Irish Stout Chocolate Cake

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Plugrá® Butter. The opinions and text are all mine.

This chocolate cake recipe is quite possibly the most decadent, chocolate-rich dessert I have ever eaten. If you need a fix and are in the mood to bake, you’ve got to try this Irish Stout Chocolate Cake. Fudgy, moist, with the full-bodied flavor of a dark stout beer, this cake has it all.

Irish Stout Chocolate Cake

I have been researching (and dreaming about) how to make a chocolate stout cake for months. The idea of a sweet dessert cake made with the toasty-malt flavors of a dark Irish stout sounds like the thing of dreams. Layers of moist cake with a simple chocolate frosting, bite after bite of indulgent, buttery-cocoa cake…sounds pretty sexy, right?

This recipe has been in my little sketch notebook for a while. I’ve been saving it for the right time. When I had the opportunity to work with Plugrá® Butter, I knew it was time to share the recipe.

Plugrá is perfect for all of your Easter and spring baking needs. You can find it in the dairy section of your local Publix. It is made with milk from American dairy farmers, too

The heart of our stout chocolate cake recipe starts with a rich chocolate mixture made with a generous amount of wholesome butter. We wanted this cake to taste amazing, buttery…perfect. We started with Plugrá Butter.

Most butter is 80% butterfat, Plugrá is 82% butterfat and slow churned for creamier flavor. The result is flakier pie crusts, softer cookies, and more flavorful sauces. Did you know it is the official butter of the French Pastry School and the New York James Beard House? You can taste the Plugrá difference.

Ingredients Needed for Chocolate Stout Cake:

• Plugrá Butter, unsalted
• Dark Irish stout beer
• Unsweetened cocoa powder
• All-purpose flour
• White granulated sugar
• Baking soda
• Salt
• Eggs
• Sour cream
• Vanilla
• Heavy cream
• Semisweet chocolate
• Sea salt (optional topping)

To make your baking easier (and more enjoyable), have all of your ingredients prepared and ready to go when you need them. You can get the complete ingredient list and instructions in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

How to Make Irish Stout Chocolate Cake:

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Adjust the oven rack to center position.
2. Generously butter two 9-inch round cake pans and line with parchment paper. Butter the paper, too.
3. In a heavy saucepan, slowly melt the butter with the stout beer. Bring to a simmer, stirring frequently until all of the butter has melted and the mixture is steamy. Whisk in the cocoa powder until smooth. Remove from heat and let cool for several minutes.
4. Next, stir together the flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl.
5. In a separate large bowl, beat the eggs, sour cream, and vanilla with a handheld mixer until smooth, about 2 minutes.
6. Slowly pour the butter-beer-chocolate mixture into the egg mixture, beating on low speed until just combined.
7. Then, add the flour mixture to the cake batter a cup at a time, STIRRING (not beating) by hand until the dry ingredients are just incorporated. Do not over mix.
8. Pour the chocolate cake batter evenly into the prepared cake pans. Bake in the pre-heated oven for 35 - 40 minutes until a pick inserted in the center of the cake comes clean.
9. Remove the cake from the oven and let cool in the pan on a wire cooling rack for 15 minutes. Gently loosen the cake from the pan by running a flat butter knife around the edges.
10. Next, carefully turn the chocolate cake layers out onto the cooling rack. Cool completely.
11. For the frosting (if desired), heat two cups of heavy cream in a heavy sauce pan over medium-low heat until hot. Remove from heat and stir in semisweet chocolate pieces until melted and smooth. Place the frosting in the fridge. Stir every 15 - 30 minutes until it is cooled and spreadable (about 2 hours).
12. Finally, frost the cake by spreading about ¾ cup of the frosting on the bottom layer. Top with the top layer and frost the top and sides.
13. Optional: sprinkle the top with flakes of sea salt before serving.

The aroma of the stout and the chocolate does wonderful things to your kitchen while baking!

TIP: Do not open the oven door while baking or the cake may fall in the center. This is a thinner cake batter and the oven needs to maintain an even temperature throughout the baking process for the center to properly rise.

NOTE: Your cooking time may vary based on several factors (how your oven bakes, rack position, pan size, altitude, etc.) Adjust cooking time as needed.

This chocolate stout cake is so moist. So fudgy. Tender and sweet with the buttery-richness you would expect. It is absolutely perfect with no frosting at all if you prefer. But, if you want to go all out, by all means, make the frosting. Be warned: you will need a tall, ice cold glass of milk!

Love to bake? Here are more buttery recipes to try:

Rustic Homemade Pear Galette

Spiced Pumpkin Muffins

More tips on making this Chocolate Cake:

• Take your time. A great cake shouldn’t be rushed.
• Have the cake ingredients measured and ready to go before starting.
• Generously butter the baking pans and use parchment paper for perfect release. Don’t forget to butter the parchment, too.
• Turn this into a 3-layer cake by using three 8-inch pans.
• Skip the frosting and top with light cream and fresh fruit for a fun, Spring twist. Raspberries would be divine.
• Do not over mix the cake batter or it will be tough.
• This recipe is easily halved if you want a single layer chocolate snack cake.

Chocolate lovers everywhere …this is YOUR cake. Rich, packed with deep chocolate flavor, moist and the perfect sponge. You’re going to love this Irish Stout Chocolate Cake.