I want to try a gingerbread cake recipe I found. However, one of the ingredients is guinness beer. I don't drink and I will not be going to the liquor store for one beer. What can I use in place of guinness beer in the recipe?

Guinness is a pretty distinct beer. A good second would be any stout beer. However, in a pinch you could use any non-sugared carbonated drink. Diet soda or seltzer might make it work.

Soda with sugar in it might throw off the chemistry of the cake.

All changes from stout will change the flavor considerably.

A stout gingerbread is a unique recipe. Just get another recipe (there are millions) without Guiness.

By the way, Guiness gingerbread is the best I've ever made, but it is also the most temperamental to make. There is a recipe that is incredible and the structure is so difficult. There are blogs and discussions on this recipe but no one shares how to make it work every time.

I'd say to try substituting coffee or a strongly brewed tea. I'm betting it would give a depth of flavor that would be nice with gingerbread.

I second the strong coffee. When I make my chocolate stout cake, all I do is substitute the coffee in my regular chocolate recipe with Guinness.

And I have been the weirdo that goes to Wegmans and buys 1 bottle of Guinness to make the cake!

Thanks for the coffee tip.