Spilt Pint of Guinness Cake

This cake was a personal request from my friend’s parents, as it’s a favourite of theirs. My go-to recipe has always been Nigella Lawson’s Guinness Cake, but I wanted to put my own spin on it. By infusing the Guinness with cardamom and adding coffee, I’ve tried to draw out the key flavours of the stout. I’ve also added Guinness to the icing, giving it the look and taste of a pint’s frothy head. The icing sets just enough to create the “spilt pint” effect if it drips down the sides.

Spilt Pint of Guinness Cake
Spilt Pint of Guinness Cake

Serves 14-16

Hands-on Time 20 minutes (plus cooling)

Baking Time 50 minutes

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Ingredients

  • 350g unsalted butter (softened, plus extra for greasing)

  • 50g cocoa powder (plus 2 tsp for dusting)

  • 250ml Guinness (plus 2 tbsp for icing)

  • 3 cardamom pods

  • 150g dark chocolate (70%)

  • 350g caster sugar

  • 2 large eggs

  • 300g self-raising flour

  • 1 tbsp instant coffee powder (fine)

  • Pinch of salt

  • 150ml soured cream

  • 100g full-fat cream cheese (room temperature)

  • 250g icing sugar

Equipment

  • Scissors

  • Baking parchment

  • 23cm deep-sided fixed-bottom or springform cake tin

  • Small saucepan

  • Spatula

  • Large bowl

  • Electric or hand whisk

  • Wide bowl

  • Sieve

  • Wire rack

Method

1. Preheat the oven

  • Preheat the oven to 170°C/150°C (fan)/325°F/Gas Mark 3.

2. Prepare the cake tin

  • Cut a circle of baking parchment to fit the base of the tin.

  • Grease the tin with butter, line with parchment, and grease again.

  • Dust with 2 tsp cocoa powder, tapping out any excess.

3. Make the Guinness mixture

  • In a small saucepan, heat the Guinness and cardamom pods over low heat.

  • Add 250g butter and stir until melted.

  • Remove from heat, add the chocolate, and stir until melted. Let cool.

4. Prepare the cake batter

  • In a large bowl, whisk the sugar and eggs for 5 minutes until pale and thick.

  • Sieve the flour, coffee powder, 50g cocoa powder, and salt into a wide bowl.

  • Remove the cardamom pods from the Guinness mixture and stir in the soured cream.

  • Gently fold the Guinness mixture into the egg mixture.

  • Fold in the dry ingredients in thirds until just combined.

5. Bake the cake

  • Pour the batter into the prepared tin and smooth the top.

  • Bake on the middle shelf for 50 minutes.

  • Let cool in the tin for 15 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

6. Make the icing

  • In a clean large bowl, whisk 100g butter and cream cheese until smooth.

  • Add the icing sugar and whisk gently.

  • Stir in 2 tbsp Guinness and whisk until combined.

7. Assemble the cake

  • Spoon the icing over the cooled cake, allowing it to drip slightly over the edges.

  • Chill in the fridge to set the icing, ideally overnight.

Enjoy!

Spilt Pint of Guinness Cake
Spilt Pint of Guinness Cake