This dark and moist chocolate stout cake is a gluten-free 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.

This glorious, gluten free chocolate stout cake is adapted from Nigella Lawson's chocolate Guinness cake and is just 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! Even if you don't like beer you're sure to enjoy this beauty.
And if you're in the mood for more Saint Patrick's Day-inspired recipes, try baking a loaf of gluten free Irish soda bread or gluten free barm brack!
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This Chocolate Stout Cake is Delicious!
A simple blend of two gluten-free flours meld to form a soft and tender crumb you'd never guess was gluten-free (tip: you can swap a 1:1 gluten-free flour if that's easier). I adore the contrast of a rich, not-too-sweet dark chocolate cake with a frothy sweet-tangy cap of creamy frosting. And, it's made with a whisk and spoon!I know you'll love this cake, too.
- 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 minutes you can slip the cake 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 be celebrating 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.
Ingredient Notes
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.
- Oat flour - You can learn how to make oat flour, or buy a package at the store. If you don't eat oats, I recommend substituting brown rice flour or sorghum flour.
- Sweet white rice flour - A starchy gluten-free flour, sweet white rice flour adds binding and lightness to the cake. Substitute tapioca flour if needed.
- Baking soda
- Stout - The original recipe calls for Guinness, which I've substituted here for gluten-free stout. See some suggestions below on brands.
- Butter - I use unsalted butter in this cake.
- Cocoa powder - Use unsweetened cocoa powder.
- Granulated sugar
- Eggs - Use large eggs at room temperature.
- Sour cream - Use full-fat sour cream for richness, or substitute plain Greek yogurt.
- 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. You can swap half-and-half in a pinch.
How to Make Chocolate Stout Cake
You can leave the melted butter and stout in the pot and then add in the cocoa powder and sugar, or transfer the mixture to a bowl and continue with the recipe (my choice). Here's a look at how to make this beautiful cake:
- Prepare the pan: Butter and line a 9-inch springform tin.
- Whisk dry ingredients: In a small bowl, whisk together the flours and baking soda.
- Melt butter: Heat the butter and stout over medium heat, then whisk in the cocoa powder and sugar.
- Combine: Whisk the sour cream with the eggs and vanilla, then pour in the beer and stir in the flour mixture.
- Bake: Preheat oven to 350℉. Pour the batter into the pan and let it rest while the oven heats, then then bake for about 1 hour. Cool the cake completely before frosting it.
- Make the frosting: Whip the cream cheese with an electric mixer, sift in the powdered sugar, and beat in the heavy cream.
- Assemble: Spread the frosting over the top of the cake.
What Kind of Stout Should I Use?
Make sure to use a gluten free stout to make this cake entirely gluten-free. Some gluten-free stout options include Glutenberg Stout, Holidaily, Alt Brew Coffee Stout, Ground Breaker Imperial Darkness, Ghostfish Watchstander, or see this article for more options.
Tips and a Few Ingredient Swaps
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—you do NOT want cold cream cheese, which 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."
- 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 flour, or use my homemade gluten free flour blend.
- 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 alcohol. 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.
Proper Storage
The stout keeps the cake a bit moister than other cakes, so it will last a little longer without drying out, a bonus!
- Fridge - Cover the cake tightly with foil or place it in an airtight container and store it in the fridge for up to 5 days.
- 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 Chocolate Cake Recipes
If you try this gluten-free chocolate stout cake, please let me know! And if you have any questions, always feel free to reach out in the comments or by email. I hope you love it! ❤️
Gluten Free Chocolate Stout Cake
Ingredients
For the Cake
- 1 ½ cups gluten-free oat flour (195 grams)
- ½ cup sweet white rice flour (80 grams)
- 2 ½ teaspoons baking soda
- 1 cup gluten-free stout
- ½ cup unsalted butter
- ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 cups sugar
- 2 large eggs
- ⅔ cup sour cream
For the Frosting
- 8 oz. cream cheese, at room temperature
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- ¼ cup heavy cream
Instructions
Make the Cake
- Butter a 9 or 10-inch springform pan and line it with parchment paper.
- Pour the stout into a large saucepan, slice up the butter, and add to the beer. Heat over medium heat until the butter melts. Whisk in the cocoa and sugar, then set aside to cool briefly. In a small bowl, whisk together the flours and baking soda.
- In a large bowl, beat the sour cream with the eggs and vanilla. Pour in the beer, then stir in the flour mixture until incorporated.
- Pour the batter into the prepared tin. Preheat oven to 350℉ and let batter rest while the oven heats. Then place in the oven and bake for about 1 hour, checking to see if a tester inserted in the center comes out clean, the top is firm, and the edges of the cake are starting to come away from the sides of the pan. Remove from oven and let cool for 20 minutes in the pan, then turn out onto a rack to cool completely. I like to chill my cake in the fridge before frosting.
Make Frosting
- In a large bowl, whip the cream cheese with an electric mixer. Sift the powdered sugar over and beat to incorporate. Then beat in the heavy cream.
- Frost the cake with swirls of frosting. Nigella says: "Ice the top of the black cake so that it resembles the frothy top of the famous pint."
Notes
- 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—you do NOT want cold cream cheese, which 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."
- 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 flour, or use my homemade gluten free flour blend.
- 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 alcohol. 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.
Susan says
Just fabulous. I used a White Wings gluten free SR flour instead of the oats and rice flour with baking powder. Also used 1.25 cups of sugar instead of the 2 cups in the recipe.
Nicole Spiridakis says
That sounds like a perfect adaption - glad you loved it!