Chocolate Guinness Cake: Indulge in Ireland’s Dark, Decadent Icon this St Patrick’s Day
Chocolate Guinness Cake at The Marker Hotel, Dublin
Dark as a Dublin winter evening and crowned with a creamy white topping reminiscent of a freshly poured pint, this cake has become a modern classic and feels tailor-made for the celebration.
At once homely and theatrical, nostalgic and indulgent, it is beloved of home cooks and chefs alike, from Yotam Otttolenghi and Nigella Lawson, to Ireland’s own Donal Skehan.
Where to Try It in Ireland
While many visitors first encounter the cake abroad, tasting it in Ireland adds a layer of authenticity. From farmhouse kitchens to stylish cafés, the cake appears on menus everywhere, bringing together Ireland’s great baking tradition with its most famous export, stout.
On Inis Mór, the largest of the rugged Aran Islands on Ireland’s Wild Atlantic Way, visitors can sample chocolate Guinness cake in pretty cottage café Teach Nan Phaidí. Reached by ferry or a short flight from neighbouring Connemara, the journey itself feels like a pilgrimage, making the sweet treat feel all the more rewarding. In a place better known for ancient stone forts and sweeping sea cliffs, travelling this far for cake adds a delicious sense of whimsy and adventure.
Teach nan Phaidi, Inishmore, Aran Islands, Co. Galway
And for something a little more glamorous, guests can try the ‘Poetry and Places’ afternoon tea at the Marker Hotel’s Anantara restaurant, a five‑star venue known for its exceptional service and attention to detail. As a tribute to Ireland’s iconic beer, the team has created a special chocolate Guinness cake resembling a perfect pint of the ‘black stuff’, part of an afternoon tea inspired by Ireland’s rich culture and landscapes.
Meanwhile, the buzzy Alchemy café and bookstore on Barrack Street in Cork city, Ireland’s unofficial food capital, brings its bohemian, art‑filled charm to life with a menu that has earned a loyal local following. Known for its creative spirit and community‑driven ethos, the café serves an array of handmade bakes. Their indulgent chocolate Guinness cake is paired perfectly with specialty coffee and a relaxed atmosphere that has made Alchemy such a beloved Cork institution.
A taste of Ireland: Classic Chocolate Guinness Cake Recipe
Ingredients - For the Cake
- 250 millilitres Guinness
- 250 grams unsalted butter
- 75 grams cocoa powder
- 400 grams caster sugar
- 150 millilitres sour cream
- 2 large eggs
- 2½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- 275 grams plain flour
- 2½ teaspoons bicarbonate of soda
For the Topping
- 300 grams cream cheese
- 150 grams icing sugar
- 2 teaspoons cornflour
- 125 millilitres double cream (or whipping cream)
Method
- Preheat the oven to gas mark 4/180°C/160°C Fan/350ºF, and butter and line a 23cm / 9 inch springform tin.
- Pour the Guinness into a large wide saucepan, add the butter — in spoons or slices — and heat until the butter's melted, at which time you should whisk in the cocoa and sugar. Beat the sour cream with the eggs and vanilla and then pour into the brown, buttery, beery pan and finally whisk in the flour and bicarb.
- Pour the cake batter into the greased and lined tin and bake for 45 minutes to an hour. Leave to cool completely in the tin on a cooling rack, as it is quite a damp cake.
- When the cake's cold, sit it on a flat platter or cake stand and get on with the icing. Lightly whip the cream cheese until smooth, sieve over the icing sugar and cornflour and then beat to combine.
- If using double cream, add it and beat until you have a spreadable consistency. If using whipping cream, whisk first to soft peaks, add a couple of spoonfuls into the cream cheese mixture and once this is combined, fold in the rest.
- Ice the top of the black cake so that it resembles the frothy top of the famous pint.