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Home » Cakes » Baileys & Guinness Cake

Baileys & Guinness Cake

By Olivia, 113 Comments

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A rich chocolate cake infused with Guinness, paired with a Baileys dark chocolate ganache and a Baileys buttercream. This Baileys & Guinness Cake is the perfect grown-up treat.

Baileys & Guinness Cake on a wooden cake stand.

You know, for someone who doesn’t really drink, I have more than my fair share of boozy desserts.

I love a good, sweet cocktail, but you’ll never catch me with a glass of wine or a beer. My palette just prefers sweet drinks (surprised??) and I generally don’t like the taste of alcohol.

That being said, the flavour of many alcoholic beverages is delicious and lends itself so well to baked goods — especially with this Baileys & Guinness Cake!

Close up of the side of the cake

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Baileys flavoured desserts are not new to me. In fact, I think they are far too common on this blog (not that that’s a bad thing).

Guinness though — I think this might be the first time I’ve ever tried it. So what better way to try it than in cake form, right?? I actually took a sip of it after using what I needed in the cake…  I think I’ll stick with the boozy desserts.

This Baileys & Guinness Cake is a long time coming. I actually planned to make it last year for St. Paddy’s Day but never got around to it and made a Mint Chocolate Chip Cake instead. Better late than never though, right??

How to Make a Guinness Cake

To make this Guinness Cake, I took my favourite Chocolate Cake recipe and simply swapped out the hot water for hot Guinness. The result worked perfectly.

I also swapped out some of the Dutch-process cocoa powder for black cocoa to intensify the deep, dark color of the cake — trying to emulate the actual color of Guinness. If you don’t have black cocoa though, Dutch-processed or regular cocoa powder will work fine.

Chocolate Cake with Guinness and Baileys in the background.

Baileys Buttercream & Ganache

Most Guinness Cake recipes you’ll find online pair the cake with a Baileys cream cheese frosting. While that sounds like a perfectly delicious combo, I wanted to do something a little different, so I made a Baileys dark chocolate ganache and Baileys Swiss meringue to go with the cake.

If you don’t want to make both types of frosting, you can do either/or, but see my tips below if you decide to do only one or the other.

I like both in the cake both for a stunning color contrast and for flavour, but either one would be equally delicious on its own.

Close up of the rope border on top of the cake

Something I should note is that this is actually my second version of this cake, because I tried and failed to do a pretty ombre frosting with the ganache and buttercream.

I started with the ganache at the bottom and it totally solidified on the cold cake, which made it impossible to blend in a pretty way. I tried to do something more rustic to compensate, but it just didn’t work, so I redid the whole thing.

Flavour wise, the cake is delicious! Even for someone who doesn’t like beer, I’m a huge fan of this cake. You can taste the beer, but it’s almost more of an after-taste (to me anyhow) and it goes so well with the Baileys frostings.

If you’re a Baileys/Guinness fan or looking for something fun and unique for St. Paddy’s day, this cake is for you!

A piece of Chocolate Guinness cake on a plate

Looking for more St. Patrick’s Day Recipes??

  • Coffee & Baileys Cake
  • Baileys Cheesecake Cookie Cups
  • Mint Chocolate Chip Cake
  • Baileys Chocolate Cupcakes
  • Coffee & Baileys Macarons

Frequently Asked Questions

How can I convert this recipe?

  • The recipe as-is will also work in two 8″ pans. For three 8″ pans, 1.5x the recipe. Baking time may need to be adjusted.
  • To make cupcakes, all you need to do is reduce the baking time — start checking at 15mins or so. The recipe will make 18-24 cupcakes depending on size.
  • For other conversions go here.

Can I make it in advance?

  • The cooled cake layers can be baked ahead of time, double wrapped in plastic wrap, and frozen for up to 3 months. Take out 2-3 hours before assembly.
  • The frosting can be placed in an airtight container and refrigerated for 1 week for frozen for 3 months. Bring to room temperature and rewhip before using.
  • The ganache can be made a day or two in advance and kept at room temperature. Place plastic wrap directly on top to prevent a skin from forming. Do not refrigerate as it will get too firm.
  • The finished cake (whole or sliced, stored airtight) can be frozen for up to 3 months.

Tips for making this Baileys & Guinness Cake

  • Use the best quality chocolate you can find for the ganache, it makes a huge difference! I use Callebaut.
  • If you like, you can skip the buttercream and just use the Baileys ganache between all the layers. The recipe makes enough for the whole cake.
  • If you’d like to use the Baileys buttercream instead of ganache, double the buttercream recipe.
  • Be sure to check my Swiss Meringue Buttercream post for tips and troubleshooting.
  • Learn how to keep your cakes moist using Simple Syrup.
  • To help ensure your cake layers bake up nice and flat, check out my How to Bake Flat Cake Layers post!

