This decadent chocolate stout cake with fluffy vanilla bean buttercream is a chocolate-lover’s (and beer-lover’s) dream!
Remember a few months ago when I told you I’d gotten over my fear of a serial killer breaking into my house and serial killing me?
Well it turns out my fear has not totally subsided.
My nephew, Moe the Airedale, has been staying with me again this week (and Cookie almost doesn’t mind!). Moe is the world’s noisiest sleeper, which I didn’t realize until last week.
I woke up in the middle of Thursday night to the sound of human sobbing coming from my bathroom. Naturally my first reaction was OH NO! There’s a serial killer in my bathroom and he’s crying because he feels guilty because he’s about to murder me!
Uh-huh.
Then I woke up a little more and remembered Moe was sleeping in there. So I got up and peeked in on him and he was running in his sleep and making very unnatural-for-a-dog noises. He truly sounded like a sobbing human.
Needless to say, even though it was Moe and not Ted Bundy making those noises, my heart was pounding way too hard for me to fall back asleep.
Also needless to say: I was in the mood for some chocolate cake after my (sort of) near-death experience.
So I went to the kitchen and made this chocolate stout cake that I’d been thinking about for awhile—I was just waiting until closer to St. Patrick’s Day to make it.
But not being murdered is cause for celebration too! And celebrate I did, with a fat slice of glorious, rich chocolate cake covered in a vanilla bean buttercream so fluffy you’ll just want to eat it with a spoon.
And there’s a bonus to making frosting with vanilla beans: if you get chocolate cake crumbs in the frosting they’ll just look like little flecks of vanilla. Therefore, if you’re in a hurry to eat your cake (story of my life), you can be a little sloppy when you frost it and no one will know the difference.
Not that they’d care when they’re eating such a perfectly delicious cake. . .Have a fabulous week, everyone!
A chocolate cake made with stout beer and topped with creamy vanilla bean buttercream. It's delicious to the extreme!
- 1 1/2 cups stout beer
- 1 1/2 cups unsalted butter cut into several chunks
- 1 1/2 cups dark Dutch-process cocoa powder
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 3/4 cups granulated sugar
- 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 1 cup full-fat sour cream
- 3 large eggs at room temperature
- 1 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
- 6 to 7 cups powdered sugar
- 1/4 to 1/2 cup heavy cream or whole milk
- seeds scraped from 1 vanilla bean pod
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract optional, for additional vanilla flavor
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray 2 9-inch round cake pans with cooking spray. Line the bottoms of the pans with parchment, then spray the parchment with cooking spray. Lightly dust with flour and set pans aside.
- Combine the stout and butter in a medium saucepan set over medium heat and bring to a simmer. Remove pan from the heat and whisk in the cocoa powder until mixture is smooth. Set aside to cool for 5 minutes.
- Whisk the flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt together in a large mixing bowl. In a separate large bowl, whisk the sour cream and eggs together.
- Stir the stout mixture into the sour cream mixture and whisk until combined. Fold the flour mixture into the stout mixture with a rubber spatula until the batter is smooth and free of lumps.
- Divide batter evenly between the prepared pans and bake 35 to 40 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cakes comes out clean. Cool completely on a wire rack before frosting.
- Place the butter in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat until very creamy. Add 3 cups of the sugar and 1/4 cup of the heavy cream and mix on low until combined. Turn the mixer to medium-high speed and beat until very creamy, about 1 minute more. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl.
- With mixer on low, beat in the remaining sugar 1 cup at a time until the frosting is thick but still spreadable; if you add too much sugar just add more heavy cream. Once frosting is your desired consistency, add the vanilla bean seeds, vanilla extract, and salt. Turn mixer to high speed and beat until frosting is very light and fluffy, about 3 or 4 minutes.
- Place one of the cooled cake layers on a cake stand or cardboard cake circle and spread a thick layer of frosting over the top. Cover with the remaining cake layer and frost with a very thin layer of frosting. Refrigerate the cake to set the frosting (this will prevent cake crumbs from accumulating in your final coat of frosting). Frost with remaining frosting and decorate as desired.
