These vegan chocolate Guinness cupcakes have a rich and complex flavour but don’t worry, they don’t taste like beer! These dairy free cupcakes are moist and fluffy and the Guinness provides a bold flavour that enhances the chocolate leaving them super flavourful and delicious, making them the perfect treat this St Patrick’s Day.
I know it sounds weird, but hear me out – you need to add beer to your cupcakes! Not just any beer of course, but the rich, bold and complex flavours of Guinness making these cupcakes my favourite way to celebrate the Irish this St Patrick’s day.
Guinness or stout beer typically has a deep, robust flavour with notes of roasted malt, coffee, and dark chocolate, along with a slight bitterness and a creamy texture.
When you add Guinness or really any stout beer (you can choose which brand you prefer) to chocolate cakes both of the flavours are enhanced, with the beer adding a subtle bitterness and depth to the chocolate, resulting in a richer, more complex flavour profile.
These cupcakes are not beer flavour, they are chocolate, but the richest, most delicious chocolate. And then we make everything a little extra by topping them with the most lush version of my vegan chocolate buttercream.
It’s basically the same as usual except we add a little Guinness in place of the dairy free milk that whips the frosting to be the richest, creamiest, silkiest version – I just can’t get enough of it.
While these cupcakes are perfect for St. Patrick’s Day celebrations, they are also a delicious treat all year round. Whether you’re looking to impress your friends with your baking skills or just want to treat yourself to a decadent dessert, these vegan chocolate Guinness cupcakes are a must-try recipe.
Key Ingredients
To make these vegan Guinness chocolate cupcakes, you’ll need a few simple pantry ingredients and of course, a trip to your local bottle shop!
Note all ingredients and their quantities are laid out in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Canola oil – we’re using oil instead of butter to make sure these cupcakes are super soft and moist.
- Brown sugar – adds sweetness and moistness to the cupcakes, as well as a subtle hint of caramel flavour.
- Vanilla extract – helps enhance the flavours of the chocolate.
- Guinness – you can use any stout beer you prefer to give the cakes that dark, malty, chocolate flavour.
- Plain flour – also known as all purpose flour in the US.
- Cocoa powder – always use a good quality cocoa powder for the best, rich, chocolate flavour. I’ve used Cadbury Bournville cocoa powder my entire life because it’s made from the same beans Cadbury uses to make their chocolate so you know it’s going to taste good. For those in the US, this is a Dutch-processed cocoa powder.
- Baking powder – ensures the cupcakes rise and become light and fluffy without eggs.
You’ll also need similar ingredients (listed below in the recipe card) to my vegan chocolate buttercream frosting to make the rich, chocolate Guinness buttercream but we swap the dairy free milk with a splash of the stout.
Equipment & Tools
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- Cupcake / muffin tin – I always recommend using light coloured baking pans as they allow for a much more even heat distribution. My favourite is this USA Pan muffin pan.
- Paper muffin liners – these are the ones I use and honestly they are expensive but they are the best paper liners I’ve used. They will not stick to your cupcakes and are the perfect size giving your cupcakes that professional finish.
- Piping bags – I prefer to use disposable piping bags just to keep clean up super easy.
- Piping tip – you can use any piping tip you like to decorate your cupcakes. I have used the Wilton 1M for the cupcakes shown here.
Step-By-Step Instructions
To make these cupcakes, you’ll need your usual tools of mixing bowls, a whisk, a rubber spatula and a muffin or cupcake pan. You’ll also need an electric mixer for the frosting.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together your canola oil, brown sugar, and vanilla extract until everything is combined.
Pour in your Guinness or stout beer and give it a good mix until all the ingredients are fully combined. This will give your cupcakes a rich and complex flavour that pairs perfectly with chocolate.
In a separate bowl, sift together your flour, cocoa powder, and baking powder to create a finer texture and remove any lumps.
