Grab your favorite chocolate stout beer and make this rich, dark chocolate stout cake with a ganache glaze.
Chocolate stout cake was born out of my husband’s request for me to make more food with beer in it.
I considered a whiskey caramel drizzle or an Irish Creme icing, but then I decided that I didn’t need to get too fancy. Nothing that involved thermometers or boiling or a mixer. What should go on top of a chocolate stout cake? Chocolate stout ganache, duh. 
Most stout cakes involve Guinness, but my husband owns a beer store and I can get lots of great craft stouts and porters. My favorites for this recipe are Terrapin Moo-Hoo Chocolate Milk Stout (pictured), Boulder Shake Chocolate Porter (in the video), and Founder’s Breakfast Stout.
The Cook’s Illustrated Baking Book provided the perfect starting point with their chocolate sour cream bundt cake recipe (and a wonderful tip for “greasing” the pan with butter and cocoa), and the Beeroness gave me a wonderful ganache recipe. By the way, I’ve decided that bundt cakes are every bit as easy sheet cakes, and when icing just involves heating, stirring, and pouring, that’s a win.
Click here for the ganache recipe.
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Chocolate Stout Cake with Ganache Glaze
- Total Time: 75
- Yield: 12 servings 1x
Description
A rich, dark chocolate bundt cake made with craft stout beer, finished with a pourable chocolate stout ganache glaze.
Ingredients
Cake
- 2 cups (480 ml) chocolate stout beer (such as Terrapin Moo-Hoo, Boulder Shake Chocolate Porter, or Founder's Breakfast Stout)
- 1 cup (225 g) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
- 3/4 cup (65 g) unsweetened cocoa powder, plus more for dusting the pan
- 2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour
- 2 cups (400 g) granulated sugar
- 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 2 large eggs
- 2/3 cup (160 g) sour cream
Ganache Glaze
- 1 cup (170 g) semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) heavy cream
- 2 tbsp chocolate stout beer
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Generously butter a 12-cup bundt pan, then dust with cocoa powder, tapping out any excess.
- In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine the stout beer and butter. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the butter melts. Whisk in the cocoa powder until smooth. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt.
- In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs and sour cream until smooth. Whisk the cooled chocolate-stout mixture into the egg mixture.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and fold until just combined — a few streaks are fine; do not overmix.
- Pour the batter into the prepared bundt pan and spread evenly. Bake for 45-55 minutes, until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out with just a few moist crumbs.
- Cool the cake in the pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes, then invert onto the rack and cool completely before glazing.
- To make the ganache: place the chocolate chips in a heatproof bowl. Heat the heavy cream in a small saucepan over medium heat until it just begins to simmer, then pour over the chips. Let sit 2 minutes, then stir until smooth. Stir in the stout beer.
- Pour the ganache over the cooled cake, letting it drip down the sides. Allow the glaze to set for at least 15 minutes before slicing.
Notes
- The body confirms the pan should be greased with butter and cocoa powder — this prevents sticking and adds a faint crust without the floury residue a pale dusting leaves on a dark cake.
- Any quality chocolate stout or chocolate porter works here; Guinness is the most available substitute if craft options aren’t on hand.
- The ganache is a simple pour-and-stir — no thermometer or mixer needed, per the author’s intent.
- Prep Time: 20
- Cook Time: 55
- Category: Dessert
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
Frequently Asked Questions
What type of chocolate stout beer works best for this cake?
For this recipe, you can use craft stouts like Terrapin Moo-Hoo Chocolate Milk Stout, Boulder Shake Chocolate Porter, or Founder’s Breakfast Stout for the best flavor.
How do I properly grease the bundt pan for this cake?
Use a combination of butter and cocoa powder to grease the bundt pan, as suggested by The Cook’s Illustrated Baking Book, to ensure easy removal.
Can I use a different type of ganache for the glaze?
While the recipe is based on the ganache from Beeroness, you can experiment with other ganache recipes, but the heating, stirring, and pouring method should remain the same for best results.
