Every year my mother would make her Christmas cake, and behind her back every year my father would throw in probably about half a bottle of Guinness into the fruit while it was left to soak in the whiskey, and every year mother would say I swear this cake is getting darker; and the owlboy as we would call him would say yes it's hard to bet the black stuff; and mother never cop. so folks the Guinness is by choice but adds great flavour to your cake. But it's hard to bet the black stuff so enjoy and hope you like :*)