Add the dry ingredients into your wet ingredients, gently whisking until your batter is smooth. Fill your muffin pan that has been lined with paper liners evenly so they are about ½ full using either with a spoon or cookie scoop and bake for 18-10 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the centre of a cupcake comes out clean.
Once they’re done, let your cupcakes cool in the tin for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. This will prevent them from getting soggy and help them cool evenly.
Make your Guinness infused chocolate buttercream frosting and add this to a piping bag with a large open star tip fitted. I love to use the Wilton 1M tip as it’s super easy to make cupcakes look pretty using this without actually having any decorating skills.
Once your cupcakes are completely cool, pipe generous swirls on top of each cupcake.
Storage Instructions
Store the frosted cupcakes in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. If your kitchen is particularly warm (like mine is here in QLD!), you can store them in the fridge to prevent the buttercream from becoming too soft.
The cupcakes will also last longer in the fridge, up to 5 days. Before serving, let them sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes for the best taste and texture.
You can freeze frosted or unfrosted cupcakes. Once cooled, wrap each cupcake individually in plastic wrap, then place them in an airtight container or a freezer-safe bag. Freeze for up to 3 months. When ready to use, thaw at room temperature before enjoying!
Recipe FAQs
Yes, these chocolate Guinness cupcakes are completely vegan-friendly, as they contain no animal products or by-products.
Yes, Guinness is vegan. The company stopped using isinglass, a fish-derived fining agent, in 2018, making all Guinness beers vegan-friendly.
Yes, you can substitute canola oil with other vegetable oils such as sunflower oil or coconut oil, but it may affect the taste and texture of the cupcakes.
You can use any vegan frosting of your choice, such as vegan buttercream or cream cheese frosting, but the recipe includes a lush Guinness-infused frosting that I think is one of the best chocolate frostings I’ve made.
If you do make this recipe, please be sure to leave a comment and ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating below! And tag any of your creations on Instagram with @eightforestlane as I would love to see.
More chocolate cupcake recipes:
Chocolate Hazelnut Cupcakes (Vegan)
Two Chocolate Cupcakes
The BEST Vegan Chocolate Cupcakes
Vegan Chocolate Peppermint Cupcakes
Chocolate Guinness Cupcakes (Vegan)
Ingredients
For the chocolate Guinness cupcakes:
- ⅓ cup canola oil
- ¾ cup brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup Guinness or stout beer
- 1 ¼ cup plain flour/all purpose flour
- ½ cup cocoa powder
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
For the chocolate Guinness buttercream:
- 125 grams dairy free butter
- ½ cup cocoa powder
- 3 ½ cups icing sugar
- 2 tablespoons Guinness or stout beer
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F) and line a muffin tin with 12 paper liners.
- In a mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, and baking powder until combined.
- In another mixing bowl, whisk together canola oil, brown sugar, and vanilla extract until well combined.
- Pour in the Guinness or stout beer and mix until the wet ingredients are fully combined.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, whisking gently until just combined.
- Divide the batter evenly among the prepared paper liners.
- Bake for 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the centre of a cupcake comes out clean.
- Remove the cupcakes from the oven and let them cool in the tin for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Make the buttercream: Using a hand mixer or a stand mixer with the paddle attachment fitted, beat dairy-free butter and vanilla for 1-2 minutes until creamy.
- Add in half of the icing sugar and beat on medium until combined. Add in the cocoa powder and remaining icing sugar and continue to mix.
- Add Guinness one tablespoon at a time, beating well after each addition, until the frosting reaches your desired consistency. If too thick, add a little more beer; if too thin, add extra icing sugar.
- Once the cupcakes are cool, add the buttercream to a piping bag with your favourite tip and pipe swirls on top of each cupcake.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is provided as a guide only and is calculated using automated online tools, therefore we cannot guarantee the accuracy. We encourage you to make your own calculations based on the actual ingredients used in your recipe.
MB says
Can you use alcohol-free Guinness in this recipe?
Sally says
While I haven’t tried it myself I believe it would work exactly the same for this recipe.