This boozy Chocolate Guinness Bundt Cake might have a controversial name given it’s more commonly referred to as an Irish Car Bomb Bundt Cake. However, there’s nothing controversial about the flavors! This decadent chocolate cake combines Guinness beer, Irish Whiskey, and Baileys Irish Cream to create a chocolate ganache and frosting. Make it, and you are all set for St. Patrick’s Day, anytime you need a little pick-me-up or just want to make a cake that’s sure to impress family and friends.
This chocolate cake is to die for! OMG!!! Adding ganache to the Guinness-infused batter makes this dessert extra rich. And I love that smooth, creamy Baileys Irish Cream frosting on top. If you don’t drink, you’ll want to skip this one! Try these Andes Mint and Espresso Brownies or this recipe for Millionaire Shortbread instead!
SAVE THIS GUINNESS BUNDT CAKE RECIPE TO YOUR FAVORITE PINTEREST BOARD!
Why is this chocolate cake also called an Irish Car Bomb Cake?
If you and your family are not big drinkers, you might not know that there is a popular drink by the same name. It’s made by filling a shot glass with Jameson Irish whiskey and a shot of Baileys Irish Cream and dropping it into a pint glass of Guinness Stout Beer. The shot glass makes a little “explosion” when dropped into the beer, spawning the name. It’s a bit controversial as it references some Irish history. Hence the name I’ve given it or feel free to call it an Irish Whiskey Cake if you’d like!
Will the alcohol bake out of this Chocolate Guinness Cake?
Although some of the alcohol in this cake recipe cooks off during the baking process, a decent percentage remains, somewhere between 25-35%. Individuals in recovery, pregnant women or breastfeeding, and those who choose not to drink for religious, health, or other reasons might want to avoid this cake.
It should also go without saying that it’s a dessert made especially for the adults, so please don’t feed it to children or those under 21.
Recipe Ingredients
This cake has three major parts you’ll need ingredients for, the batter, the ganache, and the frosting.
Cake Batter Ingredients
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 cup unsalted butter
- 1 cup of Guinness Stout Beer
- 1 cup of sour cream
- 1 ½ cups white sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup of unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 large eggs
Chocolate Ganache Ingredients
- 3 ounces dark chocolate chips
- 3 ounces semisweet chocolate chips – For more dark chocolate flavor, use all dark chocolate chips. You could also substitute milk chocolate chips for either dark or semisweet ones.
- 2 tablespoons melted butter
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 3 tablespoons Jameson Irish whiskey
Bailey’s Cream Frosting Ingredients
- 4 cups of powdered sugar (more if needed)
- 1 cup of butter
- 6 tablespoons of Bailey’s Irish Cream Liqueur
How to make Chocolate Stout Bundt Cake
- Prepare: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 12-cup bundt pan and then dust it with flour, ensuring it gets into all the ridges. Set aside.
- Make the Ganache: Combine butter and chocolate chips in a microwave-safe bowl, then melt in the microwave in 20-second intervals, stirring in between. Pour heavy cream into a saucepan and bring it to a boil. Pour the chocolate mixture in but don’t stir. Let it sit for about two minutes, then add whiskey and stir to combine.
- Put the ganache in the fridge for 5 minutes, then stir. Continue stirring every five minutes until the mixture becomes cool but not solid.
- Make the Stout Cake Batter: Bring beer and butter to a simmer in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the 3/4 cup cocoa powder, then remove the saucepan from the heat and let the mixture cool.
- Put the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large mixing bowl. Add eggs and sour cream and beat until just combined. Add in the cooled beer mixture and beat on low speed.
- Add ½ of the batter to the prepared bundt pan, then ganache, and finally, add the rest of the batter. Bake for 40-50 minutes in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Bundt cakes take a little extra time to bake than regular cake pans. Allow the cake to cool completely.
- Make the frosting: Whip butter and powdered sugar one cup at a time. Add in Bailey’s. If the frosting becomes too liquid, add more powdered sugar as needed, but only a tablespoon or so at a time. When the cake is cool, frost it, cover with chocolate shavings, if desired, and enjoy it with a tall glass of milk!
Tips for a Successful Bundt Cake
- A frosted cake like this can be stored covered at room temperature for 4-5 days. Use a cake keeper or large overturned bowl to cover the cake.
