Boozy Irish Chocolate Cake
With Guinness in the cake, Jameson's in the ganache, and Irish Creme in the frosting, this is a must try for St. Patrick's Day or anytime you want a moist, flavorful cake with a kick. I've made Guinness cake many times before, but this was my first time adding the ganache layer. The Jameson's takes it to another level of decadence! To make this version, I combined three different recipes and put my own spin on it.
Servings 18 slices
Ingredients
Guinness Chocolate Cake
- 2 sticks unsalted butter
- 1 cup Guinness beer (stout beer)
- 1/2 cup cocoa powder
- 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips You can use semi-sweet, but dark is best!
- 2 eggs
- 2/3 cup plain Greek yogurt I use full fat, but you can use nonfat.
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 1/2 cups sugar or stevia or splenda
- 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp salt
Whiskey Chocolate Ganache
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- 8 oz bittersweet chocolate chips or squares. You can use semi-sweet, but I like it dark.
- 2/3 cup heavy cream
- 2 tbsp Irish Whiskey Jameson's!!
Irish Creme Frosting
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter softened, for Buttercream frosting OR I've also made this with cream cheese instead and it's VERY good either way.
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 4 tbsp Irish Creme Baileys!!
Instructions
Guinness Chocolate Cake
- Preheat the oven to 350° F. I sprayed a 9x13 pan with cooking spray. You can make 2 8" or 9" layers if you want to be fancy, but my way is easier.
- In a large bowl, microwave the butter until completely melted. Add beer and cocoa powder and whisk until smooth.
- Add eggs and yogurt. Mix gently with an electric mixer on low until combined.
- Add sugar, flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Mix on medium for at least a minute until fully combined. Add the chocolate chips and stir or mix another minute until the batter is more fluffy.
- Dump the batter into the cake pan and smooth it evenly with a spatula. Bake for 35-40 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool completely. (At least an hour.)
Whiskey Ganache
- In a microwave safe bowl, melt chocolate for one minute. Stir. Add butter and cream. Microwave another minute. Stir until smooth. Add the whiskey, stir. Wait a couple of minutes for it to cool and set up.
- Using a chopstick or the handle of a round wooden spoon, gently poke at least 18 holes about 1 inch deep in the cake.
- Pour the chocolate ganache over top of the cake, making sure the holes are filled. Use a small spatula if needed to spread the ganache evenly and fill in the gaps. You want every piece to have some ganache when it's cut. Put the pan in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes to cool and harden that layer.
Irish Creme Frosting
- In a medium bowl, use a mixer to cream the softened butter (OR cream cheese). Add powdered sugar and beat on high until mixed. Add the Irish Cream a couple of tablespoons at a time, until the frosting is the consistency you want.
- Spread frosting over the cooled cake and ganache. Or if you're feeling fancy, use a pastry bag to pipe the frosting on top.
Notes
I don't know why you'd have any, but leftovers should be stored in the fridge for best results.