Chocolate Stout Bundt Cake with Coffee Ganache
Chocolate Stout Cake
A moist chocolate Bundt cake made with stout, sour cream, cocoa, and a glossy semisweet coffee ganache.
Nutrition (per serving)
This chocolate stout cake is built for a Bundt pan, where the dark batter bakes into a tender ring with enough structure to slice cleanly. Stout deepens the cocoa flavor without making the cake taste strongly of beer, while sour cream keeps the crumb moist and balanced.
The batter starts by melting butter directly into the stout, then whisking in cocoa so the chocolate flavor blooms before it meets the dry ingredients. Eggs and sour cream make the cake plush, and a careful coat of butter or baking spray in every groove of the pan helps the finished cake release neatly.
A simple ganache finishes the cake with semisweet chocolate, heavy cream, and a little instant coffee. Let the cake cool completely in the pan before turning it out, then drizzle the warm ganache over the ridges so it settles into glossy ribbons.
Ingredients
- Stout beer, such as Guinness:1 cup
- Unsalted butter:1 cup
- Unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder:3/4 cup
- All-purpose flour:2 cups
- Granulated sugar:2 cups
- Baking soda:1 1/2 tsp
- Fine salt:3/4 tsp
- Large eggs:2
- Sour cream:2/3 cup
- Semisweet chocolate chips:6 oz
- Heavy cream:6 tbsp
- Instant coffee granules:3/4 tsp
- Butter or baking spray for the pan:as needed
Instructions
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Heat the oven to 350°F. Thoroughly butter or spray a 10- to 12-cup Bundt pan, coating every ridge and center groove.
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Combine the stout and butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Warm until the butter melts and the mixture just reaches a simmer, then remove from the heat.
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Whisk the cocoa powder into the warm stout mixture until smooth. Let it cool for a few minutes so it is warm but not hot.
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In a large bowl, whisk the flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt until evenly combined.
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In a second large bowl, beat the eggs and sour cream until smooth. Beat in the cooled stout-cocoa mixture just until blended.
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Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix on low speed only until mostly combined. Fold with a spatula, scraping the bottom of the bowl, until no dry streaks remain.
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Pour the batter into the prepared Bundt pan and smooth the top. Bake for about 35 minutes, until a tester inserted near the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
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Set the pan on a rack and let the cake cool completely in the pan. Gently loosen the edges if needed, then invert the cake onto a rack or serving plate.
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For the ganache, melt the chocolate chips, heavy cream, and instant coffee in a heatproof bowl set over barely simmering water, stirring until smooth and glossy.
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Drizzle the warm ganache over the cooled cake and let it set slightly before slicing.
Tips & Notes
- A detailed coating of the Bundt pan matters; use softened butter and a pastry brush or a baking spray made for pans with flour.
- Cooling the cake completely in the pan helps this tender crumb release with fewer cracks.
- Use a stout you enjoy drinking, but avoid very bitter or aggressively flavored specialty stouts.
