BA Bake Club: Chocolate Guinness Cake
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In this episode of BA Bake Club, hosts Shilpa Oskokovic and Jessi Shevchak dive deep into the creation and execution of the chocolate Guinness cake, a recipe developed by Jessi as part of Bon Appétit's monthly Bake Club series. The conversation explores the cake’s unique technique—reverse creaming by hand, slashing the batter before baking, and using both oil and butter for texture—along with the role of Guinness in enhancing flavor and leavening. The team discusses the science behind cocoa powder types, emphasizing how Dutch-processed cocoa yields a moister, denser cake compared to natural cocoa due to pH differences. A highlight is the journey to the perfect brown butter frosting, which required multiple iterations and ultimately included a small amount of Guinness for balance and moisture. The episode also features a special guest, Helen Goh, a psychologist and baking columnist, who shares her philosophical reflections on how baking creates meaning in life. She connects her dual identities as a therapist and baker, discussing the mindfulness and emotional resonance of the craft. Listener questions are answered with practical advice on substitutions, equipment alternatives, and troubleshooting dry cakes or runny frostings. The episode closes with a preview of the April Bake Club recipe: a strawberry roll cake, ideal for spring and celebrated as a kitchen birthday tradition.
Use Dutch-processed cocoa powder for a moister, denser chocolate cake due to its lower acidity and better reaction with baking soda.
Reverse creaming by hand—massaging butter into dry ingredients—creates a tender crumb and prevents overmixing.
Slash the cake batter before baking to create a clean split and promote even rising.
Brown butter frosting must be vigorously whisked to incorporate air and achieve a light, swooshable texture.
Guinness adds flavor, moisture, and acidity that boosts leavening; it can be substituted in both cake and frosting for other dark beers.
…and 3 more takeaways available in PodZeus
Welcome to BA Bake Club & Introducing the Chocolate Guinness Cake
Hosts Shilpa Oskokovic and Jessi Shevchak introduce the episode and the April Bake Club recipe, the chocolate Guinness cake, highlighting its popularity and the team’s excitement around its development.
The Recipe Breakdown: Reverse Creaming and Two-Fat Technique
“You're coating the flour molecules in like a very thin layer of butter or fat. And it's kind of... like it prohibits the gluten formation a bit.”
The Role of Guinness: Flavor, Acidity, and Leavening
“It's like reinforcing and invigorating that chocolate flavor. I kind of think it's doing the same thing as adding espresso powder to chocolate.”
The Slash Technique: Aesthetic and Functional Baking
“It creates like this fault line, this weak spot. And so as it bakes, it splits there. You know, like when you score a loaf of bread, you're scoring a cake.”
The Frosting Journey: From Ganache to Brown Butter with Guinness
“I wanted it to express itself firmly. And then also when you brown butter, you're losing some moisture. So this is just kind of adding that back.”
“All the ordinary moments in life stitched together makes for a meaningful life.”
“It's like reinforcing and invigorating that chocolate flavor. I kind of think it's doing the same thing as adding espresso powder to chocolate.”
“You're coating the flour molecules in like a very thin layer of butter or fat. And it's kind of... like it prohibits the gluten formation a bit.”
Hosts
Guest
Guinness
brand
Jessi Shevchak
person
Helen Goh
person
Shilpa Oskokovic
person
BA Bake Club
organization
Bon Appétit
organization
Brown Butter
other
Dutch Process Cocoa Powder
other
Strawberry Roll Cake
other
Yotam Ottolenghi
person
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