Guinness Chocolate Cake with Brown Butter Guinness Frosting

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Prep Time: 45 minutes

Bake Time: 45 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour; 30 minutes

For St. Patrick’s Day, I love making all the usual treats that my family enjoys.  Irish Soda Bread, Corned Beef, Cabbage and Potatoes.  However, baking with Guinness is so much fun and I decided to modify my usual chocolate cake and use Guinness instead of my usual coffee ingredient. It’s moist and yummy with a delicious Brown Butter Guinness Frosting!

Ingredients

Guinness Chocolate Cake

  • 2 cups granulated sugar
  • 1-¾ cups all purpose flour
  • ¾ cup of unsweetened baking cocoa
  • 2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 large eggs (room temperature)
  • 1 cup of reduced Guinness (cooled to room temperature)
  • 1 cup of buttermilk (room temperature)
  • ½ cup greek yogurt (room temperature)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla

Brown Butter Guinness Frosting

  • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1 ½ cups confectioners sugar
  • 2 tablespoons reduced Guinness
  • ½ teaspoons vanilla
  • Heavy Cream or Milk to consistency (about 3 tablespoons)

For the Cake:

  1. Reduce your Guinness to help intensify the flavor! Use a 14.9 ounce (440mL) can of Guinness.  Simmer over medium heat for 20 minutes until you’re left with just over a cup of liquid. Allow to cool before using in your cake. Save 2 tablespoons for your frosting.
  2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
  3. Prepare your pan(s) by greasing with butter or cake nonstick spray
  4. Combine all dry ingredients into a large mixing bowl.  
  5. Add room temperature wet ingredients.
  6. Combine until just mixed.
  7. The batter is on the thinner side – that is appropriate.
  8. For a bundt cake; bake for 45-50 minutes.  For 2 round 7” pans bake for 30-35 minutes. Remember, based on where you live, your oven and the types of pans you use the baking time can vary. As a rule of thumb, set your timer for the lowest time and then continually check after that until a toothpick comes out of the center clean.
  9. Allow the cake to cool on a rack before adding your glaze/frosting.

For Frosting:

  1. Cut your butter into tablespoon sized pieces and add to a warmed skillet.  I always recommend using a light colored pan for browning butter so you can really see when the butter starts to brown. 
  2. Melt the butter on medium heat and use a wooden spoon or rubber spatula to stir occasionally.
  3. Heat until your butter starts to develop browned specs and the smell becomes toasty.  Remove from heat as soon as this begins because the hot pan will continue to brown the butter for a little longer.
  4. Allow the butter to cool for about 5 minutes. 
  5. Add your sugar to the pan and stir until combined. It will create a paste
  6. Add your reduced Guinness and vanilla, stir until combined.
  7. Add your milk or heavy cream until you reach your desired consistency. You want it to drip down the cake, but not be as thin as a glaze.
  8. Pour on your cake while still hot. This frosting will solidify on the cooled cake quickly.