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Make this decadent 4 Inch Mini Chocolate Guinness Cake For Two with Irish Cream Ganache Frosting to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day.

That quote plays over and over in my head a lot.

There was a discussion in one of my online groups about comparing yourself to others, how you always feel like you’re running behind the pack to keep up with the latest trends, the posting schedule, the social media, everything we bloggers do and more.

And just when you think you’re doing everything you can to stay current, you start peeking at other bloggers and think:

I’m not posting enough. My photographs aren’t good enough. My blog isn’t good enough.

Then you start losing sight of why you’re really blogging in the first place.

In honor of that quote, I am putting my blinders on and sharing my first attempt at frosting this 4 Inch Mini Chocolate Guinness Cake For Two with Irish Cream Ganache Frosting because if I start comparing my, uh, impeccable decorating skills, then I’d never frost a cake again.

(Update: This cake was published in 2013. I have frosted plenty of cakes since then, but the verdict is still out on whether I got better LOL).

It’s the ideal dessert for two to make for St. Patrick’s Day because Guinness and Bailey’s are reminiscent of Ireland.

On the inside is a 3 layer mini chocolate cake with Guinness stout beer in the batter.

On the outside is a Bailey’s Irish cream frosting made in a chocolate ganache style. That’s fancy talk for a silky smooth decadent chocolate frosting. Better than any buttercream frosting out there.

My mini Guinness chocolate cake is inspired by Nigella Lawson’s Guinness cake because I loved every bite of it.

I scaled it down into a 4 inch cake to make as a dessert for two. Except I had envisioned two layers and not three. Oops.

I’ve also made it as a One Layer Chocolate Stout Cake if you’re looking for a slightly bigger cake.

Want to know how easy it is to bake the cake layers? I made it twice in one night.

The first time I overfilled my pans, so I cut the recipe down even more and still got three layers.

Meanwhile, it was 11 PM and managed to start over and be in bed by midnight. Except it was 1 AM because of the time change.

Of course frosting the cake takes a little longer, but at least the cakes cooled while I was sleeping.

How To Make Mini Chocolate Cake

This chocolate cake batter is different than most chocolate cakes because you make everything on the stove, much like you would with brownies.

First, melt together the butter and beer. Then you whisk in the sugar and cocoa powder then the egg, sour cream, and vanilla.

Finally, switch to a rubber spatula and stir in the flour, baking soda, and salt.

Divide the batter evenly among the three pans then bake at 350F for roughly 15-20 minutes.

How many does a 4 inch cake serve?

You can get 4 slices out of a 4 inch cake, so that translates into 2-4 servings. I say it’s dessert for two because each person gets 2 slices – one for dessert, one for breakfast.

Where To Buy 4 Inch Cake Pan

The 4 inch cake pans I used are actually mini springform pans. I believe I bought them at Target a long, LONG time ago.

However, with the internet these days you can buy 4 inch springform pans on Amazon (affiliate link).

How To Frost A Mini Chocolate Guinness Cake

This Mini Layered Guinness Cake was my first attempt at frosting where presentation actually mattered.

Most of the time it’s just my parents and brother eating the cake, so as long as frosting made it on top, they really don’t care how it looked.

I could probably serve a slice of cake in a bowl with a scoop of frosting (much like ice cream), and they’d still be happy.

But to decorate a cake to show off to the world? Talk about (delicious) pressure.

I envisioned my mini Guinness cake with a messy look, especially after pinning this How To Perfectly Frost A Messy Cake tutorial awhile back.

It looked simple enough, and if I didn’t do a perfect job, well it is called a messy cake for a reason.

I tried adding sprinkles to the top but didn’t like the look, so I scraped them off and refrosted.

That’s one benefit of having a messy cake look.

Also, it is much easier to decorate on the cake stand itself. Just put small pieces of wax or parchment paper underneath the edges of the cake. Once you are done, carefully remove the pieces.

It’s best to start with a thin layer of frosting called the crumb coat. This seals in the loose crumbs so they’re not stuck in the frosting.

Once you refrigerate the crumb coat, you should be able to finish frosting the cake without worrying about crumbs everywhere.

What is ganache?

Ganache is a chocolate glaze made from chocolate and heavy cream. Depending on the ratio of chocolate to cream, it can be used for truffles, fillings, and frostings.

