Whether for Father’s Day or St. Patrick’s Day, box cake mix hacks make life easier to make and serve up a moist and delicious chocolate Guinness cake.
I love making dishes that seem like they took a lot of work, but were actually easy to whip up. I serve up a lot of desserts for friends and family, but I won’t lie. Baking from scratch every single time can really be exhausting.
As my kids get older, they have started to help out more and more in the kitchen. My daughter bakes, but the boys, well, not so much.
So if you are a novice in the kitchen and are looking for a fabulously moist and delicious dessert to bake up, I’ve got the easiest recipe for you.
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Why you must try this recipe
Although I bake a lot of desserts from scratch, I do not shy away from using box mixes for easy cakes. Cake box mixes have come a long way and they produce delicious and moist cakes.
I use them a lot when I need a quick dessert or if I am spending a lot of time decorating a cake, like my unicorn cake. This chocolate Guinness cake is not different.
Most of the recipes out there to make this cake is made completely from scratch. But you can easily create it using box cake mix hacks. I used Devil’s Food box mix and replaced the water with stout beer.
In no time, you have a delicious chocolate cake. What does the beer do in the cake? Well, it is extra moist and extra fluffy. The dark beer enhances the chocolate flavor without making it super sugary or sweet.
Does it taste like beer? Not at all. Just like the addition of coffee brings out the chocolate flavor in desserts, the same thing happens with stout beer. The bitter musky dark beer enhances the chocolate flavor.
What you end up with is an incredibly easy and delicious cake fit to be served on St. Patrick’s Day, Father’s Day or any special day you want cake.
By baking this in a bundt pan, you just made baking a Guinness cake even easier. Of course, you can divide the batter and bake it using 2 9-inch cake rounds, 24 cupcakes or one 9×13 pan.
And if you want a fabulous homemade version, try the best chocolate stout cake recipe here.
Ingredients you need
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- Chocolate box mix: You can use any variety of chocolate cake mix. I chose Devil’s Food.
- Extra virgin olive oil: I always bake with olive oil. You can also use canola or any other vegetable oil.
- Eggs: Follow the instructions on your box mix. Large eggs are usually the standard in baking.
- Guinness beer: You will substitute the amount of water you use in box mix with beer. Use any type of stout beer.
Step-by-step directions
- Start batter. Combine box mix, oil and mix. Partially mix the batter.
- Add beer. Pour the beer in a large glass and let it sit for the foam to subside a little. Pour in the beer and mix the batter until combined. Do not over mix.
- Transfer to pan. Coat a bundt pan thoroughly with non-stick spray. I find this to be the best way to bake a bundt and to prevent it from sticking to the nooks and crannies. Pour the cake batter into the prepared pan.
- Bake. Bake per package directions until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
- Cool. Invert pan over a cooling rack and let it sit until the cake naturally releases from the pan. Let the cake cool completely before frosting.
- Make ganache. Heat heavy cream and pour over chocolate chips. Let it sit for a few minutes, then stir until pouring consistency.
- Pour ganache. Make sure you cake is on a cooling rack placed over a baking sheet so extra ganache doesn’t end up all over your counter top. Slowly pour ganache over the bundt, letting it drip down the sides. The longer the ganach cools, the thicker it gets.
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Recipe tips and FAQs
You can serve this cake up simply with a dusting of powdered sugar or with a decadent chocolate ganache glaze. You can also go traditional and frost it with some cream cheese frosting.
Special thanks to Wilton Baking for the gorgeous navy blue and gold bakeware and accessories they sent me. I love how they photographed with this cake.
If you want more chocolate cake inspiration, you must try my Root Beer Float Cake or my Raisin Black Forest Cake. All of these cakes are dreamy and chocolatey and fabulous!
And a final chocolatey box mix hack you must try: my recipe for easy brookies, which is a brownie and chocolate chip cookie bar baked together!
In my house, a chocolate cake gets eaten in 1-2 days! If your cakes has not frosting or icing, keep it covered and it will last for about 5 days at room temperature. If it is decorated, cover and refrigerate for 3-4 days.
Just like other cakes, you can easily freeze it and enjoy later. I prefer to cut individual pieces in plastic wrap or foil. Just be sure that the cake has completely cooled before wrapping and freezing. They will last in the freezer for up to 6 months. When ready to serve, remove from freezer and let it thaw at room temperature.
Technically you can use kind of beer to make this homemade chocolate cake, but a dark stout beer will really enhance the chocolatey flavor and special tang.
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Box Cake Mix Hacks: Chocolate Guinness Cake
Ingredients
- 1 Chocolate box mix
- Extra virgin olive oil
- 3 Eggs
- 1 ¼ cups Guinness beer
- 4 oz dark chocolate chips
- 4 oz heavy whipping cream
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl combine box mix, oil and mix. Amounts will vary depending on the cake mix you use. Partially mix the batter.
- You will substitute the amount of water with beer. Pour beer into a large glass and let it sit for the foam to subside a little. Pour in the beer and mix the batter until combined. Do not over mix.
- Coat a bundt pan thoroughly with non-stick spray. I find this to be the best way to bake a bundt and to prevent it from sticking to the nooks and crannies. Pour the cake batter into the prepared pan.
- Bake per package directions until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. For my cake it was 350ºF for 40 minutes.
- Invert pan over a cooling rack and let it sit until the cake naturally releases from the pan. Let the cake cool completely before frosting.
- Heat the heavy cream until hot and just about to boil and pour over chocolate chips in a mixing bowl.
- Let the cream sit for a few minutes to soften the chocolate. Mix until the chocolate is all melted and your ganache is smooth.
- As the ganache cools, the thicker it gets. Let it cool until it gets to your desired pouring consistency. You can have a thin glaze or thick.
- Let the cake cool until the glaze is set before serving.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition Disclaimer
Nutritional information is an estimate provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the actual nutritional information with the products and brands you are using with your preferred nutritional calculator.
PS If you try this recipe, why not leave a star rating in the recipe card right below and/or a review in the comment section further down the page? I always appreciate your feedback.
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Written by Laura Bashar
Hi, I’m Laura, a certified professional cook and cookbook author living in San Diego. I have been sharing my family’s favorite recipes inspired from all over the world since 2008. Let’s cook up something fun!
Can I use round cake pans instead of a bundt to make a layered cake? Thank you!
Hi Shan-
Yes, you can also use round cake pans instead of a bundt. If you use two 8-inch pans, the cake layers will be thicker than using two 9-inch pans. Either should work.
Laura
Does the get better a day after baking?
Hi Marie-
The cake holds up well a day after baking. I can’t say if it is better or not, but I can say it is just as good.
Laura
What a great recipe! Love Guinness. And chocolate. And they do pair well, don’t they? Such an easy cake to put together, too. Winner!