Gluten-Free Chocolate Stout Cake

This dark and moist gluten free chocolate stout cake is a riff on Nigella Lawson's classic Guinness Chocolate Cake. It's made with plenty of (gluten-free) stout and capped with an irresistible cream cheese frosting.

Gluten Free Chocolate Stout Cake Recipe

This glorious, gluten free chocolate stout cake recipe is adapted from a favorite cake from Nigella Lawson, and it's as stellar as the original. Taste-wise, this cake is a beer-and-chocolate-lover's dream - the overwhelming flavor is of rich chocolate with just a hint of stout. Topped with a smooth and tangy cream cheese frosting, the slight bitterness from the beer is hardly noticeable and helps to create the cake's dense, moist crumb. The result is a portrait of a pint transformed into a cake. If only I'd been able to imprint a four-leaf clover on top! Make sure to use a gluten free stout to make this cake entirely gluten-free (see some options here). Even if you don't like beer you're sure to enjoy this cake.

Why You'll Love It

• Easy. One of the best things about this recipe is that it's very quick and easy to assemble. There's no need for an electric mixer; all that's required is a whisk to put together the batter and within only about 10 minutes the cake is slipped into the oven.
• Simple gluten-free flour combo. Just oat flour and a little bit of sweet white rice flour are the only two gluten-free flours you'll need in this recipe!
• Unique. Yes - this is definitely part of this cake's appeal. There are not many cake recipes I've come across that call for beer, and while I don't drink I don't mind a bit of stout in a chocolate cake from time to time.
• Always welcome. One need not celebrate St. Patrick's Day (or be Irish, or Irish-American) to enjoy a slice of this cake -- indeed, it works just fine as a birthday or everyday cake. So file this one for the "keepers" folder, regardless of the time of year. (Nigella's recipe for Guinness chocolate cake lives here on her website if you'd like to give it a go.)

Ingredients Needed for Chocolate Stout Cake

I've outlined what you'll need for this gluten free chocolate stout cake recipe below. The full ingredient amounts are in the recipe card at the end of this post - this is just an overview.

For the Cake

• Oat flour - Whole grain, naturally gluten-free oat flour forms the base of the batter
• Sweet white rice flour - A starchy gluten-free flour, sweet white rice flour adds binding and lightness to the cake
• Baking soda
• Stout - The original recipe calls for Guinness, which you can use if you're not super sensitive to gluten. But for the best gluten-free practices, choose a gluten-free stout.
• Butter - I use unsalted butter in this cake
• Cocoa powder - Use unsweetened cocoa powder
• Granulated sugar
• Eggs - Use large eggs
• Sour cream - Or substitute Greek yogurt
• Vanilla - Pure vanilla extract will give the best flavor

For the Frosting

• Cream cheese - I use block cream cheese rather than whipped cream cheese
• Powdered sugar - Make sure to sift the powdered sugar before adding it to the frosting!
• Heavy cream - Heavy cream adds a rich smoothness to the frosting

How to Make Gluten Free Chocolate Stout Cake

I've briefly detailed how to make this cake below. Scroll down to the recipe card at the end of this post for the full instructions.

Make the Cake

1. Prepare the pan: Butter and line a 9-inch springform tin.
2. Whisk dry ingredients: In a small bowl, whisk together the flours and baking soda.
3. Melt butter: Heat the butter and stout over medium heat, then whisk in the cocoa powder and sugar.
4. Combine: Whisk the sour cream with the eggs and vanilla, then pour in the beer and stir in the flour.
5. Bake. Preheat oven to 350℉. Pour the batter into the pan and let it rest while the oven heats. Then bake for about 1 hour.

Make the Frosting

1. Make the frosting: Whip the cream cheese with an electric mixer, sift in the powdered sugar, and beat in the heavy cream.
2. Assemble. Spread the frosting over the top of the cake.

Tips and Substitution Suggestions

If you need to make substitutions, no problem! Here's how to do some ingredient swaps, plus a few extra tips:

• Bring ingredients to room temperature. Bring the ingredients to room temperature before you incorporate them into the batter. This is especially important for the cream cheese - if it is cold when you beat it into the frosting it can create a lumpy icing.
• Hydrate the batter. Make sure to let the batter rest while the oven heats. Gluten-free flours benefit from a rest before baking so that the batter can hydrate.
• Sift the powdered sugar. Again, you want a beautifully smooth frosting! Sift the powdered sugar into the bowl when you make the frosting to eliminate any lumps.
• Frost the cake in swirls. When adding the frosting, use an offset spatula to create smooth swirls. Nigella says: "Ice the top of the black cake so that it resembles the frothy top of the famous pint."
• Oat flour substitute: Try sorghum or teff flour by weight.
• Sweet white rice flour substitute: Swao tapioca flour.
• Use gluten-free flour: If you wish, substitute 2 cups of 1:1 gluten-free flour such as Bob's Red Mill or King Arthur Flour for the oat and sweet rice flours.
• Stout substitute: If you are OK with gluten beer, Guinness is the obvious choice. You could also try a non-alcoholic gluten-free stout if you don't drink. Another option is tea, but I think if you can't do any kind of beer it's probably best to make another cake recipe.
• Make dairy-free: Substitute your favorite non-dairy butter and sour cream for the butter and sour cream. Substitute non-dairy cream cheese for the cream cheese and non-dairy milk for the heavy cream.
• Make refined sugar-free: Substitute coconut sugar for the granulated sugar in the cake.

Storage Options

Here's how to store your gluten free stout cake:

• Fridge - Store the cake, well-wrapped, in the fridge for 5 days. The stout keeps the cake a bit moist, so it will last a little longer without drying out.
• Freezer - Cake may be well-wrapped in plastic and frozen, unfrosted, for 3 months. Defrost in the fridge before frosting with the frosting.

More Gluten Free Cake Recipes

• Gluten Free Earl Grey Cake
• Oat Flour Cake
• Vegan Chocolate Bundt Cake