Mr. Guinness' Cake - Irish Fruitcake Recipe (2024)

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4.84 from 6 votes

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Love it or leave it, fruitcake is as much a part of the winter holidays as candy canes. Mr. Guinness’ Cake originated in Ireland but you’ll find it similar to American fruitcakes with candied fruit, raisins, and nuts. Bake the cake, douse it with Guinness, and age for a week before serving.

Mr. Guinness' Cake - Irish Fruitcake Recipe (1)

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What can I say about fruitcake that hasn’t been said? “Fruitcake makes a great filler for potholes.” “There’s only one in the entire world, and people keep sending it to each other.” “Look at the world as a bigfruitcake. It wouldn’t be complete without a few nuts in it.” I know all the jokes.

Say what you like about fruitcake. I like it. Always have. Dark fruitcakes, light fruitcakes, Irish fruitcakes. Love every one of them.

A few years ago, we had a little snow here around Atlanta. A little ice, too. Many of us were stuck inside our homes for a few days and thousands were stuck on the roads in their cars overnight. To say it was a mess is an understatement.

So what do you do when you’re stuck at home? Well, I read cookbooks. So, while we were all confined to home that winter, I took the time to re-read one of my favorites, Irish Traditional Cooking by Darina Allen.

That book is more than a cookbook, honestly, it’s something of an encyclopedia. One of the most enjoyable aspects of this volume is all the historical information she gives on the recipes.

Take this recipe for Mr. Guinness’ Cakefor instance. Ms. Allen says that the recipe appeared as part of a Guinness advertisem*nt many years ago. She quotes the ad as saying:

“Over the past couple of centuries, our beer has acquired a modest reputation, but our cake is still little known. This seems a pity, for one enthusiast has described it as like eating dreams.”

Most people will recognize the recipe as being similar to American fruitcake with its candied fruits and nuts. However, the taste is all its own. The Guinness that’s in the batter and poured over the finished cake takes this recipe to another level altogether.

🛒 Ingredient Notes

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  • Pumpkin Pie Spice (A convenient combination of spices typically used in making pumpkin pie. Find it in the spice aisle of your grocery store or make your own mix — see below.)
  • Dark Raisins and Golden Raisins (The recipe does call for both dark and golden raisins and I recommend using that mixture. You can, however, use all of one kind.)
  • Candied Orange and Lemon Peel (You’ll find candied peel available during the holiday season. Your grocery store likely has a display with fruitcake making ingredients. You can also order it online from King Arthur Flour.)
  • Pecans (The original recipe called for walnuts but I’ve used pecans to better suit my southern sensitibilities.)

🥄 How to Make Mr. Guinness’ Cake

Heat the Oven and Prep the Pan

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.

Generously grease a 7-inch round, deep springform pan. Cut a piece of parchment or waxed paper to fit the inside bottom of the pan. Grease the paper as well.

Make the Cake Batter

Mr. Guinness' Cake - Irish Fruitcake Recipe (2)

Use a stand mixer or a handheld mixer with a large bowl to cream together the butter and sugar until light. Beat in the eggs one at a time.

Mr. Guinness' Cake - Irish Fruitcake Recipe (3)

Using a sifter or sieve, sift the flour and spices together. Gently fold the dry mixture into the egg and butter mixture.

👉 PRO TIP: To make your own pumpkin pie spice mix, combine 3 tablespoons of ground cinnamon, 2 teaspoons ground ginger, 2 teaspoons nutmeg, and 1 ½ teaspoons ground cloves. Mix well and store in an airtight container. Use 2 teaspoons of the mix in this recipe.

Add the Fruit and Nuts

Mr. Guinness' Cake - Irish Fruitcake Recipe (4)

Use a spatula or wooden spoon to stir in the dark and golden raisins, orange and lemon peel, and pecans. Mix well together.

Add Guinness

Mr. Guinness' Cake - Irish Fruitcake Recipe (5)

Stir 4 tablespoons (1/4 cup) of the Guinness into the mixture.

Add to the Prepared Pan

Mr. Guinness' Cake - Irish Fruitcake Recipe (6)

Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Place the pan on a baking sheet.

Bake the Cake

Mr. Guinness' Cake - Irish Fruitcake Recipe (7)

Bake 1 hour. Reduce the heat to 300 and continue cooking for another 1 1/2 hours.

Add Guinness to Cooled Cake

Remove the cake from the oven and let it stand in its pan on a wire rack until completely cooled.

Mr. Guinness' Cake - Irish Fruitcake Recipe (8)

Carefully remove the cooled cake from the pan. Turn the cake over and prick the base of the cake all over with a skewer. Spoon or pour over the remaining 4-8 tablespoons of Guinness. Use as much as your cake will absorb.

Wrap Well and Let Stand

Turn the cake right side up and wrap it snugly in waxed paper. Place it in a sealed container or Ziploc bag. Refrigerate for one week before serving.