A decorated cake on a cake stand
Print Pin Rate
4.82 from 16 votes

Baileys & Guinness Cake

A rich chocolate cake infused with Guinness, paired with a Baileys dark chocolate ganache and a Baileys buttercream. This Baileys & Guinness Cake is the perfect grown-up treat.
Course Dessert
Cuisine Cake
Prep Time 2 hours
Cook Time 40 minutes
Ganache Setting Time 6 hours
Total Time 8 hours 40 minutes
Servings 12
Calories 999kcal
Author Olivia

Ingredients

Baileys Chocolate Ganache Frosting: (make in advance)

  • 20 oz good quality dark chocolate chopped, not bakers chocolate
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 1/2 cup Baileys Irish Cream
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter

Chocolate Guinness Cake:

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 cup light brown sugar packed
  • 1/2 cup Dutch-processed cocoa powder sifted
  • 1/4 cup black cocoa powder
  • 2 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 cup Guinness hot
  • 1/2 cup vegetable oil
  • 1 cup buttermilk room temperature
  • 2 large eggs room temperature
  • 1 tsp vanilla

Baileys Swiss Meringue Buttercream:

  • 4 large egg whites
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 cup unsalted butter room temperature, cubed
  • 2 Tbsp Baileys Irish Cream
  • 1 tsp vanilla
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Baileys Chocolate Ganache Frosting (make in advance):

  • Place chopped chocolate in a large heatproof bowl.
  • In a medium saucepan, combine heavy cream, Baileys, and butter. Cook over med heat, stirring often until it just barely starts to simmer.
  • Pour hot cream over chopped chocolate and cover bowl with plastic wrap. Let sit 5 minutes.
  • Stir gently with a spatula until completely smooth. If needed, place over a double boiler and stir until all chocolate has melted.
  • Place plastic wrap directly on top of chocolate ganache. Allow to thicken and set overnight.*

Chocolate Guinness Cake:

  • Preheat oven to 350F, grease three 6" round baking pans and dust with cocoa powder. Line bottoms with parchment.
  • Place flour, sugars, cocoas, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Stir to combine.
  • Place Guinness into a small saucepan and heat until just simmering.
  • In a medium bowl whisk buttermilk, eggs, oil, and vanilla. Temper this mixture with the heated Guinness -- pour hot Guinness into the bowl very slowly while whisking egg mixture quickly.
  • Add wet ingredients to dry and mix on medium for 2-3 mins. Batter will be very thin.
  • Pour evenly into prepared pans. I used a kitchen scale to ensure the batter is evenly distributed.
  • Bake until a cake tester comes out mostly clean. A total of 30-35mins.
  • Cool 10 minutes in the pans then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

Baileys Swiss Meringue Buttercream:

  • Place egg whites and sugar into the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk until combined.**
  • Place bowl over a hot water bath on the stove and whisk constantly until the mixture is hot (160F) and no longer grainy to the touch (approx. 3mins).
  • Place bowl on your stand mixer and whisk on med-high until the meringue is stiff and cooled (the bowl is no longer warm to the touch (approx. 5-10mins)). 
  • Switch to paddle attachment. Slowly add cubed butter and mix until smooth.
  • Add Baileys and vanilla and whip until smooth.***

Assembly:

  • Cut each layer of cake in half horizontally.
  • Place one layer of cake on a cake stand or serving dish. Top with about 1/2 cup buttercream, spread evenly. Repeat with remaining layers alternating buttercream with ganache. Frost and smooth the outside with a thin crumb coat. Chill for at least 20mins until firm and set.****
  • Frost the chilled cake with the remaining ganache. It will start to set quicjkly against the cold cake.
  • To smooth the top and sides of the cake, use a metal bench scraper and offset spatula that have been run under hot water (wipe them off before use). Keep heating the scraper/spatula and repeat the process until the sides and top are smooth.
  • Using the remainder of the buttercream, do a rope border on the top using a Wilton 6B piping tip.
  • Decorate bottom with chocolate flakes if desired.

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Notes

* You can speed up the thickening of the ganache by placing the it in the fridge, but you need to stir it often.
** Ensure there is NO trace of egg yolks in your whites and that your mixer bowl and whisk is completely grease free or your meringue won't stiffen.
*** The buttercream may look like it's curdled at some point. Keep mixing until it is completely smooth.
**** If the ganache is too thin or soft and the cake layers start to slide around a bit during assembly, you can place 3-4 bamboo skewers into the top of the cake as support. You'll need to trim the skewers to the proper height of the cake.
Calories: 999kcalCarbohydrates: 97gProtein: 10gFat: 63gSaturated Fat: 40gCholesterol: 122mgSodium: 385mgPotassium: 584mgFiber: 7gSugar: 66gVitamin A: 1095IUVitamin C: 0.1mgCalcium: 125mgIron: 7.7mg
The nutritional information and metric conversions are calculated automatically. I cannot guarantee the accuracy of this data. If this important to you, please verify with your favourite nutrition calculator and/or metric conversion tool.

