Experience the sweeter side of stout.
There’s no other beer quite like Guinness stout. Dark, full, velvety, with a balance between bitterness and sweetness — it’s not just a drink, it’s an experience.
But here’s a little secret: Guinness is good for more than just drinking. Its rich, bittersweet flavor also makes a wonderful addition to desserts. I discovered this years ago when I added Guinness to chocolate cupcakes. To make these extra Irish, I topped them with a cream cheese frosting flavored with Bailey’s Irish Cream. The creamy sweetness of the Bailey’s balanced out the darker, more complex flavors of the Guinness and chocolate to perfection.
In fact, that combo was so exquisite, I just had to try it again. This time, instead of cupcakes, I made a chocolate bread (which is basically just a loaf-shaped cake). I amped up the richness and decadence even more by adding dark chocolate chips and heavy cream to the batter. And I topped it all off with a drizzle of Bailey’s-flavored glaze.
This chocolate bread is everything you’d expect — dark, moist, rich, with a hint of bitterness balanced out by the sweetness of the glaze. It’s as flavorful and satisfying as Guinness itself.
Is this cake alcoholic?
- Yes, but only a tiny bit. Part of the alcohol in the Guinness evaporates during baking, but there will still be about 45% left in the finished cake. Since Guinness is 4.2% alcohol by volume, a 12-ounce bottle has about half an ounce to start with. Once it’s baked, there will be about one-fifth of an ounce left, so a tenth of the cake will have about one-fiftieth of an ounce.
- There’s also a tiny bit of alcohol in the Bailey’s-flavored glaze. It’s 17% alcohol by volume, so one ounce (two tablespoons) has about one-sixth of an ounce, and that’s the amount used in the whole cake. A tenth of that would be one-sixtieth of an ounce. So, together, the cake and glaze have less than one twenty-fifth of an ounce per slice.
Does this bread taste like beer?
- Not really. The Guinness adds a subtle, sort of spicy note to the taste, but you wouldn’t take a bite and think “beer.” It’s just a really dark and complex flavor.
If I can’t find Guinness, can I use a different beer?
- I think it’s worth making the effort to find real Guinness, since nothing else tastes quite the same. Most well-stocked grocery stores or liquor stores should have it. But if you just can’t find any, another brand of stout will do. Don’t substitute a lighter beer, though; it won’t have the same flavor at all.
How should I store this bread?
- It will keep up to five days in a sealed container at either room or fridge temperature. And its flavor will get even better with time.
Guinness Chocolate Bread with Bailey’s Drizzle
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Farenheit. Beat butter and both sugars in a mixer until combined.
- Beat in eggs and vanilla extract until fluffy.
- Sift together dry ingredients: flour, cocoa powder, and baking soda.
- Pour about 1/3 of the beer and the cream into the butter/sugar mixture and beat in on low speed.
- Next, mix in half of the flour mixture. Continue rotating between beer/cream and the flour mixture until everything is added and combined.
- Fold in chocolate pieces.
- Pour batter into a greased, 9×5 loaf pan.
- Bake for 55-60 minutes or until toothpick inserted into the center of the bread comes out clean.
- Remove from oven and cool. While bread is cooling, prepare the Bailey’s glaze. Whisk together powdered sugar, Bailey’s Irish cream, and 1 tablespoon of heavy cream. Add additional cream as needed to achieve desired consistency. Drizzle over cooled bread. Slice to serve you Guinness Chocolate Bread with Bailey’s Drizzle.
Here are some more yummy St. Patrick’s Day Recipes!
- Instant Pot Corned Beef and Cabbage
- Reuben Sliders
- Reuben Dip
- Corned Beef Sauerkraut Reuben Braid
- Corned Beef and Cabbage Breakfast Hash
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Guinness Chocolate Bread with Bailey’s Drizzle
Ingredients
Bread:
- 1/2 cup salted butter softened
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips or semi-sweet 1 12 oz. bottle of Guinness beer
- 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
Drizzle:
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons Bailey’s Irish cream 1-2 tablespoons heavy cream
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Farenheit. Beat butter and both sugars in a mixer until combined.
- Beat in eggs and vanilla extract until fluffy.
- Sift together dry ingredients: flour, cocoa powder, and baking soda.
- Pour about 1/3 of the beer and the cream into the butter/sugar mixture and beat in on low speed.
- Next, mix in half of the flour mixture. Continue rotating between beer/cream and the flour mixture until everything is added and combined.
- Fold in chocolate pieces.
- Pour batter into a greased, 9x5 loaf pan.
- Bake for 55-60 minutes or until toothpick inserted into the center of the bread comes out clean.
- Remove from oven and cool. While bread is cooling, prepare the Bailey’s glaze. Whisk together powdered sugar, Bailey’s Irish cream, and 1 tablespoon of heavy cream. Add additional cream as needed to achieve desired consistency. Drizzle over cooled bread. Slice to serve.
Video
Recipe Notes:
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Nutrition Information:
Nutrition Disclaimer
Family Fresh Meals is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is only an estimate. We recommend running the ingredients through an online nutritional calculator if you need to verify any information.
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