Want to get in a festive mood for St. Patrick’s Day, but not feeling the whole corned beef and cabbage vibe? Celebrate with a sweet treat instead! This dairy free Guinness chocolate cake is perfect for a fun dessert on March 17th, or anytime of year. The stout beer adds depth of flavor that enhances the chocolate, and topping it off with a dairy-free cream cheese frosting (either homemade or store-bought) is such a great pairing.
As a culinary creator that develops lots of dairy-free recipes, I’m always looking for ways to create that same decadent flavor and texture you’d expect from cakes, and this recipe nails it. Enjoy!
Ingredient Notes and Product Suggestions
Here’s a photo of what you’ll need for the cake itself, along with selected ingredient notes:
- Dairy-free yogurt – I used Wegman’s plain almondmilk yogurt for this recipe. I recommend a plain almondmilk or soy yogurt, as these will add moisture and body without significantly impacting flavor. While you could use a coconut-based yogurt, keep in mind that can impart a coconut flavor.
- Guinness – In true Irish fashion, this is a great option for a St. Patrick’s Day dessert. However, you can use another stout beer if that’s what you’ve got on hand.
You’ll obviously want to add frosting to this. If using store-bought, there are several dairy-free cream cheese frostings on the market. For example, at the time of publish, Duncan Hines cream cheese frosting and Pillsbury cream cheese frosting did not contain dairy ingredients. However, Betty Crocker cream cheese frosting does contain dairy. Always check ingredients, as manufacturer formulations can change at any time.
You can make your own homemade frosting with the ingredients pictured below.
Here are product recommendations for homemade frosting:
- Dairy-free butter – Country Crock plant butter sticks work very well in frosting recipes. If you need a soy-free option, Earth Balance soy free sticks are a good choice.
- Dairy-free cream cheese – I find Violife Just Like Cream Cheese Original works best in this recipe. They make a block and a tub version; both work. Recently I’ve found the block version seems to be better for a slightly firmer frosting, which can be helpful if you plan to set this out on a table for a bit at a party.
Instructions
You’ll find the full recipe amounts and instructions in the recipe card below, but here’s a helpful overview with photos and tips. While it seems like there are quite a few ingredients for this cake, it’s actually very simple to make.
Start by preparing the round cake pans. You want to make sure you cut a circle of parchment paper to include in each, then grease the pans. This is essential to ensure the cake doesn’t stick.
Next, grab a large mixing bowl. Stir together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. The cocoa powder can have a tendency to clump up, so make sure to stir it quite a bit and try to get everything as well incorporated as possible.
Create a little well in the center, and add the Guinness, dairy-free yogurt, oil, eggs, and vanilla. First whisk it together in the center so the eggs get mixed into the rest of the ingredients, then stir together to incorporate the dry ingredients with the wet ingredients. (This method just keeps everything to one bowl and saves you from having to mix the wet ingredients separately).
Divide the batter between the round cake pans, and bake at 350 degrees F for about 25 minutes. The cakes are done when a toothpick inserted into the center pulls out clean (moist crumbs are fine). Avoid overbaking, which can impart an unpleasant taste in the cakes.
Let the cakes cool in the pan. While they’re cooling, make the frosting (if you’re not using store-bought). This is best done with a stand mixer with a whisk attachment – however, a large mixing bowl and a hand mixer will work too.
Add the dairy-free butter, dairy-free cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla to the bowl.
Start your mixer (stand or hand) on low speed – otherwise powdered sugar will fly everywhere. Once you’ve incorporated the ingredients a bit, you can increase the speed and work your way to high speed. Once on high speed, continue to mix until the frosting is light and fluffy.
When the cakes are cool, flip one of the cakes onto a cake stand and add a layer of frosting. Place the other cake on top. I find the easiest way to do this is to flip the second cake onto a plate first, then slide it off onto the top of the other cake. Once the other cake is layered, add more frosting to the top.
Now dig in and enjoy – yum!