Originally published Mar 4, 2018

Baileys & Guinness Cake Collage

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February 25, 2021

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    Recipe Rating




  1. Stamatina says

    March 4, 2021 at 2:59 PM

    If you don’t have black cocoa powder can you just use more dutch processed cocoa powder?

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      March 5, 2021 at 10:27 AM

      Hi Stamatina! Yes, that should be fine.

      Reply
  2. Toogoodtoeat says

    March 3, 2021 at 9:30 AM

    5 stars
    Oh by the way the ganache was fine. I used half the quantity of cream to chocolate e.g – 200g chocolate 100g cream, no butter or Baileys. It was smooth and shiny and just the right consistency after 30 minutes at room temperature.

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      March 5, 2021 at 10:23 AM

      Perfect, thanks for your tips!

      Reply
  3. Toogoodtoeat says

    March 3, 2021 at 9:10 AM

    5 stars
    Just made this today for sons birthday. Great recipe that works! Used ordinary butter cream and same weight in butter and icing sugar, so not too sweet. Covered top and sides in buttercream then just sides in ganache. Piped ruffle on top to represent foam. Looked and tasted lovely. Son was very pleased too!

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      March 5, 2021 at 10:23 AM

      Hi there! So happy you both loved it 🙂

      Reply
  4. Annie-Claude says

    February 27, 2021 at 5:38 PM

    5 stars
    I made this today to celebrate our 20th anniversary. Wow! Absolutely delicious, and so beautiful! My ganache split but I was able to get it back by whisking it over a double boiler for a few minutes. Now we’re sugar crashing on the couch on front of the fireplace! Thanks for yet another great recipe!

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      March 1, 2021 at 10:40 AM

      Hi Annie-Claude! So happy to hear you loved it. Happy Anniversary!

      Reply
  5. Brenda Bates says

    February 27, 2021 at 3:57 AM

    5 stars
    My brother in law is a big dark beer lover. I made this cake for his 50th birthday party and it was a big hit. I made the taller version and it was a gorgeous cake…it was a bit challenging but well worth it…did I mention delicious!

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      March 1, 2021 at 10:36 AM

      Hi Brenda! So happy it was a hit. Thanks for the feedback!

      Reply
  6. Jacqui Lim says

    December 1, 2020 at 1:42 AM

    Hi Olivia,
    I am planning to make this cake and was wondering if it is ok to use all Bailey’s instead of Guinness Stout?( not a fan of stout)
    Thank you in advance.

    Jacqui

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      December 3, 2020 at 4:06 PM

      Hi Jacqui! No, I would just use hot water or hot coffee instead. That’s what I use in my typical chocolate cake recipe.

      Reply
  7. Lisa says

    November 7, 2020 at 9:01 AM

    Can I substitute Irish whiskey in the ganache for Bailey’s to get more of an Irish car bomb effect?

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      November 9, 2020 at 9:07 AM

      Hi Lisa! Yes, that should work fine.

      Reply
  8. Kim says

    October 30, 2020 at 7:50 AM

    Quick question …. will the ganache go bad if it sits out overnight? I’m concerned because it has cream in it.

    Thanks.

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      October 30, 2020 at 4:13 PM

      Hi Kim! It will be totally fine at room temperature for a couple days.

      Reply
  9. GT says

    October 21, 2020 at 8:06 PM

    hi, I will like to ask..it’s pretty hard for me to buy buttermilk as it is often not found at my local bakery stores in my country. By any chance is there a good substitute for it while still taste good and moist like this? thanks a bunch!

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      October 23, 2020 at 3:33 PM

      Hi GT! You can make your own buttermilk at home! Add 1 Tbsp of lemon juice or vinegar to 1 cup milk and let it sit for 10mins.

      Reply
  10. C says

    September 10, 2020 at 12:07 AM

    Would it be good to make chocolate buttercream instead vanilla?

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      September 10, 2020 at 10:45 AM

      Hi C! If you like I think it would be fine.

      Reply
  11. Deni says

    August 29, 2020 at 12:29 PM

    hey,great recipe, I want to make this cake and I was wondering if I could use semisweet chocolate instead of dark chocolate or would the cake be too sweet? Also how can i incorporate cream cheese into the buttercream?

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      August 29, 2020 at 3:36 PM

      Hi Deni! I think that would be fine personally. I don’t think it would be too sweet! This type of buttercream doesn’t work well with cream cheese. I would just make a normal CC buttercream if you want CC in there 🙂

      Reply
      • Deni says

        September 1, 2020 at 7:56 AM

        Thank you very much
        This helps alot

        Reply
  12. Helen in CA says

    August 8, 2020 at 11:47 PM

    3 stars
    The cake & buttercream were really lovely. Only 3 stars because the frosting was really hard. Hard to the point of cracking/shattering when cutting to serve. & too solid when hardened as filling, like having fudge literally instead of filling. Cold kitchen & I assembled the cake after freezing it. Defrosted for a couple of hours. Might have been a factor.

    That said, really tasty fudge (I may keep this recipe to use as fudge). But overwhelming the cake/buttercream when made w/ really dark chocolate.

