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    Home » Recipes » Cakes

    Easy Chocolate Guinness Cake {Beer Cake}

    Published: Mar 7, 2024 · Modified: Mar 4, 2025 by Abeer Rizvi · This post may contain affiliate links · 5 Comments

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    Best, quick and easy chocolate Guinness cake recipe, homemade with simple ingredients and starts off with chocolate cake mix. This soft, moist stout beer cake is loaded with chocolate frosting, ganache and full of cocoa flavor.

    Easy Chocolate Guinness Cake (Stout Beer Cake) With Cake Mix on White Background.

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    Whether you are looking for a boozy St.Patrick's Day dessert or an adult birthday cake, today's recipe is just for you. It's rich and indulgent and great for chocoholics. The beer offsets the sweetness perfectly. I also want to point out that there is no root beer in this recipe. Check out some of these other St.Paddy's Day recipes too: Leprechaun Cake Pops, Easy Rainbow Dessert Recipes/ Ideas and Green Desserts.

    Jump to:
    • Key ingredients for best beer cake
    • Variations for chocolate stout cake
    • How to make easy chocolate Guinness cake recipe with cake mix?
    • Tips and Techniques
    • Recipe FAQs
    • Storage
    • More doctored cake mix recipes
    • Recipe

    Key ingredients for best beer cake

    • Eggs- Be sure they are large and at room temperature.
    • Oil- Contributes to a moist cake.
    • Guinness beer- Brings in a distinct flavor and adds moisture.
    • Cake mix- You can use Devil's food cake or regular chocolate.
    • Chocolate buttercream icing- A delicious classic and perfect for this cake.
    • Heavy cream- Don't skimp on low fat cream.
    • Chocolate chips- Best with semisweet chocolate.

    Variations for chocolate stout cake

    • Use alcoholic frosting- Try bailey's buttercream frosting or Irish cream frosting to really booze it up.
    • Use yellow cake mix- Chocolate cake mix is the best, hands down! However, you can try a yellow cake mix, if you want the beer flavor to be really prominent.
    • Replace ganache with frosting- Some people are intimidated by Chocolate Ganache but you can easily omit that and instead, just use chocolate frosting. I have shared one in the recipe card below but here are some other chocolate icing options you can try too: Chocolate Whipped Cream or Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting or Chocolate Ganache Frosting.
    • Add more layers- Double the recipe and make 4 round cakes to make a taller layer cake.
    • Birthday decorations- If you are making this for birthday parties, toss some sprinkles over the cake and add some cute candles.
    • Add crunch- By tossing some chopped nuts like almonds, pistachios, pecans, walnuts between the cake layers and on top, as well.
    • Add fillings- Drizzle a little Homemade Caramel Sauce between the cake layers.
    • Make cupcakes- Instead of cakes, pour batter in cupcake liners and bake for about 20 minutes.
    Chocolate Stout Beer Cake With One Slice Removed- Closeup Shot.

    How to make easy chocolate Guinness cake recipe with cake mix?

    1. Mix together- Eggs, beer, oil, and cake mix until combined.
    2. Pour batter- Into cake pans and bake.
    3. Fill and ice them- With chocolate frosting, then chill.
    4. Pour ganache- Over the top and chill again.
    5. Decorate- With chocolate toppings.

    Tips and Techniques

    • Brand of cake mixes– I have used these brands of cake mixes successfully: Pillsbury, Duncan Hines and Betty Crocker. I have not tried any other generic brands to know how it would affect this recipe.
    • All ingredients should be at room temperature– That’s because they blend together smoothly and evenly.
    • Temperature is key– Do not frost or ganache the cake until it has fully cooled down or else it will make a sticky, soggy mess.
    • How much ganache to use? This is entirely a personal preference. Some people just like to drizzle a little all over the cake. Others, like me, pour ganache all over the cake to fully cover it.
    • Decoration– Add sprinkles, chocolate chips (white or semisweet), store-bought chocolate decorations, chocolate shreds.
    • Don’t over-mix cake batter– Because this will yield a tough cake and it can also cause the cake to collapse/sink during baking. Mix until all the ingredients are just combined. There may be a few lumps but you don’t have to worry about them.
    • Don't over-bake cake- Or else you will get a dried out cake instead of one that is moist.
    • Stout beer is best- And Guinness is very popular.
    • Oil vs Butter- Normally, I prefer butter in doctored cake mix recipes but in this case, I highly recommend using oil because it prevents the cake from becoming too dense and keeps it light and airy.
    Slice of Frosted Cake on White Dish.

    Recipe FAQs

    What beer to use in baking?

    Stout beer is best and Guinness specifically is a very popular choice.

    Does Guinness cake contain alcohol?

    Yes, but most of the alcohol bakes out and what is leftover is so insignificant that this cake is said to be non-alcoholic.

    What is a good substitute for Guinness beer?

    Ginger Ale, grape juice, or coca cola would be a good non-alcoholic option. The Coca cola version would taste similar to my Coca Cola Cake (Coke Cake). You can also use other stout beers.

    Spoonful of Cake on White Dish.

    Storage

    • Room temperature- This is best kept in the fridge but can be out for 2-3 hours.
    • Refrigerate- Frosted cake can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days in a sealed container.
    • Freeze- Unfrosted cakes can be sealed tightly in plastic wrap and stored in the freezer for up to 1 month. When you are ready to assemble, allow the cakes thaw overnight in the fridge.
    • Make ahead- This can be made up to 3 days a head if placed in a sealed container in the fridge. You can also keep the cake and frostings in separate sealed containers for up to 1 month. When you are ready to assemble, simply thaw and decorate per instructions below.