For this chocolate Guinness cake, we’re using it as the base for the Irish cream frosting.

How To Make Ganache Frosting

The Irish cream frosting is to DIE for. I first made it from Baked’s third cookbook when I made my parent’s anniversary banana cake.

Chocolate ganache frosting is made a bit differently than buttercream frosting, but the end result is much more silky and elegant.

I used Bailey’s Irish cream in my frosting because both Guinness and Bailey’s are associated with Ireland.

However, if you don’t want to buy Irish cream due to the small amount in the frosting, you can use an equal amount of beer since you already used it for the cake batter.

To make the frosting, first add your chopped chocolate to your mixing bowl. Then heat the cream and corn syrup on the stove.

Once hot, pour the cream over the chocolate and let it sit for a few minutes. The cream should be hot enough to melt the chocolate without burning it. Stir until completely smooth.

Next, beat in the butter and Irish cream until the frosting is nice and fluffy.

Due to melted chocolate, ganache frosting will harden when cold from the refrigerator. Ideally you’d keep the cake at room temperature, but if it’s too warm outside the frosting will melt.

If you do refrigerate the cake, bring it to room temperature before serving so the frosting softens a bit.

So maybe I’m not the best decorator in the world. And maybe I do fall behind on keeping up with comments, social media, posting multiple times a week, etc. but you know what?

Comparison isn’t going to steal my joy (or my cake).

More Mini Cake Recipes

Looking for more 4 inch cake recipes? Check out these additional mini cake recipes:

• Mini German Chocolate Cake For Two
• Mini Peanut Butter Cake For Two

Mini Chocolate Guinness Cake For Two

Yield: 2-4 servings

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 50 minutes

Make this decadent 4 Inch Mini Chocolate Guinness Cake For Two with Irish Cream Ganache Frosting to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day.

Print

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup (2 ounces, 58 grams, or 4 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened
• 1/4 cup (60 mL) stout beer, such as Guinness, room temperature
• 1/4 cup (25 grams) unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/4 cup (50 grams) granulated sugar
• 2 tablespoons sour cream or plain Greek yogurt, room temperature
• 1 egg, room temperature
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup (64 grams) all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Ganache Frosting

• 1 ounce (28 grams) semisweet chocolate, chopped
• 1 ounce (28 grams) bittersweet chocolate, chopped
• 3 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
• 1 teaspoon corn syrup
• 3 tablespoons (1.5 ounces or 42 grams) butter, softened and cut into tablespoons
• 1 teaspoon Irish cream (or stout beer)

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350F. Grease three 4-inch springform pans and place onto a baking sheet.
2. In a medium saucepan, heat the butter and beer until melted and smooth.
3. Remove from the heat and whisk in cocoa and sugar then whisk in sour cream, egg, and vanilla.
4. Switch to a rubber spatula. Stir in flour, baking soda, and salt.
5. Divide the batter among the three pans (roughly 1/2 cup batter per pan). Bake for 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool completely before frosting.
6. For the frosting: In a large mixing bowl, add the chopped chocolate. Set aside.
7. In a small saucepan, bring the cream and corn syrup to a boil. Remove from the heat and immediately pour over the chocolate. Let sit for 3-5 minutes then whisk until smooth. Cool to room temperature.
8. Once cool, gradually beat in the butter until the frosting is smooth and silky. Beat in Irish cream.
9. Run a knife around the inside rim of each springform pan then remove the cake from the pans. If necessary, cut just enough of each top off to create a flat top.
10. On a cake stand or plate, place one cake layer. Place a few strips of parchment or wax paper underneath the edges of the cake (you will be pulling them out later).
11. With an off-set spatula, add some of the frosting on top and spread evenly. Add another cake layer and more frosting on top. Add the final layer. Add enough frosting to thinly cover the top and outside of the cake (it is ok to still see the cake through the frosting. This seals the crumbs for clean frosting later). Refrigerate the cake for 30 minutes.
12. Remove from the refrigerator. Wipe off the spatula to remove crumbs. Finish frosting the rest of the cake (to get the messy look, use the back of a spoon to swirl). Serve at room temperature*.

Notes

*The frosting will harden when refrigerated, so leave the cake out at room temperature. If the cake does get too warm and you need to refrigerate, let it warm to room temperature before serving.

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