    Good moist cake. The Baileys was really really subtle to the point of not really aware in the buttercream. Which doesn’t mean it didn’t taste good, just very subtle.

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      August 11, 2020 at 9:35 AM

      Hi Helen! The ganache frosting gets very firm in the fridge, but should soften again at room temperature. I find a hot knife makes for easy cutting on a chilled cake. Frosting a cold cake with it would have caused it to set very quickly and firm up so that was definitely a factor. It does have a strong flavour, I agree. Thanks for the feedback! 🙂

      Reply
  13. Helen in CA says

    August 8, 2020 at 7:21 PM

    Crazy question: if you go w/the 3 6″ pans…..how the heck did you slice the cake?

    What tool did you use?

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      August 11, 2020 at 9:30 AM

      Hi Helen! It is a tall cake for sure. I just used a chefs knife to cut and portion it. I find it easiest to do with a hot knife and a chilled cake 🙂

      Reply
  14. Christine Jensema says

    August 8, 2020 at 9:43 AM

    Hi, just finished making this cake, looking forward to eating it,. One quick question, does this cake need to be refrigerated?

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      August 11, 2020 at 9:21 AM

      Hi Christine! The cake will be fine at room temperature for a couple days, but I tend to refrigerate my cakes and take them out 2-3 hours before serving.

      Reply
  15. Lauren says

    June 21, 2020 at 11:19 PM

    5 stars
    Just made this the other day and got so many compliments! It was delicious thank you for this lovely recipe

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      June 22, 2020 at 9:36 AM

      Hi Lauren! So happy everyone loved it. Thanks for the feedback! 🙂

      Reply
  16. Tanya says

    June 16, 2020 at 7:29 AM

    Does dutch process cocoa come in black? I want to make a totally black cake.

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      June 16, 2020 at 10:26 AM

      Hi Tanya! Yes! You can get black cocoa powder. I’ve used it before here.

      Reply
  17. Amy says

    April 25, 2020 at 6:54 AM

    Just a quick question before I dive in, can you use any stout or does it have to be Guinness?

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      April 26, 2020 at 4:03 PM

      Hi Amy! Any stout will work just fine.

      Reply
  18. Anne says

    April 23, 2020 at 2:47 AM

    I will be making my husband’s birthday cake but having found your cakes I can’t make up my mind which one to make. Haha Is this came ok for kids too?

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      April 23, 2020 at 9:30 AM

      Hi Anne! I wouldn’t totally recommend this one for kids. The alcohol won’t fully bake out of the cake layers and there is alcohol in the ganache and frosting. It’s not a lot of it, but still. What other cakes were you thinking of?

      Reply
  19. Diana says

    March 8, 2020 at 4:50 PM

    Do you have a high altitude (6000ft) recipe for this?

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      March 9, 2020 at 2:47 AM

      Hi Diana! I don’t, and it might require some experimenting depending on how high up you are. Here’s a site I refer people to with tips and guidelines: https://www.kingarthurflour.com/learn/resources/high-altitude-baking

      Reply
    • Kimberly Bahmanyar says

      March 14, 2020 at 3:21 PM

      Would it be possible to do an alcohol free version of the ganache, say using Bailey’s Coffee Creamer? The beer alcohol will burn off so I’m not concerned about that.

      TIA!!

      Reply
      • Olivia says

        March 15, 2020 at 11:42 AM

        Hi Kimberly! You can totally use the creamer instead. Just FYI though that the alcohol won’t completely burn off in the baked cake.

        Reply
  20. Lauren says

    February 29, 2020 at 5:26 PM

    Hi! I was wondering if you can freeze the cake before assembly. If so, how long can you freeze for.

    Thanks!

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      March 1, 2020 at 1:20 AM

      Hi Lauren! You can freeze the cake layers (double wrapped in plastic wrap) for 3 months or so.

      Reply
  21. Carol says

    February 16, 2020 at 1:45 PM

    5 stars
    Hi Olivia
    I made this recipe for new year’s eve party and my family loved it! Can I double the recipe to bake this cake in three 10 inch round pans? How do I make this recipe more to bake it in 10 inch rounds or rectangular pans?

    Looking forward
    Thanks
    Carol

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      February 16, 2020 at 2:53 PM

      Hi Carol! So happy you loved it 🙂 Converting pan sizes is always tricky. Here’s a site I use as a guideline: http://www.joyofbaking.com/PanSizes.html Judging by that, I think doubling it would work for two 10″ pans.

      Reply
  22. Julie says

    September 29, 2019 at 6:14 AM

    4 stars
    The cake was REALLY good but the frostings were challenging to make and consumed a lot of time.

    I had trouble with the chocolate ganache. I used Giardelli 85% cacao unsweetened and less than the recipe amount. However, the ganache thickened so much – at room temperature, that it needed to be diluted. Also, the chocolate completely overwhelmed the taste of the baileys. I diluted the ganache with a flavored milk and it then spread nicely.