Mr. Guinness' Cake - Irish Fruitcake Recipe (9)

❗ Recipe Tips

  • Be sure to plan ahead since this cake should sit for a week before serving.
  • To serve the cake, slice it into thin pieces with a very sharp knife. It’s perfect as is but can be embellished with a dollop of whipped cream or creme fraiche.
  • Be cautious since this cake does contain alcohol that has not been cooked off. It shouldn’t be served to children.
  • Store the cake well wrapped in the refrigerator.
  • The finished cake may be frozen. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap followed by a layer of aluminum foil. Place in a freezer-safe container. Freeze up to 3 months. Allow the cake to come to room temperature before slicing and serving.
Mr. Guinness' Cake - Irish Fruitcake Recipe (10)

More Questions? I’m happy to help!

If you have more questions about the recipe, or if you’ve made it and would like to leave a comment, scroll down to leave your thoughts, questions, and/or rating!

Thanks so much for stopping by!

📖 Recipe

Mr. Guinness' Cake - Irish Fruitcake Recipe (11)

Mr. Guinness’ Cake

Mr. Guinness' Cake is an Irish fruitcake recipe with candied fruit, raisins, and nuts. Douse the finished cake with Guinness, and age for a week before serving.

4.84 from 6 votes

Print It Rate It Save

Course: Desserts

Cuisine: Irish

Prep Time: 45 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 2 hours hours 30 minutes minutes

Total Time: 3 hours hours 15 minutes minutes

Servings: 16 servings

Calories: 368kcal

Author: Lana Stuart

Ingredients

  • 1 cup butter (2 sticks)
  • 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
  • 4 eggs lightly beaten
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
  • 1 ⅔ cups dark raisins
  • 1 ⅔ cups golden raisins
  • cup candied orange peel
  • cup candied lemon peel
  • ¾ cup chopped pecans
  • 12 tablespoons Guinness (3/4 cup)

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.

  • Generously grease a 7-inch round, deep springform cake pan. Cut a piece of parchment or waxed paper to fit the inside bottom of the pan. Grease the paper as well.

  • Cream the butter and sugar together until light. Gradually beat in the eggs.

  • Sift the flour and spice together. Gently fold it into the mixture.

  • Add the dark and golden raisins, orange and lemon peel, and pecans. Mix well together. Stir 4 tablespoons (1/4 cup) of the Guinness into the mixture.

  • Turn the batter into the prepared pan. Bake 1 hour. Reduce the heat to 300 and continue cooking for another 1 1/2 hours.

  • Remove from the oven and let stand on a wire rack until completely cooled.

  • Remove the cake from pan. Prick the base of the cake all over with a skewer. Spoon over the remaining 4-8 tablespoons (1/4 to 1/2 cup) of Guinness.

  • Wrap the cake snugly in waxed paper and place in a sealed container or Ziploc bag. Refrigerate for one week before serving.

Notes

Ingredients —

  • Pumpkin pie spice can be purchased in the spice aisle of your grocery store or make your own mix — see instructions in post.
  • You’ll find candied orange and lemon peel during the holiday season. Look for your grocery store’s display of fruitcake making ingredients. You can also order it online from King Arthur Flour.

Tips —

  • Be sure to plan ahead since this cake should sit for a week before serving.
  • To serve the cake, slice it into thin pieces with a very sharp knife. It’s perfect as is but can be embellished with a dollop of whipped cream or creme fraiche.
  • Be cautious since this cake does contain alcohol that has not been cooked off. It shouldn’t be served to children.
  • Store the cake well wrapped in the refrigerator.
  • The finished cake may be frozen. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap followed by a layer of aluminum foil. Place in a freezer-safe container. Freeze up to 3 months. Allow the cake to come to room temperature before slicing and serving.

Nutrition Information

Serving 1 | Calories 368kcal | Carbohydrates 53g | Protein 5g | Fat 17g | Saturated Fat 8g | Trans Fat 1g | Cholesterol 71mg | Sodium 130mg | Potassium 318mg | Fiber 3g | Sugar 25g | Vitamin A 419IU | Vitamin C 4mg | Calcium 44mg | Iron 2mg

Nutrition information is calculated by software based on the ingredients in each recipe. It is an estimate only and is provided for informational purposes. You should consult your healthcare provider or a registered dietitian if precise nutrition calculations are needed for health reasons.

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This post was originally published on February 7, 2014. It has been updated with additional information.

Lana Stuart

Lana Stuart is the cook, writer, and founder of Lana’s Cooking. Lana has been cooking since she was tall enough to reach the stove and started this blog in 2009 to share her delicious home cooking recipes. You'll find about 700 recipes here so there's sure to be something your family will like!
More About Lana →

Mr. Guinness' Cake - Irish Fruitcake Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What two ingredients help fruitcake last longer? ›

The trifecta of sugar, low moisture ingredients and some high-proof spirits make fruitcakes some of the longest-lasting foods in the world.

