Characterised by its earthy brown colour and creamy white foam head, Guinness is iconic for being the world's most popular stout.

The drink is best enjoyed as a freshly poured pint, but it is just as easy to get hold of in can form, which makes it a household staple for fans.

In his new book, ‘World of Guinness’, Rory Guinness shares a beloved family recipe that was baked regularly and with love by his late wife, Mira Guinness.

He said: “As far as I’m concerned, the finest hands in which a bottle of Guinness fell are those of my wife Mira, whose recipe for her Guinness Cake has been known to make grown men and delicate grandmothers beg for more.”

He noted that the cake is a crowd-pleaser, whether made for a special occasion or just to enjoy a slice of delicious cake. “It’s always a happy moment when we come home to Wilbury to smell the sweet aromas of Mira’s Guinness cake”, said Rory.

This recipe is as simple as it gets, but it's important to use the right Guinness. Mira suggested that it’s preferable to use Guinness Foreign Extra Stout.

However, if this is not available, Guinness Original or Porter are “delicious alternatives.” The Guinness experts also said that canned draught Guinness also works well, even if it is less fulsome.

Guinness cake recipe

Ingredients

250ml Guinness

250g unsalted butter

75g cocoa powder

142ml sour cream

Two large eggs

One tbsp vanilla extract

275g plain flour

1.5 tsp bicarbonate of soda

For the topping

300g cream cheese

150g icing sugar

125ml double cream (optional)

Method

Preheat the oven to 180C/ 350F/gas mark 4. Then, prepare a 23cm/9-inch cake tin by greasing it with butter and lining it with baking parchment.

Pour the Guinness into a large, wide saucepan, then add the butter in slices, not chunks, according to Mira.

Heat the saucepan until the butter has melted, then whisk cocoa and sugar into the pan.

Gently beat the sour cream with the eggs and vanilla and then pour into the Guinness pan.

Slowly whisk in the flour and bicarbonate of soda to thicken the batter, then pour it into the greased and lined cake tin and bake for 45 minutes to one hour.

Remove the cake and leave to cool completely in the tin on a cooling rack.

For the topping, lightly whip the cream cheese until smooth, sieve the icing sugar, and beat both together.

Mira noted that if desired, you can add cream and beat the topping again until it is spreadable.

Spoon the topping over the cooled cake base until smooth, then serve in slices.

There’s no need to bake this cake straight before eating it. The bases can be baked up to one week before use; add the “head” topping and serve within 24 hours of making.