Guinness Beer Cake {With Cake Mix}
Best, quick, easy, soft, moist, fudgy Guinness beer cake recipe, homemade with simple ingredients and starts off with chocolate cake mix. A classic cake, loaded with chocolate frosting and ganache.
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 this is not a root beer cake tower or beer can cake. This one is different and so much better than all of those!
Other St.Patrick’s Day Desserts
- Green Treats for St.Patrick’s Day
- Rainbow Dessert Recipes/ Ideas
- Pistachio Cake Recipe (Green)
- Chocolate Mint Truffles (Green)
- Chocolate Mint Brownies (Green)
- Key Lime Cookies (Green)
- Marshmallow Kabobs
- St.Patrick’s Day Candy Cracker Bites
- Leprechaun Cake Pops
- Irish Trifle
How to make chocolate Guinness cake recipe/ beer cake recipe/ stout cake?
- Mix together eggs, beer, oil and cake mix until just combined.
- Pour batter in cake pans.
- Bake
- Let cakes cool.
- Fill and ice them in chocolate frosting.
- Chill.
- Pour ganache.
- Chill.
- Decorate.
How long with Irish Guinness cake last?
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. Frosted cake can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days in a sealed container.
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 cas 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.
- What beer to use? 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.
Variations
- 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 ganache and you can easily omit that and instead, just use chocolate 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.
Other 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
- Orange Cookies With Cake Mix
- Oreo Cupcakes With Cake Mix
- Chocolate Molten Lava Cake (Crockpot)
- Red Velvet Cookies With Cake Mix
- Chocolate Banana Bread With Cake Mix
- Cake Mix Pumpkin Donuts
- Easy Pumpkin Cake With Cake Mix
- Easy Apple Cake With Cake Mix
- Cake Mix Cookie Bars
- Chocolate Cake Mix Cookies
- Cake Mix Chocolate M&M Cookies
- Easy Cake Mix Brownies
- Cake Mix Champagne Cupcakes
- Coconut Cranberry Cake With Cake Mix
- Eggnog Cookies
- Easy Gingerbread Cookies With Cake Mix
Chocolate Guinness Beer Cake (With Cake Mix)
Best, quick, easy, soft, moist, fudgy Guinness beer cake recipe, starts off with chocolate cake mix. Loaded with chocolate frosting and ganache.
Yield: Slices
Ingredients
Chocolate 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: 8×2). Spread evenly with a spatula.
- Bake at 350 degrees 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.
- Frost swirls of chocolate frosting around the top of the cake.
- Decorate with chocolate rolls and sprinkle chocolate curls around the base of the cake. Enjoy!
Notes
- Read all my tips above.
- Leftovers can be stored in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 3 days
Nutrition
Calories: 1003kcal, Carbohydrates: 121g, Protein: 8g, Fat: 56g, Saturated Fat: 27g, Cholesterol: 131mg, Sodium: 644mg, Potassium: 420mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 95g, Vitamin A: 755IU, Vitamin C: 0.4mg, Calcium: 153mg, Iron: 4.3mg
Until next time, tata my lovelies!
This cake was gorgeous! I made it last night and it was so easy to make as well!
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
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.
Thanks so much! I appreciate your speedy reply
Debbie
I made this in a 9×13 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 9×13 pan took about 35 minutes but every oven is different, just keep checking it. I highly recommend this recipe .