Chocolate-Red Wine Cake
Photo: © Frances Janisch
A recipe in Anne Willan's 2001 Cooking with Wine inspired this fluffy, not-too-sweet cake, which uses just enough wine in the batter to give it a slight boozy flavor.
How to Make It
Step 1
Preheat the oven to 350°. Butter and flour a 12-cup bundt pan. In a bowl, whisk the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt.
Step 2
In a large bowl, using a handheld electric mixer, beat the butter with the sugar at medium-high speed until fluffy, 4 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, and beat until incorporated. Add the vanilla and beat for 2 minutes longer. Working in two batches, alternately fold in the dry ingredients and the wine, until just incorporated.
Step 3
Scrape the batter into the prepared pan, and bake for 45 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then turn it out onto a rack; let cool completely. Dust the cake with confectioner's sugar and serve with whipped cream.
Finally made this with 2 sticks of butter - really delicious, deep chocolate flavor made more complex by the wine. I thought maybe these would need frosting, but, as in the recipe and photo, a light dusting of powdered sugar is all it really needs!
mvdryan's Review
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eugenia8's Review
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And11Rio's Review
This cake is good if you love chocolate and at the same time have someone in your family who doesn't like sweets too much. Is not too sweet and the wine gives it a smooth flavor will definitely do it again.
loshelley's Review
To bgail1. When it says dry, it's saying to look for a red that's not a sweet red so look for Cabernet Sauvignon or even a Merlot or Zinfindal...these wines tend to be bold in flavor and will give the cake that same great flavor.
Try not to buy a cheap red so if you're willing to spend a little more, usually a $12-15 dollar bottle will give it a good flavor without too much of the alcohol taste; also try to buy a wine that's about 2 years old, that also will give a good flavor without that alcohol or tannic taste that young wines tend to be.
bgail1's Review
Any suggestions for a "dry red wine"? I am not a wine drinker, so would not know what to use.
Patricia811's Review
I love making bundt cakes. They are so easy for family get togethers. This cake is marvelous. I did use Splenda instead of sugar(husband is diabetic) and made a ganche with unsweetened chocolate and Splenda +alittle butter for a glaze. I never use powdered sugar. Changing it up alittle did not spoil the great taste.
Butter - what amount?
Is it 2 sticks of butter in the ingredients - they left a few words out there, that's my best guess. 2 cups butter seems like too much
Jennifer26's Review