In honor of St. Patrick’s Day coming up, I thought I’d post the recipe of our absolute favorite cake on the face of the planet: Decadent Chocolate Guinness Cake with Chocolate Ganache and Chocolate Buttercream Frosting.

Say that 3 times fast!

I do not like beer, but I was super excited to turn 21 (many moons ago) so I could start buying Guinness to make this cake! I worked in a bakery one summer while I was in college (um, best job EVER), and one of the main items I baked that summer was this chocolate Guinness cake. It was one of their staples, and Aaron and I will be forever grateful for that job of mine because of this cake! We fell in love with it, and I’ve made it about a bazillion times since then. The two frostings – the chocolate buttercream frosting + the chocolate ganache – are a match made in heaven on this cake.

The recipe is below, but I’m showing you in these photos that I make the chocolate buttercream frosting and then completely ice the 2 layers of cake with it, and then I pour the ganache on the very top layer of the cake.

Sprinkle pecans on top and you’ve really got it made!

This cake is so rich and dense – it slices perfectly!

The cake recipe I use is from Epicurious – this recipe is pretty similar to the one we used in the bakery. However, I always make HALF of Epicurious’s recipe (which they say serves 12) when I make this cake and it easily serves 15 people with a hearty piece. Crazy! In the bakery, we always used a chocolate buttercream for the entire cake and then the ganache on top, so that’s how I’ve always made it since working there.

I’ve given this recipe out to so many people who’ve requested it! I’m excited to share it with you, too! Hope you love it as much as we do!

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Decadent Chocolate Guinness Cake with Chocolate Ganache and Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

Yield: 15 pieces

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes

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Ingredients

• 1 c Guinness beer
• 2 sticks unsalted butter
• 3/4 c unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 c all-purpose flour
• 2 c granulated sugar
• 1/2 tbsp baking soda
• 2 eggs
• 2/3 c sour cream
• ---------------------------------------------------
• For the buttercream frosting:
• 1 c unsalted butter, softened
• 2.5 c powdered sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla
• ½ c cocoa
• ---------------------------------------------------
• For chocolate ganache:
• 3/4 c whipping cream
• 1 c semisweet chocolate chips

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350.

Melt 2 sticks of butter in saucepan on stove top over medium heat.

Add Guinness to saucepan. When liquid begins to simmer, turn off heat and stir in cocoa powder.

In a mixing bowl, add flour, sugar, and baking soda. Slowly pour in Guinness mixture from saucepan (I do this while my stand mixer is running).

Once the liquid is completely blended with the dry ingredients, add in eggs once at a time, mixing between additions. Add sour cream and blend until batter is completely mixed.

Pour batter into two 9" well-greased round cake pans and place in preheated oven for 25-35 minutes. Check cakes after 25 minutes with a toothpick to see if it comes out clean. If not, leave them in for a few more minutes and check again.

Once you bake the cakes, set them aside on cooling racks to cool and begin prepping the buttercream frosting & ganache.

Buttercream: Using a stand or a hand mixer, beat 1 cup butter with powdered sugar. Once they're pretty well blended together, add cocoa and vanilla and continue to beat until the frosting is smooth and fluffy - a minute or two. Set aside.

In a small saucepan over medium heat, add whipping cream and chocolate chips. Stir regularly until chocolate chips are completely melted and the whipping cream and chocolate create a thick sauce. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.

Once cakes are completely cooled, set bottom cake on cake platter and frost with buttercream frosting. Add second cake layer and frost the entire cake - top and sides - with the buttercream frosting. Slowly pour chocolate ganache on top, using a spatula to very gently spread it and allow it to dribble down the sides.

Top with chopped pecans and enjoy!