Guinness Chocolate Cake

Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease two 9-inch cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper.
In a mixing bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and sifted cocoa powder with a whisk. Set aside.
PRO TIP: You must sift the cocoa powder. Otherwise, it will clump impossibly in the cake batter.
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and brown sugar on medium speed until very fluffy and light. Scrape the bowl with a silicone or rubber spatula to ensure everything is evenly mixed. Add the eggs one at a time, then the vanilla extract and instant espresso powder. Beat until fluffy and evenly incorporated. Scrape the bowl.
With the mixer on low, add the dry ingredients, alternating with the stout, in three additions: dry, stout, dry. Add the next addition when the previous one is about 75% mixed. Scrape the bowl and stir on low to fully mix any remaining streaks of flour or stout. The batter should be nice and smooth.
PRO TIP: To measure the Guinness into the liquid measuring cup, tilt the measuring cup and let the Guinness pour gently onto the side of the cup to minimize foam or head.
Divide the batter between the two prepared cake pans. Smooth the tops of the cake batter evenly with an offset spatula or a knife. Bake on the center rack of the oven, rotating once, until a cake tester comes out clean and the tops of the cake feel springy, about 30 minutes.
Cool on a wire cooling rack for about 10 minutes. When cool enough to handle, run a knife or offset spatula around the edge of cake pans to loosen the cakes from the edges, then invert onto the wire rack to cool fully.
Frost with vanilla buttercream, fresh whipped cream, or plain with a dusting of powdered sugar.

Ingredients

Instructions

Notes

Nutrition