Description
This moist, decadent chocolate cake boasts a subtle stout kick, layered with boozy Irish cream frosting and finished with a rich chocolate drip. Ideal for St. Patrick’s Day or any celebration where chocolate and a splash of booze belong!
Ingredients
Scale
For the Cake
- 1¾ cups (222 g) all‑purpose flour
- 2 cups (400 g) granulated sugar
- ¾ cup (64 g) unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp fine sea salt
- ¾ cup (170 g) sour cream or full‑fat plain yogurt, room temp
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 3 large eggs, room temp
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup Guinness stout
For the Irish Cream Buttercream
- 4 sticks (454 g) unsalted butter, at cool room temp
- 6 cups (750 g) sifted powdered sugar
- ¼ cup + 2 Tbsp Irish cream liqueur (e.g., Baileys)
For the Ganache Drip
- 4 oz (113 g) semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
- ½ cup heavy cream
- Optional: sprinkles or chocolate curls
Instructions
- Prep & Bake
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease two 8″×3″ cake pans and line their bottoms with parchment rounds.
- In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, cocoa, soda, baking powder, and salt.
- In another bowl, whisk sour cream, oil, eggs, vanilla, and Guinness until smooth.
- Gently fold wet ingredients into dry just until combined—avoid overmixing.
- Divide batter between pans and bake 35–40 minutes, or until a toothpick emerges clean. Let cool 30 minutes in pans, then invert onto racks to cool fully.
- Prepare the Buttercream
- In a mixing bowl, beat butter until pale and fluffy.
- Gradually add powdered sugar, then pour in Irish cream. Beat on high for 3 minutes, until light, smooth, and pipeable. If too stiff, add a splash more liquor; if too thin, add more sugar.
- Layer & Crumb‑Coat
- Place one cake layer on your serving plate. Spread a generous layer of buttercream on top. Center the second layer over it.
- Apply a thin “crumb coat” all over the cake. Chill 15–20 minutes until firm.
- Final Frosting
- Use remaining buttercream to frost the top (or sides, if you prefer full coverage). For a “naked” look, focus on the top only.
- Make the Ganache
- Heat cream until just simmering, then pour over chopped chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Let sit 2 minutes, then stir until glossy.
- Cool 10 minutes until slightly thick but still pourable—test by dripping down a glass.
- Drip & Decorate
- Set the cake on a turntable. Gently pour ganache near the center, smoothing toward edges, then squeeze drips down sides with a bottle or spoon.
- Before it firms, scatter sprinkles or chocolate curls of your choice.
- Storage
- Keep at a cool, dry room temp (2–3 days) under a cake keeper to maintain frosting integrity. Avoid plastic wrap, which can create condensation and ruin the finish.
- Prep Time: 45 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Desserts