7 Ways to Bake Beer Into Your Cake
If you're not baking cakes with beer yet, now's the time to start! Adding beer to cake batter lends flavor — a certain something that doesn't quite taste like beer, more like a depth of flavor that's hard to pinpoint. But perhaps more importantly, the bubbles in beer give cakes lift, creating an airy, tender texture that truly sets beer cakes apart from, well, no-beer cakes. Here we've rounded up seven of our best beer cake recipes, using everything from a can of plain ol' lager to a pint of Guinness.
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Beer Spice Cake
A cup of beer takes this traditional spice cake from good to great. Just take it from this review by naples34102: "I baked this as cupcakes - they're not just ok, they're excellent, and NOT 'considering they have beer in them' but maybe BECAUSE they have beer in them! Maybe the beer is the reason they're so light, moist, and deliciously spicy."
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Guinness Cupcakes with Espresso Frosting
Of course, a collection of cake recipes with beer would not be complete without a Guinness cake. Irish stout pairs so well with chocolate and coffee, which both feature in these delicious cupcakes. Don't wait for St. Paddy's Day to make these!
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Holiday Left-Over Sweet Potato Cake
Sweet potato and beer in a cake... not the first combination that comes to mind. But judging by the number of glowing five-star reviews for this recipe, it's well worth a try! You don't have to wait for holiday sweet potato leftovers, however; simply used canned sweet potato or cooled mashed sweet potato that you've boiled or baked yourself.
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Beer Cake I
How do you make a box of yellow cake mix special? Add beer, of course! Reviewer SUZIFEROSU says this is a boxed-cake-mix hack that stands the test of time: "I first tried this recipe about four years ago and it's become a favorite request in our house."
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Beer Cake II
Don't let the humble recipe title of "Beer Cake II" fool you — this is what cake dreams are made of. Chocolate, cherries, walnuts, and beer combine into a cake that one reviewer calls "FANTASTIC" and a must for the grown-ups.
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Perfect St. Patrick's Day Cake
For St. Patrick's Day, or any special day, this five-star cake makes a deliciously indulgent treat with both beer and a little booze, to boot. Guinness or your favorite stout combine with sour cream and chocolate in the moist and decadent cake, then Irish cream liqueur is whipped with cream and butter for the frosting.
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Chocolate Beer Cupcakes With Whiskey Filling And Irish Cream Icing
Beer? Check. Whiskey? Check. Irish Cream? Check. All the boxes of adult indulgence are checked in this cake recipe, with some chocolate thrown in for good measure!
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More Inspiration
Not yet convinced beer belongs anywhere but a in a mug? Take a look at our Cooking With Beer recipe collection, as well as our round-up of our best beer bread recipes.