Adapted from Ovenly
Teesh Osita says
My dog just likes to fart in her sleep. Long loud farts which wakes the both of us up. I think she might be a serial killer who’s been trying to kill me with bad odor. Haha! This cake sounds so good!
Agness of Run Agness Run says
This cake seems like a perfect birthday dessert, Kelsie! You’ve turned a scary experience into a fun adventure. 🙂
grace says
i’m someone who has no use for beer except in battering fried foods or using in cakes and breads! love this dense, tasty treat!
Abbe@This is How I Cook says
Poor Moe. I bet he was just dreaming of that slice of cake you wouldn’t share with him. Cause I know I wouldn’t!
Christina says
Real talk – when I was a kid I was convinced a monster lived in our house. Turns out, it was just my father snoring in the next room. His snores were obnoxiously monster sounding so I 100% know your pain!
More real talk- I’m glad you weren’t almost murdered! Because then you wouldn’t have dropped this delicious looking/sounding cake on us. I mean, CHOCOLATE STOUT CAKE?
The realest talk – I’m legit going to pin this recipe. I’m off refined sugar for awhile but the moment I have a cheat day I’m allllll up in this cake!!!
Emma says
I used to get really jumpy when I was in the house alone, especially at night everything is so loud!!! But i can totally see why this cake would sooth your nerves it looks so good 😀
Thao @ In Good Flavor says
You’re too funny, Kelsie! Narrowly escaping death is always a good reason to celebrate!! And a cake that look this incredible, I would celebrate hard! 😃
Miriam @londonkitchendiaries says
Chocolate always helps after near death experiences 🙂 So glad you were not killed by a crying serial killer and that you found a fantastic way to celebrate. The cake looks delicious!
evolvewithmary says
I love buttercream frosting! It makes me feel so happy, it reminds me of my childhood but this is not my childhood cake, nope this is a beerlovers dream and I’m a beer lover :)I wish I could be your taster!! Everything you make looks amaze-balls.
Kelsie says
I wish you could be my taste tester, too! Thank you, Mary! Have a great weekend!
kitchenwits says
Yum this cake looks awesome! I bet the beer gives an interesting flavor profile there!
As far as your poor pup, wonder if he sleeps at home the same way or if the little guy was just homesick lol!
Kelsie says
Haha! I should ask my brother! Thank you!
kitchenriffs says
Stout and chocolate is a fabulous combo! And speaking of fabulous, this cake is. Great recipe — thanks.
Kelsie says
Thank you, John!
gardeningfoodie says
Haha….have you been watching scary movies past your bedtime Kelsie 😁….but I am glad that it was just Moe, he sounds like such a cutie pie. And you have Cookie to protect you, I am sure that she will bark any serial killers ear off.
This cake looks amazing, perfect for chasing your serial killer fears away right
Hope you are having a great week🙂
Kelsie says
I’m absolutely guilty of watching scary movies late at night :). Thank you, Ashika!
Leanne | Crumb Top Baking says
You are too funny Kelsie! Glad it turned out well! You weren’t harmed and you made a killer chocolate cake! Love the stout beer in this cake. Looks so rich and fudgy. Definitely a must for Paddy’s Day! Have a safe week! 😉
Kelsie says
Thank you, Leanne! Have a great weekend!
Ruby_&_Cake says
Oh man you poor thing haha I shouldn’t laugh but I have had simillar experiences before haha i know how tricky our minds can be late at night and I am a big sleep walker/talker.
I have never used stout before in cake but always wanted to it looks like it gives the cake and incredible colour and depth of flavour. Looks so good Kelsie 🙂
Kelsie says
Thank you, Ruby! Stout works so well in baked goods; you should definitely try it soon! PS, I’m loving all your travel pics on insta lately 🙂
Marissa (@pinchandswirl) says
You’re right, not being murdered is cause for celebration! lol! Let’s have some cake…The texture of this looks incredible and that hint of beer? Count me in for a big slice.
Kelsie says
Thank you, Marissa! I’ll save the biggest slice for you!