Description

A dense, fudgy chocolate cake made with dark stout or porter beer, topped with a light, airy whipped ganache. This dessert is moist, deeply chocolatey, and surprisingly easy to make.

Ingredients

Scale

1 ½ cups (355ml) dark beer (stout or porter, e.g., Guinness)
½ cup (115g) unsalted butter, melted
1 ½ cups (300g) granulated sugar
2 large eggs, room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 ½ cups (190g) all-purpose flour
¾ cup (75g) unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup (240ml) heavy cream
1 ½ cups (255g) semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (for ganache)
Pinch of salt (for ganache)
Optional: ½ cup chopped pecans or walnuts
Optional: 1 teaspoon espresso powder

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9×13 inch baking pan with butter or non-stick spray and dust with cocoa powder.
In a large microwave-safe bowl, melt the butter. Let it cool slightly, then whisk in the sugar, eggs, vanilla extract, and dark beer until smooth.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, stirring gently until just combined. Do not overmix.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 35-40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with moist crumbs.
Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
For the ganache, heat heavy cream in a saucepan until it just begins to simmer. Pour over chocolate chips in a heatproof bowl and let sit for 2 minutes. Stir until smooth, then add vanilla and salt.
Let the ganache mixture cool to room temperature (about 30 minutes).
Whip the cooled ganache mixture with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form (2-3 minutes).
Spread the whipped ganache over the completely cooled cake. Slice and serve at room temperature.

Notes

The alcohol in the beer cooks off, leaving a subtle roasted malt flavor that enhances the chocolate. Do not overmix the batter to avoid a tough texture. Ensure the cake is completely cool before applying the ganache, or it will melt. The cake tastes better the next day as flavors meld.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Category: Dessert
Cuisine: American

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 slice
Calories: 380
Sugar: 38
Sodium: 120
Fat: 18
Saturated Fat: 10
Carbohydrates: 52
Fiber: 2
Protein: 5

Keywords: chocolate cake, beer cake, stout cake, whipped ganache, Oktoberfest dessert, fudgy cake, homemade dessert