irish dessert

Irish porter cake is known for its rich dark fruit sweetness and spice. Prepared in the style of boiled fruit cakes it can save for many days and the flavors develop and intensify.&nbsp;

Irish Porter Cake

butter, (2 sticks)

sugar

oz porter ale, (substitute with stout)

golden raisins, (aka sultanas)

raisins

citrus peel, (or candied orange slices, chopped small)

all purpose flour

baking soda

baking powder

salt

mixed spice

eggs, beaten

cherries, (optional) pitted, halved

In a small pan melt the butter with...

In a small pan melt the butter with the sugar and add the porter. Stir until the sugar is dissolved.

Add the sultanas, raisins, citrus peel and the...

Add the sultanas, raisins, citrus peel and the zest of the orange. Bring to boil then reduce heat and simmer for 5 mins. Remove from heat and let cool down until lukewarm.

Turn the oven to 350 F. 

Sift the flour, add the baking soda, baking...

Sift the flour, add the baking soda, baking powder, salt and spice and mix.

Add the cooled down fruit and porter mixture...

Add the cooled down fruit and porter mixture to the flour and mix. If using cherries, fold them into the mixture. 

Slowly add the beaten eggs and carefully incorporate...

Slowly add the beaten eggs and carefully incorporate into the cake batter.

Line and grease a spring form pan* and...

Line and grease a spring form pan* and transfer the batter in it. Use an 8 inch or a 10 inch.

Bake for just over and hour or until...

Bake for just over and hour or until a toothpick inserted deep in the center comes out clean. 

Remove the cake from the oven and (optional)...

Remove the cake from the oven and (optional) drizzle a couple of tablespoons of porter over it to keep it moist.

Let is cool of completely and transfer to...

Let is cool of completely and transfer to a cake tin or other airtight container. 

Porter cake develops flavors over time and is...

Porter cake develops flavors over time and is best enjoyed after a day or two. You can also feed the cake** if planning on keeping it around longer. 

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Porter cake is a rich, darkly sweet and moist Irish fruit cake traditionally made before Christmas. The flavors of porter ale add decadent depth and warmth. 

Irish porter cake is a dark and rich dessert made with dried and candied fruits, warm spices, and robust porter in an Irish fruit cake.

unsalted butter

dark brown sugar

Guinness

sultanas

citrus peel

all-purpose flour

orange

cinnamon

nutmeg

allspice

ginger

¼ teaspoon ground clove

coriander

eggs

Start by whisking together 4 cups all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking, ½ teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon salt, all the spices, and orange zest in a mixing bowl, and set aside.

In a small bowl, beat the 3 eggs and set aside.

In a saucepan, melt 1 cup unsalted butter over medium heat and add 1 cup dark brown sugar and the whole bottle of beer. Heat and stir until the sugar has dissolved, and then add the 1 cup raisins, 1 cup golden raisins, and ½ cup candied peels (if using). Simmer over low heat, stirring occasionally, for 3-5 minutes.

(Be careful when heating the beer and don’t let it come to a boil. As it heats up it can foam up and over the top of the saucepan, so monitor it closely. If it starts to foam up, remove it from the heat for a moment before continuing.)

Let the fruit and beer mixture cool before the next step. It doesn’t have to be room temperature but shouldn’t be hot either. To cool it faster, transfer it to a heatproof bowl and place uncovered in the refrigerator.

While the mixture cools, preheat your oven to 350°F / 180°C. Line or spray a 9” springform pan and set aside.

Add the flour mixture to the wet mixture and stir until just combined. Now add the beaten eggs and stir together until there’s no more obvious wet/eggy spots, but don’t overmix. Pour the batter into the prepared springform pan and place it into the center of the oven.

Bake until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean. Start checking around 45-50 minutes into baking. Allow to cool 15-20 minutes before removing from the pan and finish cooling it completely on a cooling rack.

Optionally, while still warm, pour 2-3 tablespoons of additional beer or Irish whiskey over the top of the cake.

Once cooled, you can slice and serve the cake, but it’s best left to “mature” before being cut. Store in an airtight container or wrapped tightly at room temperature for 2-3 days before serving. This will enhance the flavors even more.

