chocolate (2:1): 2 oz white chocolate to 1 oz heavy cream
Ingredients
For the cake:
- 111g (3/4 cup + 2 Tbsp) all-purpose flour
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 32g (1/3 cup) unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp fine salt
- 90g (6 Tbsp) full-fat sour cream, at room temperature
- 1/4 cup neutral oil
- 1 large egg + 1 yolk, at room temperature
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup Guinness stout
For the browned butter cream cheese frosting:
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
- 8 ounces cream cheese, softened to just slightly cooler than room temperature
- 3.5 cups powdered sugar, sifted
- 1/4 - 1/2 tsp salt, to taste
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ~2 Tbsp heavy cream
For the ganache: (see notes for variations)
- 2 oz chopped bittersweet or semisweet chocolate (or high-quality chocolate morsels)
- 2 oz (1/4 cup) heavy cream
Instructions
Make the cake:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease two 6-inch non-stick cake pans and line with parchment paper rounds. (If using a rectangular cake pan to make a sheet cake, let the parchment hang over the sides for easy removal.)
- In a medium mixing bowl, add the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Whisk until fully combined.
- In a separate, large mixing bowl, add the sour cream, oil, vanilla, and Guinness. Whisk until smooth. Add the egg, then yolk, whisking each until fully incorporated and no lumps remain.
- Pour the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, and mix until fully incorporated.
- Divide the batter between the prepared pans. Bake for 26-30 minutes (mine took 28 minutes), or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. *See notes for estimated baking times for various adaptations.
- Let the cakes cool in the pan for about 20-30 minutes, then carefully turn them out onto a wire rack, peel off the parchment paper, and let them finish cooling completely. For a layered cake, I recommend wrapping each cake in plastic wrap and refrigerating until ready to frost, or placing in the freezer to cool faster.
Make the frosting:
- Brown the butter: In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, melt the butter. Cook, stirring occasionally, until it bubbles, foams, then becomes golden brown (about 3-4 minutes after it begins bubbling). It should smell toasty, and you should see brown bits form. Remove the saucepan from heat. Carefully pour the browned butter into a small bowl to cool, making sure to include all the browned bits at the bottom. When no longer hot, transfer the browned butter to the refrigerator until solid but still soft. Set back at room temp to make the frosting.
- Add the cooled/solidified browned butter and softened cream cheese to the bowl of an electric stand mixer or large mixing bowl (if using a handheld mixer). Beat together 2-3 minutes on medium-high speed, until fluffy.
- Sift the powdered sugar into a separate bowl.
- To the whipped browned butter and cream cheese, add the powdered sugar 1/2 cup at a time. With each addition, start at low speed to incorporate, then increase to medium-high speed. After all the sugar is incorporated, beat another 3-4 minutes, stopping a few times to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the salt (to taste), vanilla, and heavy cream (adjusting the amount as needed for desired consistency). Beat until smooth. Finally, stir the frosting by hand with a wooden spoon a few times to remove excess air.
- Especially if making a layered cake, chill the frosting in the refrigerator to help it set up before frosting the cake. If desired, set aside a small portion of frosting to swirl with chocolate ganache.
Make the ganache:
- Add chopped chocolate/morsels to a bowl.
- In a large microwave-safe measuring cup, microwave the cream (or heat in a small pot) to just below boiling.
- Pour the hot cream evenly over the chocolate in the bowl. Cover with foil and rest 5 minutes without disturbing.
- Uncover and stir until smooth. Cool to just slightly warmer than room temperature before using over the frosting (to ensure it doesn't melt the frosting).
Assemble a layered cake:
- If needed, use a serrated knife to even the tops of the cakes.
- Place the bottom cake layer on a cake board or plate. Place a large dollop of chilled frosting in the center of the cake, and use an offset spatula to smooth the frosting outward. Pipe a rim of frosting around the edge.
- Pour a thick layer of thickened (near room-temp) ganache in the center of the cake and spread within the rim of frosting. Place this cake in the refrigerator for the ganache to firm up before placing the next layer on top. (If you skip the chilling step, expect some ganache to ooze out the sides. You can just swirl it in with the frosting on the bottom layer.)
- Carefully add the top cake layer. Frost the top and sides of the cake.
- If desired, swirl some of your room-temp ganache with reserved frosting and spread around the sides of the cake.
Assemble a sheet cake:
- Spread ganache over the cooled cake, refrigerate until set, then generously frost with the buttercream. Serve chilled or at room temperature.
Serve and store:
- The cake may be served chilled (my personal preference for this cake) or at room temperature.
- To store, seal in an air-tight contaner or wrap and refrigerate. It will last about 4 days in the fridge.
- Individual slices can be wrapped in plastic wrap, sealed in an air-tight container, and frozen for up to 3 months.