    More doctored cake mix recipes

    • Lemon Bundt Cake With Cake Mix
    • Sock it To Me Cake With Cake Mix
    • Louisiana Crunch Cake With Cake Mix
    • Snowball Cake (Cheesecake Stuffed Chocolate Cake)
    • Easy Black Forest Cake With Cake Mix
    • Slow Cooker Chocolate Lava Cake (Box Mix)

    Recipe

    Easy Chocolate Guinness Cake (Stout Beer Cake) With Cake Mix on White Background.

    Chocolate Guinness Cake (Beer Cake)

    Abeer Rizvi
    Easy, moist homemade chocolate Guinness cake recipe (beer cake), starts off with chocolate cake mix. Full of chocolate frosting, ganache.
    5 from 6 ratings
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 10 minutes mins
    Cook Time 30 minutes mins
    Decorating time 40 minutes mins
    Total Time 1 hour hr 20 minutes mins
    Course Dessert
    Cuisine American
    Servings 9 Slices
    Calories 1003 kcal

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    Ingredients
      

    • 4 Eggs Large, Room temperature
    • ⅓ cup Oil
    • 1 ¼ cups Guinness beer
    • 1 box Devil's food cake mix Or chocolate cake mix

    Chocolate Frosting

    • 4 cups Chocolate buttercream frosting

    Chocolate Ganache

    • 1.5 cup Heavy cream
    • 1.5 cup Chocolate chips Semisweet

    Instructions
     

    • In a large mixing bowl, add eggs, oil, beer and mix until smooth.
    • Add cake mix and mix and mix until just combined.
    • Pour batter in two greased/ floured round cake pans (Dimensions: 8x2). Spread evenly with a spatula. 
    • Bake at 350 degrees F for about 30 minutes or until an inserted toothpick in the center comes out clean.
    • Allow the cakes to cool down completely.
    • While the cakes are baking and cooking, prepare the chocolate frosting, following the recipe above.
    • Place one cake on a cake board (same size as the cake).
    • Spread frosting on top of the cake.
    • Place the other cake on top of the frosting and gently press it to hold it into place.
    • Ice the entire cake in a thin coating of frosting. This is called a "crumb coat" just to seal the crumbs together. Chill in the fridge for 20 minutes. 
    • While the frosted cake is chilling, prepare the thick ganache by adding equal parts of heavy cream and chocolate chips in a microwave-safe bowl. Heat in the microwave at 30 second increments, mixing often, until smooth and creamy. 
    • Place a cooling rack on a cookie tray. Place the cake on top of the rack. Don't remove its base board.
    • Pour ganache on top of the cake and spread it all around the top and let it drip along the sides. Use a spatula to cover it entirely in a ganache coating. 
    • When ganache is no longer dripping at the bottom, remove it from the rack and place it on a cake stand or serving plate.
    • Chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.
    • Decorate with chocolate rolls and sprinkle chocolate curls around the base of the cake. Enjoy! 

    Notes

    • Use room temperature ingredients so that the ingredients blend together smoothly. 
    • Don't decorate a warm cake.
    • Don't over-bake cake because it will dry it out.
    • Omit the cake mix box ingredients and instructions and follow this recipe card instead. 
    • Don't replace oil with butter because that made the cake too dense. 
    • Leftovers can be stored in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
    • Read additional tips and variations above.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 1003kcalCarbohydrates: 121gProtein: 8gFat: 56gSaturated Fat: 27gCholesterol: 131mgSodium: 644mgPotassium: 420mgFiber: 2gSugar: 95gVitamin A: 755IUVitamin C: 0.4mgCalcium: 153mgIron: 4.3mg

    An automated tool is used to calculate the nutritional information. As such, I cannot guarantee the accuracy of the nutritional information provided for any recipe on this site.

    Tried this recipe?Leave a comment below or rate and tag @cakewhiz on social

    Until next time, tata my lovelies!

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Jenni

      July 13, 2020 at 7:00 am

      This cake was gorgeous! I made it last night and it was so easy to make as well!5 stars

      Reply
    2. Debbie Barwick

      February 28, 2022 at 2:57 pm

      I made this as a layer cake for the past two
      St. Patrick’s Day. Sooooo delicious. I used a Bailey’s Irish Cream-laced butter frosting. Yum! 
      I want to make it again this year but was wondering if you’ve had any experience making it in a 9 x 13” pan? Would I go by the cake mix directions for oven temperature and baking time?

      Thanks for your input
      Debbie 5 stars

      Reply
      • Abeer Rizvi

        March 09, 2022 at 2:45 pm

        Hi Debbie, The baking temperature will be the same but the baking time can go up to about 40 minutes. Keep an eye on it after 30 minutes and do the toothpick test to ensure it's baked through.

        Reply
        • Debbie Barwick

          March 15, 2022 at 8:55 am

          Thanks so much! I appreciate your speedy reply

          Reply
      • Liz

        March 24, 2023 at 2:48 pm

        I made this in a 9x13 and used chia seeds as egg replacement. I added 1/4 cup all purpose flour to give it more structure because the chia seeds make it more loose but they give it a very rich flavor along with the Guiness. It is so very rich and moist. The 9x13 pan took about 35 minutes but every oven is different, just keep checking it. I highly recommend this recipe .5 stars

        Reply
    5 from 6 votes (3 ratings without comment)

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    Hello, I'm Abeer Rizvi, the author and founder of CakeWhiz.com—a cherished dessert blog dedicated to baking, cake decorating, doctored cake mix recipes, and all things sweet. As a skilled food writer, baker, recipe developer, and cake decorator, I take pride in wearing multiple hats.

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