7 Beer Cake Recipe Ideas to Try Out

Adding beer to a cake might not be the first thing you think about when baking. Beer is a great way to jazz up a cake batter!

Light and versatile, beer cakes are perfect for any occasion.

In this article, we round up our top 10 beer cake recipe ideas you HAVE to try!

7 Must-Try Beer Cake Recipes

Check out these recipes for a moist cake you can add to any dessert spread!

1: Your Standard Beer Cake Recipe

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Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 15.25 oz. yellow cake mix
• 3.5 oz. instant vanilla pudding mix
• 1 cup Guinness beer
• 4 large eggs
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 350 F or 175 C.
2. Take your dry ingredients, the cake mix, and the vanilla pudding mix, and sift them into a large bowl.
3. Add beer and vegetable oil to your flour mixture. Mix lightly using an electric mixer.
4. Add eggs and beat at high speed until the mixture is smooth.
5. Spray a 10-inch Bundt pan with cooking flour and dust the pan’s interior with flour.
6. Pour your cake batter into the prepared pan.
7. Bake for 55 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center comes clean.
8. Take the cake out of the oven and let it cool in the pan for 10 minutes.

Once cooled, you can frost it as desired. Give it a creamy touch by adding whipped cream.

With the leavening power of beer, you don’t need baking powder for this recipe.

This recipe makes one 10-inch cake with 12 servings, perfect for a birthday cake.

2: Chocolate Guinness Beer Cake Recipe

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Ingredients

• 17 oz. all-purpose flour
• 28 oz. sugar
• 1 tablespoon baking soda
• 5 oz. natural cocoa powder
• 8 oz. butter
• 4 large eggs
• 16 oz. Guinness beer
• 11 oz. sour cream (or greek yogurt)
• 2 tablespoon vanilla extract

Instructions

1. Heat your Guinness beer and room-temperature butter in a large saucepan. When the butter has melted, take it off the heat.
2. Add in 5 oz. of cocoa powder and 28 oz. sugar to the beer mixture. Whisk until mixed.
3. Combine 4 eggs, 11 0z of sour cream, and 2 tablespoons of vanilla extract in a medium bowl.
4. Whisk the contents into the beer mixture.
5. Sift the flour and baking soda, and combine them with the beer mixture. Whisk thoroughly until smooth.
6. Pour the batter into a greased 8-inch pan lined with parchment paper. Bake at 350 degrees F for 45 to 50 minutes.
7. Let your chocolate cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Once it’s cooled completely, remove it from the pan.

You can also add frosting or top it with chocolate ganache.

This Guinness beer cake creates a moist crumb that brings out the richness of the chocolate. Enjoy a Guinness cake for Saint Patrick’s Day, or pair it with your afternoon coffee.

REMEMBER: A Guinness beer cake can be heavy, so take note of the nutrition information.

This chocolate beer cake yields 6 servings.

3: Beer Cake with Caramel Frosting Recipe

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Ingredients For Cake

• 6 oz. unsalted butter
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup chopped, pitted dates
• 3/4 cup chopped pecans
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 2 large eggs
• 1 1/4 cups dark beer (Guinness)

Ingredients For CARAMEL FROSTING

• 1/4 cup unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 cup confectioner’s sugar
• 1/3 cup whipped cream
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 pinch of fine salt

Instructions

1. In a small bowl, combine the chopped pecans and dates with 1 tablespoon of flour.
2. Mix the cinnamon, allspice, baking soda, salt, and the remaining flour in a separate bowl until blended. Set aside.
3. In a large bowl, beat the room-temperature butter and brown sugar for 3 minutes using an electric mixer. You can also use a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment.
4. Add the eggs one at a time. Continue blending the mixture as you add each egg.
5. Once all the eggs have been incorporated, add the vanilla.
6. Keeping the mixer on low speed, add 1/3 of the flour spice mixture, including half the beer.
7. Repeat this with another 1/3 of the flour-spice mixture with the rest of the beer. Beat in the remaining 1/4 of the mixture until fully blended.
8. Fold in the floured pecans and dates.
9. Pour the batter into a Bundt pan with a bake time of 45 to 55 minutes.
10. Keep the cake in the pan for 15 minutes, then turn it on a cooling rack to cool completely.
11. Heat the whipped cream, brown sugar, butter, and salt in a saucepan over the stove to make the frosting.
12. Bring it to a boil and continue boiling for 1 minute. Take it off the heat and let it stand for 5 minutes.
13. Add the confectioner’s sugar and vanilla to the mixture and whisk into a velvety sauce.
14. Place parchment paper under the cooling rack.
15. Put your cake on the wire rack and pour the caramel icing over it. Set for 10 minutes, then serve.

This Guinness beer cake recipe makes 12 to 16 servings.

4: Spiced Beer Cake Recipe

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Ingredients

• 3 cups flour
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1/16 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
• 2 teaspoon ground allspice
• 2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 2 cups brown sugar
• 1 cup pecans
• 1 cup dried cherries
• 1 cup butter
• 2 eggs
• 2 cups light or dark beer

Instructions

1. Combine flour, baking soda, salt, ground cloves, cinnamon, and allspice. Mix with a whisk, then set aside.
2. In a separate bowl, whisk the butter and brown sugar together. Add eggs and beat them into the mixture.
3. Alternate between putting the dry ingredients and beer into the wet mixture. Mix until fully combined.
4. Toss in the pecans and dried cherries and fold them into the mixture.
5. Pour the batter into a greased tube pan and bake at 350 F for 60 minutes. Keep your cake in the pan for 15 minutes, then turn it over on a wire rack.
6. Place on a cake plate and serve!

