A gooey and dense Chocolate Magic Cake Recipe laced with Guinness and cocoa powder. The perfect dessert for St Patrick’s Day!
I had never heard of this magic cake recipe until Diane and Todd from White On Rice Couple posted this version of it recently. Of course it looked stunning, they’re pretty good at making that happen. But if you read the post carefully Diane makes this cake sound sooo good. After reading about it I knew I had to make it!
I love bars- the square brownie kind -although I do like the loud beer versions too, and as if the first magic cake wasn’t good enough Todd and Diane came up with a chocolate version!
Your probably thinking why is it called a magic cake? The magic is in the baking. As you work your way through the steps you’ll do a lot of second guessing and checking the ingredients. It starts out thick and really hard to beat and turns into a watery, curdled looking sludge. Hang in there, once it gets in the oven the batter separates producing a really rich and creamy base with a fluffy cakey top.
I always like to come up with a twist on a recipe rather than a straight copy from another blog or cook book. Nothing against anyone who does but I just like the challenge. Sometimes this can be a pain, pushing posts back if there’s no creativity in the noggin’. My first thoughts for this magic cake recipe was to make a citrus version, which I’d still love to do but with so many Irish recipes around right now the Guinness seemed like a solid choice. I had tried a few Guinness chocolate cake recipes lately and was really disappointed with the flavor, or lack of it. If I’m going to taste a cake laced with Guinness I sure as heck want to taste the beer! This magic cake recipe delivered that taste. I didn’t really have my doubts as I added a whole bottle of the beer, I even thought it might be too much but the taste is totally there without getting weird. The recipe calls for two and a half cups of milk which I cut to one cup and replaced the rest with the Guinness.
Eat it as is, or plop a dollop of whipped cream on top. This is a keeper for the St Patrick’s parties…
Guinness Chocolate Magic Cake
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter
- 1 cup milk
- 1 1/2 cups Guinness draught 1 whole 11.2 fl oz bottle
- 1 cup flour
- 1/2 cup cocoa powder
- 4 eggs separated
- 1/8 teaspoon white vinegar
- 1 3/4 cups confectioners sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Extra cocoa powder for dusting on top
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Grease an 8 x 8 baking tray and set aside.
- Melt the butter and let cool slightly. Combine the milk and the beer in a saucepan until lukewarm.
- Mix the flour and the cocoa together in a bowl and set aside. Using a stand mixer whip the egg whites and the vinegar until you reach stiff peaks. Set aside.
- In a large bowl beat the egg yolks with the confectioners sugar until it turns smooth and light in color, about five minutes. It'll be really stiff at first but will loosen up as you continue to whisk.
- Add the melted butter and whisk gently until combined. Add the flour mixture and mix until smooth.
- Gently pour in the milk/beer mixture and whisk until smooth.
- Add the egg whites a little at a time whisking gently. This is where things look a little funky but as long as you break down the large lumps of egg white, then it'll be fine.
- Pour the mixture into the prepared baking tray until about a half inch from the top. Place it on a larger baking tray and put it in the oven. Bake for about 50 minutes and the middle is wobbly but firm looking.
- Dust with cocoa powder and serve with whipped cream or on it's own.
I’ve been seeing the Magic Cake tempting me all over Pinterest. It sounds pretty magical! Love the Guinness twist.
Yup … I def pinned this cake for later … wahoo! Love that it’s a small cake too … so it doesn’t have to be party time cake, it can be for family time with not so many pieces that you’re drowning in cake for a few days … not that that’s a BAD thing! Wink!
I can’t stop looking at this. It looks too good for words. I have never heard of a cake with Guinness in it. I’ve got to try this out sometime!
Yum, this looks delicious!
Yes..Guinness and Chocolate go together like Mork and Mindy. DEEEEE-lish! My chocolate Guinness Cake is going up tomorrow.
Can’t wait to see yours…nanoo nanoo!
Gerry how do you make such beautiful food!? This not only looks great, but sounds delicious!
I’m so intrigued by this cake… I kind of want to make one immediately!
You totally sold me. I need to make this.
The texture of this looks amazing! It looks SO fudgy. Pinned!
Old News! I already knew Guinness was magic. GREG
Only if you drink 12 or more Greg!
Gerry this is fascinating! I love that it separates – how cool is that? I am totally happy with the Guinness – love it!
Oh my! This cake looks amazing! Move over brownies – there’s magic cake in town!! Pinning! PS: love the photos, Gerry!
Your baked goods have never let me down. These look to die for!
One day I’ll be as good as you Angie :)
These look so delicious that I imagine just one piece wouldn’t suffice!
Thanks Sylvie!
Well you know I have to come check it out when something is called Magic Cake! Looks wonderful, if not exactly magical. I guess I’d have to try it myself to see what magical properties it actually contains! ;)
I think you’d benefit from more magic if you drank more Guinness while making them ;)
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Your cake looks magically decadent! Totally intrigued by the magical part!! I’ve made Guinness chocolate cake before…however, your version sounds amazing!
I saw their post the other day and I have been just dreaming of it ever since! Love that you used Guinness!
I’ve slowly but surely (already) been seeing T & D’s recipe redone on other blogs…but yours takes the cake, literally. Guinness!! Gerry – you’re so smart! :) The texture looks beyond words good. I have to make (any) version of this cake!
You sold me on that! I am going to make it soon but without the beer! I have a pretty crazy 10 year old at home. I don’t want him to get any crazier haha!
Beer is always a good twist ;) Love this, looks completely delicious!
I’m with you. If there’s beer in it, I want to taste it! Especially stout – it has such a deep molasses-y flavor that I can’t resist. I will forward this to my mother (who’s mother was of Irish heritage), because she loves Guinness and woud most certainly love this :)
Chocolate AND beer? Yes, please! Your photographs are stunning!
Whoa! This cake looks like pure magic.
Geri, this looks incredible. Wow, you really added a fantastic spin on the cake and LOVE the dollop of whipped cream of top. please!
Your ingredient list calls for vanilla, but I don’t see it anywhere in the recipe. Am I missing something?
Sorry..just add it with beer :)
This looks amazing! What do you think about doubling this recipe for a 13×9 pan? Cooking time?
Thanks
This magic cake looks amazing!! I have to give it a try, chocolate always my favorite!