This Guinness chocolate cake is rich, fudgy, and perfectly balanced with nutty browned butter cream cheese frosting. The stout deepens the chocolate flavor, making it an easy, egg-free indulgence for any occasion.

Chocolate Guinness Cake

Cooking spray or butter (for the pan)

table salt

dark stout (such as Guinness,

(4 oz) unsalted butter (cubed,

unsweetened cocoa powder

white vinegar

(4 oz) full-fat cream cheese (cold

confectioners’ sugar

vanilla extract

lemon juice ((optional))

Heat

Crank the oven to 350°F (180°C). Line the bottom of a 9- to 10-inch (23- to 25-cm) springform pan with a parchment circle, spray or butter the parchment, and then lightly dust with cocoa powder. Wrap the outside of the pan tightly in foil to seal any gaps in the springform pan and prevent leaks.

Whisk

Whisk the 2 cups all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon table salt, 2 teaspoons baking soda, and 1 teaspoon baking powder in a small bowl.

Combine the 2 cups dark stout (or coffee) with the 1 stick (4 oz) unsalted butter cubes in a large saucepan over medium heat, stirring until the butter has completely melted. Remove the saucepan from the heat.(If using vegetable oil instead of butter, simply stir it into the warm stout or coffee.)

Whisk the 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder and 2 cups granulated sugar into the liquid mixture until well combined.

Slowly add the 1 tablespoon distilled white vinegar, being mindful that the mixture can foam up. Add the flour mixture, and stir until smooth.

Pour

Pour the batter into the prepared pan. The batter may look foamy, but it will settle as it bakes.

Make

Bake until a toothpick inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean, 40 to 50 minutes. Let the cake cool completely on a cooling rack. Once cooled, remove the sides of the springform pan.

Make the chocolate cake

Melt

Melt the 4 tablespoons (2 oz) unsalted butter in a small saucepan over medium heat, swirling occasionally as it begins to boil and crackle. Continue cooking and gently swirling until the butter turns a light golden color and releases a nutty aroma, 4 to 8 minutes.

Cool

Pour the butter into a large heatproof bowl and let it cool at room temperature until solid but still soft.

Beat

When the butter has cooled, use an electric hand mixer to beat in the 1/2 cup (4 oz) full-fat cream cheese. Gradually add the 2 cups confectioners’ sugar, a little at a time, beating until the frosting is smooth and thick, 2 to 3 minutes.

Beat in the 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, pinch of salt, and 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice, if using. (If the frosting is too soft, chill it until thick enough to use.)

Frost

Slather the frosting on the cooled cake, making swoops and decorative swirls. Serve and enjoy!

Make the brown butter–cream cheese frosting

Using an unusual ingredient in my cooking is a pastime, and I honestly love keeping people guessing at what it is. I never have a lack of taste testers because they know I like to try unexpected things, and it’s become a friendly challenge for them to figure out what the secret ingredient is. 

This chocolate Guinness cake recipe caught my eye, and I have to admit I’m not a beer drinker, so I took this one in a different direction. The description indicated that it could be made non-alcoholic, but where’s the fun in that? I decided to substitute Merlot wine for part of the liquid, and included 1 teaspoon espresso powder with 1 cup water for the remainder of the liquid.

This took only 20 minutes to prepare and 45 minutes to bake. During the bake time, I was able to prepare the frosting. The one thing I noticed about this recipe was that the cake did not get the traditional ‘mound’ in the center—it came out flat—no need to trim at all. For the cake batter, I used the butter instead of the oil, and Hershey’s regular cocoa. 

I was rewarded with nice rich flavor, with hints of merlot, and a very moist cake. For the frosting, I made 1.5 times the recipe, but did not increase the amount of lemon juice as I did not want any lemony aftertaste. That amount worked just fine.  The richer frosting complemented the cake perfectly without being too heavy.

Top 3 irish dessert recipes from across the web

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Irish Porter Cake

Irish Porter Cake

Chocolate Guinness Cake

Top 3 irish dessert recipes from across the web

The most viewed irish dessert recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 20,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engineic_arrow_forward_48px

Top Tags

Irish Porter Cake

Irish Porter Cake

Chocolate Guinness Cake

The most viewed irish dessert recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 20,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engine