    The baileys buttercream was delicious but quite a lot of work to make. If I made it again, I might take a simpler approach of starting with a cream cheese based frosting and adding the baileys to that.

    The cake tasted and looked great, especially that is was not sweet. What. fun cake to make after an event of Guinness tasting!

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      September 30, 2019 at 10:18 AM

      Hi Julie! So happy to hear you loved the cake but sorry you had trouble with the frostings :\ The ganache should be quite soft (with the original ratios) at room temperature. Did you refrigerate it at any point? It will become quite firm in the fridge and I’m not sure if it will come back to it’s original softness, but I actually found it a bit challenging because it was more on the softer side. I agree though that the Baileys isn’t crazy strong a flavour and can be easily overwhelmed. I’m glad you loved it anyhow and I appreciate your feedback!

      Reply
      • Kari says

        January 18, 2020 at 6:56 AM

        My ganache completely hardened overnight on the counter. I used the chocolate you recommended and the ratios. Can I save it?

        Reply
        • Olivia says

          January 20, 2020 at 9:11 AM

          Hi Kari! Mine was very soft still so there must have been something off. You can warm it up again slowly to a spreadable consistency 🙂

          Reply
          • Helen in CA says

            August 8, 2020 at 2:40 PM

            I too had problems w/the ganache hardening overnight. And stayed hard during the day. (would make AMAZING truffles). If one has this problem, thoughts about how to warm it enough to assemble the cake?

            I’m thinking perhaps putting the bowl into a pan of hot water? Or ???

          • Olivia says

            August 11, 2020 at 9:27 AM

            Hi Helen! Did you refrigerate the ganache? It should be left at room temperature and will be on the softer side. Chilling it firms it up a lot though. If you leave it out for a few hours to come to room temp again though it will soften. You could also microwave it or heat it over a hot water bath but that might soften it too much.

  23. Jennifer says

    September 5, 2019 at 7:58 AM

    Just curious if you have a recommendation about how to transport these tall cakes. My cake caddy is too short.

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      September 5, 2019 at 4:26 PM

      Hi Jennifer! I don’t often transport my cakes, but I do have a taller, collapsible cake carrier that works for most: https://amzn.to/2ZPUiUg

      Reply
  24. Suzanne says

    August 4, 2019 at 10:22 AM

    I’d love to bake this for some friends but one is gluten free. Any advise on what a good substitute fir the flour in this recipe (or cakes in general). I have a combo product and also almond flour but could purchase something else.

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      August 6, 2019 at 5:16 PM

      Hi Suzanne! I don’t bake GF myself, but a frequently recommended flour is the Cup 4 Cup GF flour blend: https://amzn.to/2YNoRcX Though any all purpose GF flour blend should work.

      Reply
  25. Lisa says

    August 1, 2019 at 11:24 AM

    Hi! I’m making your cake for my son in laws 30th birthday. Do you crumb coat the cake with the chocolate ganache or the buttercream icing? Thank you so much!!

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      August 1, 2019 at 4:05 PM

      Hi Lisa! Good question. I crumb coated with the ganache.

      Reply
      • Lisa says

        August 1, 2019 at 5:31 PM

        Thank you so much!! I just made the ganache and will be making the cake tomorrow….thank you for an awesome cake!!

        Reply
        • Lisa says

          August 3, 2019 at 2:56 PM

          5 stars
          Hi! I made this amazing cake yesterday for my son-in-laws 30th birthday party today!! Everyone loved it and couldn’t stop raving about how delicious it was. Thank you for a great recipe!!!

          Reply
          • Olivia says

            August 6, 2019 at 5:12 PM

            Yay! So happy to hear that 🙂 Glad you all loved it!

  26. Jessica Donnithorne says

    May 6, 2019 at 10:28 AM

    Hi, this recipe sounds and looks fantastic! I’m hoping to make this as a wedding cake. Please could I just check what measurements you’re using. Is it Canadian cups? Not sure if there’s a difference between American and Canadian cups as I’m in the UK! Many thanks,
    Jessica

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      May 6, 2019 at 1:06 PM

      Hi Jessica! If it helps, there is a metric converter below the list of ingredients 🙂 I am in Canada but the difference between Canada and US is minor.

      Reply
  27. Laurie Gardiner says

    March 16, 2019 at 9:35 AM

    5 stars
    Olivia,
    I made this cake for an early St Patrick’s Day dinner and wow it was awesome!! I had no idea how easy it is to make ganache and the meringue buttercream is AMAZING!! I did have a little problem with the meringue but it was baker error. I remember my mom saying you can whip too long and ruin the egg whites, I think I was on the verge of stiff peaks and got scared and then I added the butter too soft. But, I read your tips, put it back in the mixer and mixed it longer until it was smooth and firmer. I also made the cake strips w/newspaper & foil…what a difference. I know someone in the past questioned the cake for kids, when you consider the alcohol content of guinness and bailey’s compared to the overall volume of cake batter and the amount that will bake/cook out (although not 100%), personally don’t have an issue with it. They would have eat a lot, it’s not like using liquor or eating a cake soaked in rum after it’s baked. That’s just my personal opinion (I realize in your position it may not be a question you would want to answer either way). My decorating skills need improvement but who cares when the cake tastes like this one! Thank you!

