After reading Nigella Lawson’s recipe for Guinness cake (featured in Feast) I was feeling particularly inspired to bake. Because over the holidays, there are no such things as calories. Right? To the grocery store I went. (My fellow Centretonians must have been baking up a storm, as the stocks of unsalted butter were dangerously low!) I ducked into the LCBO to pick up the Guinness, but first I spotted a squat little stubby and picked it up. It was the John By Imperial Stout locally made in Carleton Place. That’s when a bell went on in my head - a bake-off. Ding ding!

Let’s step into the Centretown Test Kitchen, shall we? On the left with have our local hero tipping in at 6.7% alcohol, a black syrupy consistency and a story about the Rideau Canal being a UNESCO World Heritage Site on the label. Can heritage value bake a better cake? Only our tastebuds will tell. On the right, the standard Guinness tipping in at 4.2% alcohol and only sold in a four-pack.

Heritage face-off! Who’s tangible (and tasty) barley value will produce the best cake? The John By stout took the first swing and produced a lovely dark and moist cake. Impressive.

I baked my cake in a regular 9 inch cake pan rather than the recommended spring form pan. This left extra batter for about 6 cupcakes. Bonus cupcakes definitely won a few brownie points. Oooh… that pun hurts me more than it hurts you.

And for the icing on the cake? Icing on the cake. Local lore delivers.

The competitor? Traditional draught Guinness. Let’s see if “luck of the Irish” will help in the cupcake test. Baker’s note: I ran out of large muffin papers, so the cupcake was graded only on colour and flavour.

The Guinness cupcake is on the left and clearly produced a milk-chocolate coloured cupcake while the John By Stout baked into a dark chocolate colour.

The taste test: Results were unanimous. Both the boy and I preferred the John By stout in the bake-off. Local history takes the cake!

Boyfriendly rating: 5/5

Baker’s note #2: The loser Guinness beers did not go to waste.

Baker’s note #3: The John By Stout is available for a limited time as it is a seasonal product.