The March Monthly Bake: Chocolate Guinness Cake

When I first discovered Nigella Lawson, I felt like I had met my soul sister. She shone through my television (I was a total Food Network kid, of course) and I was completely smitten. She was hilarious, innovative, gorgeous, relatable — everything I idolized as a young boy whose playtime consisted of acting out his own cooking show.

Nigella helped revitalize home cooking by demystifying it and, perhaps most important, making it look fun. I’ve written about how she never takes herself too seriously (which inspired a bunch of us to purchase googly eyes), but always strikes the perfect balance of teaching and entertaining.

And so, for the March Monthly Bake, I wanted to spotlight a recipe that I’ve loved since I was that young boy with big dreams of cooking in front of a camera: her chocolate Guinness cake. Hello, full-circle moment!

This cake fits the bill for how I want to bake this time of year — I need anything that’s, as Nigella says, “simple, but deeply pleasurable.” Something snackable, but also perfect for a dinner party. This comforting cake is just that. Of course, St. Patrick’s Day plays into it, but moreover, I chose this chocolate cake because I think it’s a rite of passage for any home baker. My pal, Sue Li, agrees with me!

The Guinness stout makes it incredibly chocolaty and moist, thanks to its malty flavor, which bolsters the cocoa and slight acidity that helps tenderize the crumb. If you prefer to swap it with a nonalcoholic option, there’s zero-proof Guinness! I also tested two other nonalcoholic swaps, Coca Cola and black coffee. Both worked fabulously because, like beer, they’re acidic and enhance that chocolaty flavor.

If you do plan to make it with Guinness, try splitting the G and let me know if you did better than me in this video. Oh, and if you don’t mind the booze, add some Baileys Irish cream liqueur to the frosting. I swapped a couple of tablespoons of the heavy cream for Baileys, and all of us on set walked out a wee bit happier than we walked in.

So go forth and make the Guinness cake! I know it’s on the nose for a March Monthly Bake, but lean in, dear reader. Sláinte!

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The Monthly Bake

Chocolate Guinness Cake

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