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      March 16, 2019 at 10:35 AM

      Hi Laurie! So glad you loved this cake and found the ganache and buttercream easy!! Thanks for all your tips and input 🙂 And I agree, it all comes down the the taste anyhow!!

      Reply
  28. Paula says

    March 15, 2019 at 3:04 PM

    The ganache turned out perfect…. and the cake seemed to be cooking well, in fact it was almost over the top of the pan. About 5 minutes before I was suppose to take it out it sank. Does anyone know why that happened? I am not a novice baker, I’ve never had that happen before.

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      March 16, 2019 at 10:27 AM

      Hi Paula! Did you open the oven door at any time before it set? Or are you at high elevation by chance?

      Reply
  29. Elizabeth says

    March 1, 2019 at 6:20 PM

    I tried the recipe for a dinner party with our priests. The cake and ganache came out perfect but the Baileys Swiss Meringue did not turn out at all. I’ve made meringue before but never did a hot water bath with it before. It had stiff peaks but then when I added the butter, vanilla and baileys it became more liquidity. We have alot of humidity so not sure if that is what it was. I put it in the fridge to try and harden it but that didn’t work. When I piped it on the top of the ganache, it just melted and ran down the sides of the cake. What did I do wrong ?
    Although it wasn’t pretty, it sure tasted good. I’d like to try it again but need to figure out what I’m doing wrong.
    Thanks.

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      March 2, 2019 at 9:29 AM

      Hi Elizabeth! Strange that it didn’t firm up after some time in the fridge. I suspect it might have needed more of that. Here’s a post I did recently with tips and troubleshooting of Swiss meringue buttercream (https://livforcake.com/swiss-meringue-buttercream-recipe/). Have a read through that and let me know how your next attempt goes!!

      Reply
  30. Daniela Castillo says

    February 17, 2019 at 12:14 PM

    5 stars
    I made this cake last night for a friend’s birthday. I followed the recipe exactly except that I used only dutch process cocoa. Got the best ingredients and it turned out AMAZING, probably the best cake I’ve ever made. I’ve tried about four Guiness cake recipes out there and this is the absolute best by FAR. The Baileys buttercream is heavenly and I plan to make it for other cakes. I did two 8″ molds and used damp strips of an old towel instead of the Wilton cake strips and it worked great. I got lots of compliments and definitely plan to make this again. Unfortunately we were so eager to eat it that I didn’t snap a photo of it. Thank you for sharing your cake knowledge. I will try other cakes from your site. Also, where do you find those chocolate sprinkles used on the base of the cake? I used just the standard ones from a culinary store… not as fun 🙂

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      February 18, 2019 at 3:35 PM

      Hi Daniela! Wow! Seriously high praise. I’m so glad you finally found a Guinness cake that you like! I love the Baileys buttercream too. I got the chocolate sprinkles at a local shop here, but you can also find them on Amazon.

      Reply
  31. Jennifer says

    January 1, 2019 at 1:08 PM

    5 stars
    I made the Baileys Chocolate Ganache Frosting and Baileys SMBC from this recipe!

    I made the Baileys Chocolate Ganache Frosting in the microwave, as I’ve had ganache split on the stovetop, and had zero issues! It was so shiny and smooth (I think from the addition of the butter). Baileys taste was fairly mild and the frosting was very rich! I used this as a filling for a different cake.

    The Baileys SMBC was completely delicious and is a new favorite! Baileys taste was moderately prominent and perfectly balanced! Loved this one so much!

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      January 2, 2019 at 1:53 PM

      Hi Jennifer! As always, thank you for your feedback, it’s so appreciated! Glad you liked the ganache and SMBC, the SMBC is a fave over here too! And I’m definitely using the microwave to make my ganache from now on — too many split ganaches the other way.

      Reply
  32. Shayla says

    December 23, 2018 at 3:14 PM

    5 stars
    Hi Olivia,
    I’m making this cake for my holiday get together. It’s turning out amazing so far! I had trouble with a couple things, maybe you could tell me where i went wrong (I’m not a novice baker by any means, but I wouldn’t call myself advanced, either). 1) The ganache split- was it possibly moisture that could have gotten in somehow? I was able to fix it, though. 2) This is my 1st try at swiss meringue buttercream. My egg whites and sugar took much longer than 3 minutes to heat up- like 10-15 minutes. Once it did I finished the recipe, and it might be our new favorite frosting!! it’s amazing! 3) I needed to make another 1/2 recipe to have enough to put the decorations on the cake. 4) It might just be my family, but we didn’t taste any baileys flavor at all. But the Guinness in the cake makes it sharp and super fantastic! I am not at all good at slicing and frosting a cake. I feel like such a goof doing them. my cake almost always falls apart, and my layers are lopsided… maybe that’s part of using a softer cake , too but I have been making cakes for others for over 15 years, and I haven’t gotten any better at this- LoL!
    for presentation, I definitely would have liked to use the 3 6″ pans instead of 2 8’s. It would be much prettier!
    Again, thanks for this recipe, it’s got a spot in my favorites!