What is Guinness cake made of? ›

STEP ONE: Gather your ingredients (Sugar, oil, eggs, vanilla, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, sea salt, all-purpose flour and Guinness (or other Stout beer)). STEP TWO: Add the sugar, oil, eggs and vanilla to a large bowl and whisk until fully combined and thickened.

What is the world's largest fruitcake? ›

The largest fruit cake weighs 4,353 kg (9,596 lb 11 oz) and was achieved by Dr. Fabrizio Sepe (Italy) in Hodenhagen, Germany on 24 May 2014. The cake was made of strawberies, tangerines, peaches and ananas. A total of 440 trays were baked, 20 people worked 250 hours to prepare it.

How long does fruitcake last with alcohol? ›

Fruitcake with alcohol can last years, and in some rare cases, it can last decades. For those looking to prepare fruitcakes with alcohol for storage, you'll want to make sure to brush the fruitcake with alcohol fairly consistently across its time in storage.

What alcohol is good for fruit cake? ›

Other good choices of booze include brandy, rum, or whiskey. Feel free to use one or a mix of these to best complement your fruitcake. Once you've chosen the liquor, bake the cake, poke holes throughout the whole thing, and pour a few tablespoons of the alcohol over it. Or, you can brush the cake with the alcohol.

Can you buy Guinness cake? ›

Description. A rich and moist chocolate cake with a boozy secret. Our Guinness Chocolate Cake is filled with two layers of our signature chocolate sponge infused with Guinness beer and a layer of indulgent Baileys ganache and Baileys buttercream which is also used to cover the cake.

Why does my Guinness cake sink in the middle? ›

If the cake has sunk a little in the centre, it is likely that it has not quite fully baked.

Does alcohol cook out of Guinness cake? ›

The heat evaporates the liquid (and cooks off the alcohol), but leaves the flavor. We also do this with champagne in my mimosa cupcakes and champagne frosting.

What is the fruitcake scandal? ›

Jenkins, a low-level employee at the city's famed fruitcake company, the Collin Street Bakery, embezzled $17 million from 2004 to 2013, spending the money on cars, trips, watches, and jewelry—all so that he could keep up appearances with the upper crust of his town of 24,000.

Why was fruitcake outlawed? ›

Fruitcakes were so rich, they were considered sinful and were outlawed in Europe in the early 18th century. Restrictions eased later in the century.

Who is fruitcake celebrity? ›

Fred's Sirieix's fiancée is known affectionately as 'Fruitcake'. As Fred recalled on the show, he met her while walking down the street in Peckham and was captivated by her eyes and smile.

What is the rag in Irish cake? ›

Each item, when received in the slice, was supposed to carry a meaning to the person concerned: the pea, the person would not marry that year; the stick, would have an unhappy marriage or continually be in disputes; the cloth or rag, would have bad luck or be poor; the coin, would enjoy good fortune or be rich; the ...

What is Irish Christmas cake made of? ›

These Irish delicacies often are filled with spices and fruits. Irish Whiskey can be used to make these fine deserts as well. These cakes take on twist on a basic chocolate cake. They include marzipan frosting and items of holiday decor of course, such as mistletoe!

What is the Irish cake tradition? ›

In Gaelic it's known as báirín breac, or “speckled loaf” due to the way it is dotted with raisins. The tradition was to add to the cake mixture a pea, a stick, a piece of cloth, a coin, and a ring. Each item had a special significance for the person who discovered it in their slice of cake.

How do you make fruit cake last longer? ›

If you enjoy a slice of fruitcake maybe every other day, our medium-term storage option is for you! We recommend wrapping your fruitcake in plastic wrap before placing it in an airtight container. Then, place that container in the fridge. Doing this can ensure your fruitcake stays fresh for up to two months.

What makes fruit cake last so long? ›

The fruit in a fruitcake is often dried instead of fresh, which reduces moisture and creates this dessert's notoriously dry texture. This, along with the high sugar content, sucks up much of the water that bacteria need to survive.

What can I add to my cake to make it last longer? ›

Advice for Bakers: 7 Ways to Extend Shelf Life
  1. Keep it in the Freezer. ...
  2. Keep it Tightly Sealed. ...
  3. Work Honey into the Recipe. ...
  4. Work Cinnamon into the Recipe. ...
  5. Add in a Bit of Pectin. ...
  6. Add an Enzyme. ...
  7. Why It's Important to Extend Shelf Life.
Apr 17, 2020

What can I use to make fruit last longer? ›

Storing fruit in the fridge
  1. Most fresh fruit, including apples, berries and grapes, will last longer if kept in their original packaging and stored in the crisper of your fridge.
  2. Berries can last in the fridge for about a week. ...
  3. Plastic bags with tiny vents (openings) help keep fruit fresh longer by releasing moisture.
Jun 10, 2020

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