Guinness Malt Cake Recipe

By Claire Ptak And Henry Dimbleby | Photos Steven Joyce
Published on November 12, 2019
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Guinness Malt Cake

A moist and rich cake that marries the flavors of a good stout with malt and dark molasses. The dash of cocoa powder adds to the beautiful color. This cake will keep well for up to a week.

Serves: 8
Prep Time: 15 mins + cooling 
Cook Time: 1-1/2 hours
Vegetarian (if vegetarian stout is used)

Ingredients

  • 1 cup Guinness or other stout beer
  • 2-1/4 sticks (9 oz) unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing
  • 1 tablespoon molasses or black treacle
  • 1 cup packed dark brown sugar or molasses sugar
  • generous 3/4 cup unsweeetened cocoa powder
  • 2 tablespoons malt powder (such as Horlicks or Ovaltine)
  • 2 eggs
  • 2/3 cup plain yogurt
  • 2-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 1 cup superfine sugar
  • a pinch of sea salt

Stout and Cream Cheese Frosting:

  • scant 1/3 cup Guinness or other stout beer
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
  • 1/2 cup cream cheese, softened
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2-1/3 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted

Directions

  1. Preheat the oven to 325°F. Line a 9 x 5 x 3-inch loaf pan with parchment paper.
  2. Put the Guinness, butter, molasses, and brown sugar into a small saucepan and melt over medium heat. Whisk in the cocoa and malt, then remove from the heat and let cool a little.
  3. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs and yogurt, then add the stout mixture.
  4. Sift together the remaining dry ingredients into the bowl and whisk together to combine. Pour into the prepared pan and bake in the oven for about 1¼ hours, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Cool the cake completely in the pan.
  5. While the cake is cooling, make the frosting: put the Guinness in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Boil for 10–15 minutes or until the beer has reduced by half its volume. Pour into a container and put it into the refrigerator to cool down.
  6. In a mixing bowl, beat the soft butter until creamy and light. Add the cream cheese and beat until smooth. Add the vanilla and the sifted confectioners’ sugar and beat well. Now add the cooled, reduced Guinness and beat until creamy and light. Turn out the cake from of its pan and spread the frosting on top.

More from Leon Happy Baking:


Excerpted from Leon Happy Baking, by Claire Ptak and Henry Dimbleby. Published by Conran Octopus Limited © 2019 by Leon Restaurants Ltd 2011, 2019. All rights reserved.

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