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      December 24, 2018 at 10:35 AM

      Hi Shayla! I’m so happy to hear that you like this recipe!!

      I’ve had trouble with ganache splitting before too, and to be honest, I’m still trying to figure out why it does that sometimes. I think it might have something to do with heat and the temperature of the cream, but I can’t be sure. Next time I make it I’m also going to leave the butter out and add more cream in case that is a culprit (though that has worked for me multiple times). Sorry I’m not too much help in that area, but glad you were able to save it!!

      For the buttercream — that does seem like a long time — were you using a glass bowl by chance? I know it can take longer in those, or maybe the water just needed to be simmering a bit more strongly. I’m so glad you love the frosting, it’s my fave kind!!

      The Baileys flavour isn’t crazy strong, you could always try adding a bit more to either the ganache or frosting.

      I am sure your cake looked delicious but the most important part is that everyone loved the flavour!

      Reply
  33. Cindy Adriano says

    October 27, 2018 at 11:14 AM

    Hi Olivia-
    question- recipe calls for dark good quality of dark chocolate; I have ordered Callebaut Choc chips from King Arthur in the past. Which one would u suggest I use?? (Also- would Gharidellis choc work as well?)also- instead of black cocoa- can I use a good quality of Dutch cocoa?? I just got back from Holland& brought some Droste Cocoa in Amsterdam. – will the cake not be as dark or rich if I don’t use black cocoa??

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      October 30, 2018 at 2:41 PM

      Hi Cindy! Both Callebaut and Ghirardelli will work well. You can swap in more Dutch for the black cocoa but the cake will not bake up as dark.

      Reply
  34. Stacy says

    October 13, 2018 at 9:45 AM

    Hi, Olivia.
    Can I use the cake recipe to make cupcakes?
    Thanks.
    Stacy

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      October 14, 2018 at 4:58 PM

      Hi Stacy! Yes they should work fine. Just reduce the baking time, start checking at 15mins or so.

      Reply
  35. Linee says

    September 30, 2018 at 2:29 AM

    Would this cake be suitable for kids if I omit the baileys in the buttercream???

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      October 1, 2018 at 12:03 PM

      Hi Linee! I can’t say for sure. I don’t believe the alcohol will get completely cooked out of the cake.

      Reply
  36. Kelly says

    August 23, 2018 at 2:37 PM

    5 stars
    Made this cake this weekend and it was a huge hit!!! I frosted the whole cake in the buttercream and did ganache in layers and as an accent. I would like to do this cake on a larger scale using 3 8″ cake pans. Also want to eliminate the guinness.
    Would I just 1.5X the recipe to make the 3 8″cakes? Also, can I use coffee/hot water instead of guinness.

    Thanks for such great recipes!!

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      August 24, 2018 at 5:26 PM

      Hi Kelly! Thanks for the great feedback. So glad it was a hit!!

      Reply
  37. Donna Goodison says

    July 29, 2018 at 5:22 PM

    Also, should this cake be refrigerated after completion and, if so, how long in advance should it be taken out before serving on a hot summer day?

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      July 30, 2018 at 1:17 PM

      Hi Donna! I always recommend refrigerating unless you’re eating it the same day. Take it out about 3 hours before serving so it can come to room temp.

      Reply
  38. Donna Goodison says

    July 26, 2018 at 3:43 PM

    Hello. If I can”t find black cocoa powder in time, is there a substitute?

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      July 30, 2018 at 12:00 PM

      Hi Donna! Yes, you can just use Dutch-processed instead or regular cocoa powder if that’s all you have 🙂

      Reply
  39. Rona says

    May 19, 2018 at 8:17 AM

    Hi!
    This cake looks amazing! I’m going to attempt to make it for my fiancée’s birthday. As it’s a hevanly mix of his three favourite things.
    I want to make it in advance though, so it’s a surprise. How long will the cake last for? Would it be ok to make 2 days prior? Thanks

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      May 19, 2018 at 12:14 PM

      Hi Rona! The cake should last a couple days in the fridge no problem 🙂

      Reply
  40. Neha says

    April 4, 2018 at 8:23 AM

    5 stars
    Hi Olivia! I was wondering what depth your cake pans are? I love the size of these 6 in cakes but I can’t decide if I should get 2 in or 3 in deep pans? I already purchased 8×4 in pans and they make for a massive cake. I don’t want to order the wrong size again!

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      April 5, 2018 at 4:35 PM

      Hi Neha! All of mine are 2″ deep, but I wish they were 3″ as some of my cakes bake right up to the top. Either will work though 🙂

      Reply
  41. Pam Kozlow says

    April 1, 2018 at 3:45 AM

    This cake sounds amazing but beer is something I never developed a taste for. My question is if I use the beer do you taste that in the cake and, if so, what would be a good substitute?

