Guinness Chocolate Cake Recipe | Malt Buttercream & Ganache

Dark stout works particularly well with cocoa because its roasted, bitter notes deepen the chocolate without making the sponge aggressively sweet. Malted milk powder carries that flavour through the buttercream, while the ganache adds a darker finish.

This is a celebration cake, not a health food. Earlier claims about stout being a source of iron, lower in calories than orange juice or a healthy choice have been removed because they were not relevant or adequately supported.

Guinness Chocolate Malt Sponge

Yield: three 6-inch sponge layers.

Ingredients

• 300g plain flour
• 400g granulated sugar
• 75g cocoa powder
• 100g malted milk drink powder
• 3¾ teaspoons bicarbonate of soda
• 150ml natural yoghurt
• 2 eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 250ml Guinness or another dark stout
• 250g unsalted butter, cubed

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 160°C fan. Grease three 6-inch round tins and line their bases.
2. Sift the flour, sugar, cocoa, malted milk powder and bicarbonate of soda into a large bowl and mix evenly.
3. Whisk the yoghurt, eggs and vanilla in a separate bowl.
4. Warm the stout and butter gently in a saucepan until the butter has melted. Remove from the heat and leave the mixture to cool until warm rather than hot.
5. Whisk a small amount of the warm stout mixture into the egg mixture, then add the remainder gradually while whisking. This tempers the eggs and reduces the risk of scrambling them.
6. Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and whisk only until smooth. The batter will be loose.
7. Divide between the prepared tins and bake for approximately 30 to 35 minutes. The cakes are ready when they spring back lightly and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out without wet batter.
8. Cool in the tins for 10 minutes, then turn onto wire racks and leave until completely cold.

Stout And Malt Swiss Meringue Buttercream

Ingredients

• 150g pasteurised egg whites
• 225g caster sugar
• A pinch of salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 300g unsalted butter, softened but not greasy
• 100ml Guinness or another dark stout
• 100g malted milk drink powder

Method

1. Place the stout and malted milk powder in a small saucepan. Whisk over low heat until smooth and slightly thickened, then transfer to a clean bowl and cool completely.
2. Make the buttercream using pasteurised egg whites and the method in our Swiss meringue buttercream recipe. Heat the egg-white and sugar mixture to 71°C using a digital thermometer.
3. Once the neutral buttercream is smooth, add the cold stout-and-malt mixture a spoonful at a time. Stop when the flavour is balanced or before the buttercream begins to loosen.

Stout Chocolate Ganache

Ingredients

• 120g dark chocolate, finely chopped
• 60g unsalted butter, cubed
• 60ml Guinness or another dark stout

Method

1. Warm the stout until steaming but not vigorously boiling.
2. Pour it over the chopped chocolate and leave for one minute.
3. Stir slowly from the centre until the mixture begins to come together, then add the butter and continue stirring until glossy.
4. Allow the ganache to cool and thicken. Test a single drip on a chilled plate or cake before covering the top.

How to Decorate a Guinness Chocolate Layer Cake

Dark sponge and pale buttercream give this cake strong natural contrast. Finish it with controlled ganache drips, buttercream swirls, crisp chocolate pearls, reserved cake crumbs or miniature cupcakes. For a grown-up birthday version, add a short personalised message rather than turning the cake into a literal pint.

Assembling The Cake

1. Level the completely cooled sponges where required. Keep any clean crumbs for decoration.
2. Secure the first layer to a cake board with a small amount of buttercream.
3. Fill and stack the layers evenly. A tall cake must remain level and stable; stop at a sensible height for the board, sponge and intended transport.
4. Apply a thin crumb coat and refrigerate until firm.
5. Add the final buttercream coat, then chill again briefly.
6. Test the cooled ganache before adding drips. Finish with buttercream piping and reserved crumbs.

Storage And Serving

Keep the finished cake covered in the refrigerator. Bring it towards cool room temperature before serving so the sponge and buttercream soften, but do not leave it in a warm room for extended periods. Return leftovers to the refrigerator promptly.

Keep the cake and all alcohol securely away from children during preparation. At the event, make sure guests know that the sponge, buttercream and ganache contain stout.

Lots of love,
Reshmi xoxo