You can also replace the pecan or cherries with your nut or dried berries of choice. Drizzle this moist crumb with a confectioner’s sugar glaze for the perfect topping!

This recipe yields 16 servings.

5: Chocolate Beer and Pretzel Cake Recipe

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Ingredients FOR CAKE

• 2 cups flour
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 eggs
• 2/3 cup sour cream
• 2 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 cup Guinness beer
• 1 cup or 2 sticks of butter

Ingredients FOR PRETZEL CRUMBLE

• ½ cup salted pretzel sticks
• 2 tablespoons melted butter
• ½ tablespoon brown sugar

Ingredients FOR Buttercream

• 1 cup or 2 sticks of butter
• 1 cup peanut butter
• 3-4 cups powdered sugar
• ½ cup heavy cream
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

Instructions

1. Combine 1 cup of room-temperature butter and beer in a large saucepan. Let it simmer over medium heat.
2. Add the unsweetened cocoa powder and whisk. Take it off the heat, then add the vanilla. Set aside.
3. Whisk your dry ingredients together in a large bowl.
4. Using a separate bowl, combine the eggs with sour cream. Add the chocolate mixture slowly while whisking constantly.
5. Combine the wet ingredients with the dry and mix until smooth.
6. Grease the cake pans with baking spray.
7. Pour the batter into prepared cake pans. Bake at 350 F for 26 to 30 minutes.
8. Keep the chocolate cake in the pan for 10 to 15 minutes.
9. To make the buttercream, whip the sour cream and peanut butter together in a stand mixer.
10. Lower the speed and slowly add sugar half a cup at a time. Add the salt and vanilla.
11. Add the heavy cream and set the mixer on medium speed until fluffy.
12. Crush the pretzel sticks into small chunks using a food processor to make the pretzel crumble.
13. Add the butter and brown sugar. Process until combined, then transfer the mixture to a bowl.

Assemble by stacking one chocolate cake on top of the other. Ensure that you coat each cake with buttercream frosting in between.

Sprinkle the pretzel crumbs on the exterior of the two-layer chocolate cake. Chill in the freezer for 10 minutes and serve!

This chocolate beer cake recipe makes 10 to 12 servings.

6: Banana Guinness Beer Cake Recipe

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Ingredients

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups packed brown sugar
• 1 ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon ground allspice
• 1 tablespoon ground cardamom
• 1 ½ cups chopped walnuts
• 2 cups pitted dates
• 1 cup mashed bananas
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups Guinness beer

Instructions

1. Grease two 9 by 5-inch loaf or cake pans.
2. Mix the brown sugar, salt, eggs, and bananas in a medium bowl.
3. Combine the dry ingredients in a separate bowl. Alternate mixing the dry mixture and dark beer into the banana mixture.
4. Use the remaining flour to coat the walnuts. Fold the dates into the mixture.
5. Pour the batter into two loaf pans and bake at 350 F for 1 hour.

This Guinness beer cake recipe yields 2 loaves with 24 servings.

7: Chocolate Butter Glaze Guinness Beer Cake

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Ingredients For Cake

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 10 tablespoons butter, melted
• ¾ cup cocoa powder
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 ⅓ cups brown sugar
• ¾ cup sour cream (or greek yogurt)
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup Guinness beer
• Whipped cream (optional)

Ingredients For Glaze

• ½ cup butter
• ⅔ cup chopped bittersweet chocolate
• 1 tablespoon honey

Instructions

1. Whisk together the brown sugar, granulated sugar, cocoa powder, melted butter, and your favorite beer in a bowl.
2. Add in the sour cream, eggs, and vanilla. Mix until blended.
3. Sift the dry ingredients into a separate bowl. Combine with the chocolate mixture until no lumps remain.
4. Pour the batter into a greased pan and bake at 350 F for 45 to 60 minutes. Once baked, keep the chocolate cake in the pan.
5. Heat the butter, honey, and chocolate in a saucepan. Stir until melted.
6. Remove the mixture from the stove and let it set until thick.
7. When the chocolate beer cake has cooled, transfer it to a serving plate.
8. Pour the glaze over the chocolate beer cake. Let the glaze set for 1 hour before serving.

This chocolate cake can serve 12 to 14 people.

Frequently Asked Questions

Below are commonly asked questions about baking beer cake that can help you:

How Does Beer Affect Baking?

Beer is a great leavening agent that gives your cake an extra lift and soft texture due to its carbonation.

It means you wouldn’t need to use baking powder in any recipe.

It also adds a unique flavor profile to your cake. It won’t taste like beer; rather, it would deepen the taste of other ingredients.

What Is the Best Kind of Beer to Use in a Beer Cake Recipe?

It would depend on the flavor you want to incorporate into your cake.

• Porters and stouts – provide coffee and cocoa flavor notes
• Brown ales – offer nutty flavors with hints of caramel
• Pale brews – give flavor notes of citrus and coriander

What Is the Best Chocolate to Use for a Chocolate Beer Cake Recipe?

A chocolate beer cake benefits best from unsweetened cocoa powder.

Rather than overwhelming the palette with heavy frosting or chocolate chips, let the beer shine in your chocolate beer cake recipe for a balanced flavor.

Conclusion

Beer cakes are versatile desserts you can enjoy with the whole family!

Try out the Guinness beer cake with chocolate ganache or whipped cream for an indulgent bake. Celebrate the holidays with a spiced Guinness beer cake.

Whatever your pick, any recipe on this list would be a HIT, whether as a birthday cake or an afternoon dessert.