Thanks springlakecakes that link works perfect!

Hi, is 10:00 pm and as soon as I took the Guiness Spice Cake out of the oven knew something was terribly wrong... the smell was bitter and too strong molasses, let it cool a little and break one cupcake, taste it and all the batch went directly to the trash.

I want to STOP all who signed for that cake... I checked and reviewed the proportions and ingredients against the original and transcription is accurate, but this cake is awful. originally from Spain, the only thing I can think is that molasses here in US and there are different, maybe much lighter? The cake could have been quite interesting, if it just wasn't extremely bitter.

Maybe those that choose this cake can pick another? SORRY

Thank you what_a_cake. I bought the Guiness and thought I would give it a try too. So glad to hear this as the Guiness is quiet expensive IMO.

Thanks for the review on the Guinness cake. I was going to bake it tomorrow. I'm not good at converting metric to cups/ounces/etc and was having a hard time with that part of it so didn't know what I was going to do. I haven't signed up to bake any for the scratch off, but always enjoy getting new recipes to try, but I guess I won't be trying this one. Too bad...it sounded like something my husband would have really liked and I was planning on surprising him with it. Sounds like it would have been quite the surprise!!

Well, my Guiness and Spice Cake is in the oven right now. I guess even if it turns out badly, I still got to drink the leftover beer. Yum!

I'll keep you posted.

Guiness and Spice cupcakes are done - cake still baking, but they are so good. I just ate one, still warm, and am having a hard time not going back for another. They taste like a rich, complex cake gingerbread. I will definitely make this again.

what_a_cake, what kind of molasses did you use? I used Crosby's 100% Natural Fancy Molasses. Maybe the brand makes a difference?

I also measured everything as I weighed it, so if anyone wants me to post the conversion, let me know.

Rainbowbeach please post the conversions that would be great!
What a-cake and rainbowbeach is there anyway u can add a pic and an overall review with a number score as well. Hopefully I will be able to make this soon so we can have another opinion since we seem to be at the two extremes of the spectrum lol. Thanks again everyone! Happy baking!

I'd hate for people to bake a cake that didn't work out, but part of me would like to know what others think of the guiness cake.


I personally wish EVERY recipe was written with weighed ingredients! I actually always convert cups into ounces and weigh it. King Arthur Flour book has a great section in the book for converting cups to ounces for many types of ingredients. I recommend getting a kitchen scale to anyone. Mine has ounces and grams which is nice. Between my book and scale, I can convert anything!

RainbowBeach, please post your conversions. I'd really like to try this cake. It sounds like you made cupcakes instead of the bundt cake? That's what I wanted to do, too, but either way is fine with me. Thanks for your conversions! I don't have a problem converting cups to ounces, but when it comes to metric...I'm at a loss! Thanks again.

http://allrecipes.com/HowTo/Cup-to-Gram-Conversions/Detail.aspx
http://allrecipes.com//HowTo/baking-ingredient-conversions/Detail.aspx

Try this

I couldnt get MINE to attach, but I don't know why. I even tried several times to reduce the size, but still no luck. Maybe you might have luck?

Springlakecake, thank you for the website. I got on the internet but didn't find that one -- the others were kind of confusing. This site, however, is great! Thanks for sharing. Lots of good info there.

I found this article about baking and molasses:

http://www.helium.com/items/315569-blackstrap-molasses-vs-regular-molasses-understanding-the-difference

Looks like it is not the brand it is the grade. Use Fancy or Baking, but NOT Blackstrap.

I need to rebake too. I opened the door to get out the cupcakes and the cake fell and became a dense brick. So, no opening the oven on this recipe!


I'll post the pics and the opinions soon, I want to feed it to my family and friends to get their opinions too.

Guiness and Spice Cake..... delish mix of flavors Thumbs Up! 
Ingredients: 
* 1 cup of dark beer (Guinness) 
* 1 cup Molasses (Fancy or Baking, not Blackstrap)
* 2 teaspoons baking powder 

* 3 large eggs 
* 1 cup brown sugar (dark or light) 

* 3/4 cup oil 

* 2 cups cake flour 
* 2 Tbps + 1.5 tsp ground ginger 
* 2 Tbsp + 1.5 tsp ground cinnamon 

* 1 small jar orange marmalade 

Thanks Rainbowbeach. I'm going to give it a try tonight!

I think I might have found some helpful info on the guiness spice cake problems that some of you have had. I was interested in the recipe also, but reconsidered after reading about it not working that great. So I did a bit of research to see what I could find.
Here you go..

The original recipe is from Claudia Fleming, former pastry chef for the Gramercy Tavern. The recipe is called/named, The Gramercy Tavern's Gingerbread.
The recipe is also in Ms Flemings book "The Last Course" but the book looks to be a collectors item now as its very expensive on Amazon, new or used.
The original recipe I came across online were on Gastronome & Smitten Kitchen, who loves Claudia Flemings recipes.

The original recipe does not call for cake flour, its regular all purpose flour. Theres also baking soda as well as baking power in the original recipe, not just baking powder.

I've added the links I found for you all to check out. Both pretty well identical except Smitten Kitchen calls it The Gramercy Taverns Gingerbread, Gastronome calls it Guiness Ginger Spice cake. both links say the recipe is from Ms Flemings book.

PS.. Smitten Kitchen states she found the cake sunk a bit too.