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      April 2, 2018 at 3:18 PM

      Hi Pam! I don’t like beer either! At all. You *can* taste it in this cake, but maybe almost more of an after-taste. I actually didn’t mind it, especially paired with the ganache and buttercream. This may be the only way I’ll ever have beer 😉 If you don’t want to use beer, you can replace it with either hot water or hot coffee.

      Reply
  42. lissi says

    March 31, 2018 at 6:47 AM

    I was just wondering if i could use regular american buttercream instead of the swiss meringue..if so how much butter and sugar would you suggest?

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      April 2, 2018 at 3:06 PM

      Hi lissi! I haven’t tried it with American buttercream, but it would work for sure. You could try a ratio of 1 cup butter to 3 cups powdered sugar.

      Reply
  43. Emily Hibbs says

    March 19, 2018 at 11:28 AM

    Hey! I love your blog! It’s been very inspirational for me!
    This recipe says that 8″ cake pans can be substituted for the 6″ ones. How long should the 8″ cake pans be baked for, if used?
    Thanks!

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      March 21, 2018 at 3:47 PM

      Thanks so much Emily! The baking time should be relatively the same for the two 8″ pans — 35-45mins I’d say.

      Reply
  44. Lisa says

    March 17, 2018 at 6:33 PM

    5 stars
    I made this cake this weekend & it is amazing! I made just the ganache & just like your instructions said it was enough for the whole cake. Your recipe is wonderful! Now I’m going to try the chocolate cake recipe you said you modified with Guinness. This is best chocolate cake! Thank you for sharing your recipes.

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      March 21, 2018 at 3:40 PM

      So happy to hear that you liked this Lisa! I LOVE this chocolate cake. Thank you!

      Reply
  45. Lisa Sharpe says

    March 15, 2018 at 2:50 PM

    Can the buttercream be made ahead?

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      March 15, 2018 at 4:44 PM

      Hi Lisa! Yes, you can make it ahead. If refrigerated you’ll need to bring it to room temperature and you may need to rewhip it until it’s fluffy again.

      Reply
  46. Monica says

    March 15, 2018 at 11:06 AM

    I’m just about to start this cake and have a question about the ganache… once it’s made and chilled doesn’t it set up pretty firm? This would make frosting a soft cake a mess. You’ve put asterisk following those instructions, however, the notes pertain to the buttercream.

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      March 15, 2018 at 11:22 AM

      Hi Monica, good catch, I hadn’t updated the notes section. It’s updated now! The ganache should still be quite soft (like a buttercream) when you’re frosting the cake — I don’t chill mine but leave it on the counter overnight to thicken. It will set very firm once chilled.

      Reply
      • Monica says

        March 15, 2018 at 12:04 PM

        Thanks! That makes more sense now!

        Reply
  47. Samantha says

    March 13, 2018 at 6:22 PM

    Hi! I’m making this cake on Thursday but making the ganache tomorrow night. When I’m ready to assemble do I use the ganache straight from the fridge or do I bring it to room temp?

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      March 15, 2018 at 4:39 PM

      Hi Samantha! The ganache will be too hard if you put it in the fridge. I’d recommend leaving it on the counter at room temperature until you’re ready to use it. If you do refrigerate it though, it should be fine if you bring it to room temp again. That might take a long time though to soften it up.

      Reply
  48. Cindy Rodriguez says

    March 8, 2018 at 5:25 PM

    Ooooh, so decadent! I love these types of dark beer cakes, so rich and different. I made a layered cake with Black Sapporo Beer last year and it was divine.

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      March 11, 2018 at 3:36 PM

      Ohh that sounds delicious too! It was my first time baking with beer but definitely not my last!

      Reply
  49. Elle says

    March 6, 2018 at 11:06 AM

    What a gorgeous cake! Love all that frosting and ganache. Full flavors and lovely piping work on the top buttercream, too.

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      March 7, 2018 at 5:53 PM

      Thanks so much Elle!

      Reply
  50. Meg | Meg is Well says

    March 5, 2018 at 10:58 PM

    This is making me so hungry and it’s so perfect for St. Patrick’s Day! I love baking with beer, I think it compliments chocolate so well.

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      March 7, 2018 at 5:49 PM

      Thanks so much Meg! I think I might have to think up some more uses for beer in baking — it turned out perfect!

      Reply
  51. Patricia Cote says

    March 5, 2018 at 4:46 PM

    Such a gorgeous, luscious looking cake! I surely NEED to make this beauty! I truly admire, too, your lovely photography.

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      March 7, 2018 at 5:48 PM

      Thanks so much Patricia! I hope you try this one 🙂

      Reply
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I'm Olivia, a professionally trained pastry chef, recipe developer, and photographer from Vancouver, BC. Creating classic cake recipes with a modern twist.
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