Wedding Cake Inspo: Chocolate Stout Cake with Raspberries and Cream

This rich and moist Chocolate Stout Cake is infused with the deep flavors of dark beer and topped with raspberries and cream for a stunning dessert. Inspired by a memorable cake shared with friends in Scotland, this recipe is perfect for celebrations or any day that calls for chocolate.

Will and I arrived in Scotland on a Monday night in October, weary from travel and, as usual, starving. Hunger follows us everywhere—it’s practically our third wheel. Our friends, the Mardens, who had just traded Houston for Aberdeen, welcomed us into their new home with the kind of chocolate cake that says, “Stay as long as you like”—so we did.

The eldest daughter, Agatha, had baked a chocolate stout cake that was rich but unassuming. Dense without being heavy. It was deeply chocolatey, softly scented with stout, and perfectly moist. I ate my slice quickly, savoring every bite while resisting the urge to ask for seconds. (I’m not above asking for another slice, but sometimes you have to play it cool.)

We didn’t know it then, but that cake wasn’t just a warm welcome to Scotland; it quietly became the blueprint for our wedding cake. Some recipes do that—they settle into your life and stay.

Here are the ingredients you’ll need to make this Chocolate Stout Cake:

•  Guinness (or any dark stout) beer

•  Dutch- processed cocoa powder (I used Hershey’s Special Dark)

•  granulated sugar

•  baking soda and baking powder

•  all-purpose flour

•  unsalted butter (though I’ve been baking with salted butter as of late and I don’t know why I haven’t baked this way sooner!)

•  vanilla extract

•  for topping the cake: cream cheese and Bailey’s liqueur to make a thick and spreadable glaze, fresh raspberries, cocoa powder, and store-bought meringue cookie

In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, combine the Guinness and butter. Let them mingle and swirl around until the butter melts into the beer, creating the base of our rich, chocolatey magic. While that happens, whisk together the cocoa powder and sugar in a large mixing bowl.

Once the butter/beer combo is ready, pour it into the cocoa and sugar mixture and whisk it all together until smooth and glossy. The chocolate mixture will cool slightly as you whisk, but give it a little extra time to come to room temperature before grabbing your hand mixer. When it’s cool enough, beat in the eggs, vanilla extract, and buttermilk on medium speed until the mixture is smooth and silky.

In a smaller bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients: flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Gradually add this to the wet ingredients, beating on low speed until just combined. Then give it a quick whip on medium speed for about a minute to make sure everything is nicely incorporated. Pour the batter into your prepared pan, slide it into the oven, and bake for 35-40 minutes. You’ll know it’s ready when the top bounces back at a gentle press or a toothpick comes out clean (or with a few moist crumbs—it’s all good). Let the cake cool for about 30 minutes before loosening the edges with a knife and releasing the springform.

While the cake cools, let’s talk frosting. In a medium bowl, beat the butter until it’s nice and soft. Add the cream cheese and mix until smooth and well-combined. Toss in the powdered sugar and a splash of Bailey’s (or cream if you’re keeping it classic), and beat it all together until smooth and spreadable.

Once the cake is cool, transfer it to a serving plate and spread the cream cheese frosting generously over the top. Just before serving, dust with cocoa powder and crown it with fresh raspberries and delicate meringues for that extra touch of elegance.

Any leftovers? Lucky you! Wrap them loosely and store in the refrigerator for up to four days—if they last that long.

For our wedding cake, I multiplied this recipe by 6 to create three 9×13-inch layers. I topped and filled the cake with a Swiss Meringue Buttercream because it’s a very sturdy and not too sweet topping. Inside I filled the layers with a tart lemon raspberry curd and it was just lovely!! You can find a video on the cake coming together here!

Wedding Cake Inspo: Chocolate Stout Cake with Raspberries and Cream

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• Author: Joy the Baker
• Prep Time: 1 hour
• Cook Time: 40 minutes
• Total Time: about 2 hours
• Yield: 1 9-inch cake 1x
• Category: dessert, holiday
• Method: baking

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Description

This rich and moist Chocolate Stout Cake is infused with the deep flavors of dark beer and topped with raspberries and cream for a stunning dessert.

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

For the Cake:

• 9 ounces (250 ml) Guinness beer (the rest of the can is for you to sip)
• 1 cup + 1 tablespoon (250 grams) unsalted butter
• Scant 1 cup (80 grams) unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 cups (400 grams) granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 2/3 cup (150 ml) buttermilk
• 2 1/4 cup (280 grams) all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

For the Frosting:

• 4 tablespoons (55 grams) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
• 4 ounces cream cheese, very softened to room temperature
• 2 1/2 cups (300 grams) powdered sugar
• 1–2 tablespoons Baily’s Irish cream (or heavy cream)
• Cocoa powder, for dusting
• Fresh raspberries for decorating
• Store-bought meringues, for decorating

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Instructions

1. Place a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Lightly grease a 9-inch springform pan, line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper and lightly grease the parchment paper. Set the pan aside.
2. In a small saucepan over medium-low heat combine Guinness and butter. Swirl around the pan until the butter has melted. While the butter melts whisks together the cocoa powder and sugar in a large bowl.
3. Pour the melted butter mixture into the cocoa and sugar mixture and whisk to combine. The chocolate mixture should cool as it’s whisked but just make sure it’s cooled to mostly room temperature before using a hand mixer to beat in the eggs, vanilla extract and buttermilk on medium speed.
4. In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt until evenly combined. Add the dry ingredients to the wet and beat to combine on low speed until combined, then whip on medium speed for 1 minutes. Pour into the prepared pan and bake for 35-40 minutes until the cake bounces back when lightly pressed or a toothpick stuck in the middle of the cake comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. Allow the cake to cool for 30 minutes before running a cake knife between the cake and the pan and loosening the spring form.
5. While the cake cools, make the frosting. In a medium bowl beat the butter until softened around the bowl. Add the softened cream cheese and beat until combined. Add the powdered sugar and a splash of Baily’s or cream to the mixture. Beat until smooth and spreadable.
6. Place the cooled cake on a plate and smooth generously with cream cheese frosting. Just before serving, dust with cocoa powder and top with raspberries and meringues.
7. Store any leftovers wrapped loosely in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

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