- Once you cut the cake, moisture begins to escape, and the cake starts to grow stale. You can cover the sliced sides with a piece of plastic wrap to help slow this process. Continue to keep it covered.
- Don’t use butter to grease your pan- this can actually cause your cake to stick to the pan! Use shortening or oil, then sprinkle flour in the pan and distribute it evenly.
- Remember to grease the center tube of the bundt cake pans!
- Let the cake cool in the pan on a wire rack for about 10-20 minutes. Tap and gently shake the pan to help loosen the cake. Then carefully slide a table knife down the sides to release any sticking spots. Invert the pan over the cooling rack, remove it, and let the cake continue to cool on the rack.
How to store leftover Irish Car Bomb Bundt Cake
A frosted cake like this can be stored covered at room temperature for 4-5 days. Use a cake keeper or large overturned bowl to cover the cake.
Once you cut the cake, moisture begins to escape, and the cake starts to grow stale. You can cover the sliced sides with a piece of plastic wrap to help slow this process. Continue to keep it covered.
Do I need to refrigerate this cake?
Most cakes are fine to store at room temperature for a few days. You only need to refrigerate this if you have a hot and humid kitchen or if you won’t be serving it for a few days.
Can a chocolate bundt cake be frozen?
You can store this cake for up to 3 months in the freezer! You can freeze it before or after frosting.
Unfrosted: Wrap in plastic wrap, then put it into a freezer bag or aluminum foil.
Frosted: Flash-freeze the cake for about an hour to set the frosting, then wrap it in plastic wrap. Add a layer of aluminum foil or store it in a cake keeper.
Can this Guinness chocolate cake be made into cupcakes?
Rejoice, cupcake fans! This batter makes amazing cupcakes as well. They cook for much less time (about 18-20 minutes), but otherwise, the recipe is the same! They would be fun to bring to a St. Patrick’s Day party!
Want more Boozy Desserts?
If you like a little liquor in your desserts, try one of these yummy recipes:
- Bourbon Caramel Chocolate Cookies
- Chocolate Crunch Bars with Bourbon Caramel Sauce
- Guinness Fudge Brownies
This perfect bundt cake will make the best St. Patrick’s Day dessert. With its’ decadent flavor and chocolatey overtones, it’s sure to be a hit at first bite.
Chocolate Guinness Bundt Cake
Ingredients
- Cake Batter
- 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon. baking powder
- 1 cup butter
- 1 cup Guinness beer
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 eggs
- Ganache
- 3 oz. dark chocolate chips
- 3 oz. semi sweet chocolate chips
- 2 tablespoons melted butter
- 1/2 cup cream
- 3 tablespoons Jameson Whiskey
- Baileys Irish Cream Frosting
- 4 cups powdered sugar + more if needed
- 1 cup butter
- 6 tablespoons Baileys Irish Cream
- Hershey's Milk Chocolate Bar for shavings, if desired.
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350° F. Prepare a 12-cup bundt pan by buttering it well and dusting it with flour.
To make the ganache:
- Place chocolate chips and butter in a microwavable bowl and melt in microwave in increments of 30 seconds. Stirring in between until smooth and completely melted.
- In a saucepan, add cream and bring to a boil. Pour chocolate mixture in but don’t stir. Let it sit for about 2 minutes. Then stir in whiskey. Put in fridge for 5 minutes. Stir. Continue stirring every 5 minutes until the mixture becomes cool – but not solid.
To make the cake batter:
- Bring the Guinness beer and butter to a simmer. Whisk in cocoa powder. Remove from heat. Cool.
- Put flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in a large mixing bowl. Using a mixer, beat in the eggs and sour cream until just mixed. Then add the cooled beer mixture and mix on low speed.
- Into the prepared bundt pan, add 1/2 the batter, then add in ganache, then the remaining batter. Bake 40-50 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Allow for the cake to cool completely before frosting.
To make the frosting:
- Whip butter, add in powdered sugar 1 cup at a time. Add in the Bailey's. If the frosting becomes too liquid add more sugar, a tablespoon at a time.
Notes
Nutrition
did you make this recipe?
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This post was originally published 4/23/13. It has been updated with a new title, format and with pictures on 3/9/23.
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