How to make it

  • Preheat oven to 350° and grease and line with parchment paper a 9-inch springform pan.
  • Pour the Guinness into a large saucepan and add the sliced butter. Heat until the butter is melted and remove from the heat. Whisk in the cocoa and sugar. In a separate bowl, beat the sour cream with the eggs and vanilla. Add the sour cream mixture to the Guinness mixture in the saucepan. Finally, beat in the flour and baking soda.
  • Pour the batter into the greased and lined springform pan and bake for 45 minutes to an hour. (I baked mine for 53-55 minutes, checking with a toothpick for doneness and it came out well. Your oven may vary.) Cool completely in the pan on a wire rack.
  • For the frosting, beat the powdered sugar and cream cheese together until well combined and creamy. Add the cream and beat again until it's a spreadable consistency. I found slowly adding the cream and beating the icing very well gave excellent results. At first there seems like a lot of frosting for just the top of a 9-inch cake but don't skimp! The idea is to frost the top of the cake until it resembles the frothy head of a pint of Guinness. It's quite dramatic and lovely.

Reviews & Comments 24

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  • asna1005 12 years ago
    Here's a lighter version of the same cake (equally delicious, I tried it!) http://applepiefromscratch105.wordpress.com/2012/03/17/guinness-chocolate-cake-8/
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  • Pinkyphats 12 years ago
    Campbell, have u noticed this recipe was posted well before nigella released her version of this recipe. Please quote your sources that this is hers... This is an Irish recipe... From Ireland not nigella.
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  • campbell 12 years ago
    This recipe is from Nigella Lawson. It is excellent, but she deserves credit. Please cite, otherwise you're really just stealing.
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  • MistressMaddie 13 years ago
    Omg! This sounds amazing and I am going out to buy a 6 pack now to make this! ty ty ty
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    " It was excellent "
    kjroxx ate it and said...
    Almost two years later and I still have requests to make this cake - have one in the oven at this very moment!
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  • gziegler2810 14 years ago
    I made this cake for my husband's birthday and it was a big hit. I served it with Haagen Dazs Bailey's Irish Cream ice cream and it was the 'bomb'.
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  • bellarose20 14 years ago
    Truly delicious! I have made this a few times now.
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  • buzzmonk 14 years ago
    I loved the idea of this recipe, but it was more like sweet chocolate beer bread. I followed the recipe to the T and it was heavy but dry and it didn't jump out at me. I altered it and now I have people begging me to make it all the time.
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  • cheelathebroomwoman 15 years ago
    This is Nigella Lawson's recipe! It's from "Feast"!
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  • lewisr 15 years ago
    It also looks remarkably like the recipe from Justin O'Connor, of Guiness.
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  • miezetatze 15 years ago
    Plagiarism alert, this cake appeared in Nigella Lawson's Feast. Please credit your sources.
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  • winkaway 15 years ago

    Looks so delicious!

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  • gmm1966 16 years ago
    This cake sounds great. I am definitely making this over the weekend! Thank for sharing!!
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    " It was excellent "
    kjroxx ate it and said...
    Oh and mine cooked to perfection in 52 mins!
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    " It was excellent "
    kjroxx ate it and said...
    I made this cake last night and it was so easy I kept checking to see if I had missed something! What a taste sensation though. Took it to a friends house this morning and she ate obscene quantities of it, it really was perfect. You are so right on all counts - moist, chocolately and not overly sweet; just the perfect volume of frosting for that sweet, rich 'head'. This is a 5 star recipe that I will make for many years, thank you so much.
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  • lor 16 years ago
    Ohhhhhhhhhh... you don't have to twist my arm ;-)
    My mother and her family were from Ireland and I've got the Irish Blarney in my blood lol There was always Stout or Porter in our house when I was a wee one. As for Guinness... it's the best. I can't wait to try this cake recipe. I know that hubby will love it!!!
    Jo_Jo you are too funny! I love your honesty!!! The batter tasted good too huh ;-)
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  • jackkekempsey 16 years ago
    what do you is really have to tried to do cake..."guinness was think like a beers"
    i dont make chocolate cake.....lol
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  • jess 16 years ago
    I really have to try this cake. Guinness is one of my favorite beers to drink and if you add it with chocolate then my goodness....lol
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    " It was excellent "
    mbe ate it and said...
    I upped the butter and sour cream, the first by accident, the second to use up the leftover sour cream. I also used 200g dark chocolate instead of the cacao powder as I didn't have the latter.
    Spectacular!! Great Guinnessey flavour!! Love it!!
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    " It was excellent "
    mbe ate it and said...
    Oooooo.. My brother just left gave me an oven and this is going to be my first recipe tomorrow!!! Thanx.
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