Our Guinness chocolate cake with Bailey’s frosting is rich, moist, and makes the perfect St. Patrick’s Day dessert.

A fork next to a slice of Guinness chocolate cake.

St. Patrick’s Day is usually my excuse to bake something with chocolate stout or another malty beer.

My Guinness chocolate with Bailey’s frosting is just that! It’s rich, moist, and leans more toward deep cocoa flavor rather than being super sweet.

When it’s done, I spread a sweet Baileys buttercream frosting over the top for the perfect pairing.

It’s one of my best cake recipes to keep in the lineup for St. Patrick’s Day, birthdays, or any time you want to upgrade a basic sheet cake recipe.

In case you’re wondering, this cake tastes like a rich chocolate cake, not like a glass of beer.

If you love chocolate as much as we do, try our Guinness brownies, Coca Cola cake, and “the best chocolate cake recipe!”

What you’ll need

Here’s a quick overview of what’s in this Guinness chocolate cake. The full recipe including ingredient amounts is further down the page.

All-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
Sour cream, eggs, and vanilla extract.
Guinness Extra Stout beer: You can use Guinness Draught if you want a slightly softer stout flavor.
Unsalted butter.
Unsweetened cocoa powder and granulated sugar.
Powdered sugar.
Baileys Irish Cream liqueur and more vanilla extract (for the frosting).

Slice of chocolate cake on a stack of plates.

How to make Guinness Chocolate Cake with Baileys Frosting

This cake is fairly simple to make. It’s important to follow all the steps to get the best flavor and texture.

Large glass bowl of whisked flour and leavening ingredients for the dry mix of the chocolate cake.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

Glass mixing bowl with eggs, sour cream, and vanilla extract ready to be whisked together for the cake batter.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk the sour cream, eggs, and vanilla until smooth.

Butter cubes melting into dark Guinness stout in a saucepan on a countertop burner for chocolate cake with Guinness.

In a saucepan over medium heat, add the butter and Guinness. Heat until the butter melts.

Saucepan filled with warm Guinness and a layer of unsweetened cocoa powder ready to whisk into a chocolate cake base.

Whisk in the cocoa powder and sugar until smooth. Remove from the heat and let cool for 10 to 15 minutes.

Thick chocolate cake with Guinness batter in a glass mixing bowl with a metal whisk.

Whisk the cooled Guinness mixture into the sour cream mixture until combined. Fold in the flour mixture just until no dry streaks remain.

White baking dish filled with chocolate cake with Guinness batter spread into an even layer.

Bake at 350°F for 45 to 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Smooth Baileys buttercream frosting whipped in a clear glass bowl on a light countertop.

For the frosting, beat the softened butter until creamy. Gradually add the powdered sugar, then mix in the Bailey’s and vanilla until smooth.

Rectangular pan of cake generously coated with creamy Baileys buttercream frosting.

Spread the frosting over the cooled cake, then slice and serve.

Tips for the best Guinness chocolate cake

Let the Guinness mixture cool: If it’s too hot when you add it to the eggs and sour cream, you can end up with scrambled eggs in the batter.
Don’t overmix the batter: Once the dry ingredients go in, fold them in gently. Overmixing can make the cake tough instead of soft.

Does Guinness chocolate cake taste like beer?

No, not at all. You’ll taste a deeper chocolate flavor with a hint of malt, not a strong “beer” taste. The stout mostly enhances the chocolate and keeps the cake moist.

Storage

Refrigerator: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Freezer: Freeze unfrosted cake slices tightly wrapped in plastic and then in a freezer bag for up to 2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator, then add the frosting before serving.

More St. Patrick’s Day Recipes