Recipe FAQ
Here are some common questions that may come up as you’re preparing this recipe:
It’s a subtle hint of Guinness; it mainly enhances the chocolate flavor and adds richness.
If the cake is unfrosted or uses store-bought frosting, it can be stored at room temperature for up to 2 days. Cake with homemade dairy-free cream cheese frosting should be stored in the refrigerator.
Sure. Dairy-free vanilla, chocolate, or coconut frostings will work well with this cake. You could also do a dairy-free chocolate ganache.
Allergens in this Recipe
Disclaimer: Always double check ingredients and labels yourself prior to making a recipe. While I try to check all ingredients for allergens, there’s always the chance I may miss something, or manufacturer formulations can change.
As written, this recipe is dairy free.
This recipe does contain wheat/gluten (in the flour; also gluten in the Guinness), egg (in the egg), nuts (in the yogurt), and soy (in the dairy-free butter). I would not recommend substitutions for the first two options. Soy can easily be eliminated by using a different dairy-free butter. Nuts can be removed by using a different type of dairy-free yogurt.
More Dairy-Free Cake Recipes
If you’re looking for more delicious and unique dairy-free cakes, be sure to give one of these a try:
- Dairy-free carrot cake
- Butternut squash rosemary cake (love this sweet & savory option)
- Dairy-free spice cake
- Dairy-free coconut cake
- Pumpkin olive oil cake with citrus glaze
I hope you enjoy this Guinness cake recipe! If you get a chance to try it, please leave a recipe rating or comment below.
Dairy Free Guiness Chocolate Cake
Ingredients
For the cake:
- 1 ¾ cup all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
- 1 ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup Guiness (or another stout beer)
- ¾ cup plain dairy-free almondmilk yogurt (or another dairy-free yogurt)
- ½ cup vegetable oil (or another neutral oil)
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
For the frosting (optional; can use store-bought frosting):
- ¾ cup dairy-free butter, softened (1 ½ sticks; i.e. Country Crock plant butter sticks)
- 6 ounces dairy-free cream cheese, softened (approximate; a little more or less is fine)
- 3 ½ cups powdered sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line two round 9-inch cake pans with parchment paper, then grease the pans. (Do not skip the parchment paper or the cakes will likely stick).
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In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Stir until well combined, trying to get rid of any lumps.
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Create a well in the center. Add the Guinness, dairy-free yogurt, oil, eggs, and vanilla, whisking with a fork in the center until the eggs are well incorporated with the other liquid ingredients. Then stir together all the ingredients until combined.
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Divide the batter evenly between the two cake pans. Place in the center rack of the oven and bake at 350 degrees F for approximately 23-27 minutes, or until a toothpick pulls out clean from the center of each cake.
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Let the cakes cool completely in the pan. Meanwhile, prepare the frosting if making from scratch. Place the softened dairy-free butter, dairy-free cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla in the bowl of a stand mixer (or a regular bowl for use with a hand mixer). Use the whisk attachment to mix together, starting on low speed until combined, then increasing to high speed until the frosting is light and fluffy.
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When the cakes are cooled, flip one onto a cake stand. Add a layer of frosting. Flip the other cake onto a plate, then flip on top of the frosted cake to create a double-layered cake. Add another layer of frosting to the top. Enjoy!
Recipe Notes
- If making frosting from scratch, be sure that the dairy-free butter and dairy-free cream cheese are softened (not melted).
- This makes a well-frosted cake; I find that this cake tastes best with a heavier layer of frosting. If you prefer a thinner amount of frosting, you can cut the frosting recipe down by a third.
- Leftovers should be refrigerated since there is dairy-free cream cheese in the frosting.
- A double-layered cake typically serves 12-16 generous slices. For the purposes of the nutrition analysis, we’ve estimated 16 slices.
Nutrition analysis (approximate per serving): 439 calories, 20 g fat, 8 g saturated fat, 390 mg sodium, 63 g carbohydrate, 3 g protein, Vitamin D: 3%, Calcium: 2%, Iron: 8%, Potassium: 2%
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