HTH


http://smittenkitchen.com/2008/12/gramercy-taverns-gingerbread/

http://www.estarcion.com/gastronome/archives/002728.html

My second try at the Guinness and Spice cake was better than the first. Still didn't rise as much as I'd like. Good flavor, but very dense. I'm going to try again, with the 1/2 tsp baking soda in the beer, and 1 & 1/2 tsp baking powder in the flour.

Good thing I bought a 4 pack.

me tooo! I will check your reviews RainbowBeach before baking tonight

But the recipe comes originally from a different source than those you mention. Link:

http://saborgourmet.com/torta-de-cerveza-y-especias/

CeciK sites a French-Irish gentleman as the source and make a very special mention to a "flavor explosion"

Third time's a charm. Just as well too, I was ready to call it quits.

I baked it in two 8 inch rounds, for 35 min @ 350. I didn't put on the marmalade, might possibly just make a caramel frosting.

Here's the recipe with the changes. It rose nicely, and smells fabu. I'll post the photos and the comments after it all gets eaten.

Guiness and Spice Cake..... delish mix of flavors Thumbs Up! 
Ingredients: 
* 1 cup of dark beer (Guinness) 
* 1 cup Molasses (not blackstrap)
* 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

* 3 large eggs 
* 1 cup brown sugar (dark or light) 

* 3/4 cup oil 

* 2 cups all purpose flour 
* 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
* 2 Tbps + 1/5 tsp ground ginger 
* 2 Tbsp + 1.5 tsp ground cinnamon

Oven at 350, greased and floured 10 cups pan. 

Mix beer with molasses in a large pan over medium heat. Boil and put aside, whisk in baking powder and let cool. Be aware that this will foam up to about 4 times it's original volume when you add the baking soda.

Beat eggs with sugar for 2 minutes.

Add oil and beat on medium. 

Add beer mix to egg mix and stir to blend. 

Sift flour with spices, and baking powder.

Add beer mixture to flour mixture, whisk until just combined.

Pour batter in prepared pan and bake. 

Let cool 20 minutes over wire rack. Unmold and let cool completely. 
Warm marmalade on low during 3 to 4 minutes. When liquefied, spread covering all sides of cake 

Will stand in perfect condition up to one week at room temperature.

RainbowBeach, what made you decide to omit the second cup of brown sugar? Did you find the batter tasted better this time around? I'm going to try making this for a family dinner this coming weekend so want to get it right the first time if possible.

Thank you

Hi Joyfull4444,

I was just trying to stick as close to the original recipe as possible. I just cut a round and tried a piece. It is just yummy. Yummy.

I could see adding more sugar, I'll try it next time I make it, but it is still on the sweet side. Not super sweet though. What is amazing is the complexity of the flavors that come from the Guinness.

Also - weird, but when I changed the baking soda/ baking powder combo, the color of the cake totally changed. The first two times it was a gingerbread color, now it is a chocolate brown. Way way better crumb. Did I mention that it's yummy?

Going to eat cake. ...

Thanks RainbowBeach

Good to know it tastes so good. I think I'll do 1 1/2 cups B sugar then, if you think it can take a bit more sugar. I do like my gingerbread on the sweeter side. I only use unsulfered Barbados molasses, so with the two sweeteners, plus the guiness, it should work out perfect!

Thanks again!

RainbowBeach..thanks for your revised recipe. I'll give it a try. I did try a different guiness cake recipe tonight and it's pretty good. Haven't quite figured out what to top them with yet, though. Will give your revised copy a try next week when I have more time as I'm going out of town tomorrow. Thanks again for your work on revising this one.

Ok, thank you RainbowBeach and everybody else that save Guiness recipe


The cake is in the oven and since it was on the bowl smells fabulous, with a scent of home. Will review once its eaten.


Review:Buttermilk Spice Cake with Roasted Walnut Cream Cheese
I gave this to 8 adult testers + 2 teenagers and all agree the cake is superb. I must say that only used half the sugar for the frosting and everybody like it that way, general opinion was that love it was no overly sweet (like store bought). with an overall average rating of 9.5, detailed ratings:

1. Flavor : 9, not too complex but misterious, not revealing the clove
2. Texture/Crumb : 9.5 wonderful, light but no airy. Breaks well, no crumbly
3. Moistness : 9 nice, not moist to the extent of sticky, perfect for eating without "help" of liquids
3. Ease of Recipe : 10
4. Cost of Recipe : 9 if you already have species.
5. Ability to convert into cupcakes : 10 straightforward, no modificiation

Glad you liked it as much as I did!

Great review! Can't wait to get started on these lol been so busy with other cakes haven't had to much free time for spice but I think as the end of the month comes along and its feeling more like fall ill really get into baking them o I can't wait! Thanks again everyone for the great reviews. And just a reminder to any newcomers your welcome to sign up for two recipes and give us ur reviews any time as long as results r in by the end of the month!

Buttermilk Spice Cake with Roasted Walnut Cream Cheese

One more thing, we ate our "reserved for aging" piece, kept on a low-light fresh corner in a glass container with lid.

Five full days old and it was still very enjoyable, cake just a tad on the dry side, icing in perfect condition, walnuts juste bellow crunchy. My family and I agree this should raise the rating to a perfect 10!

Would love to upload pictures, but have no blog or website to do so and the feature's not yet available in CC