Dark Chocolate Cake with Red Wine Glaze
I think most women share a universal bond when it comes to our role in society and the struggles we face. The demand to multi-task throughout the day, support, lead, inspire, encourage, compensate, and maintain our own can be overwhelming and unmatched. That’s where this dark chocolate cake with red wine glaze comes into play.
Dark Chocolate Cake with Red Wine Glaze
This dark chocolate cake is for those nights when you’ve been unrivaled in your woman/wife/mom/daughter/sister efforts and are in need of an Olivia Pope size glass of wine and pampering in the form of chocolate.
We all have those days, therefore, we deserve such indulgences.
It’s no secret that I’m a fan of chocolate, as evidenced here, here, and here. And I like my chocolate rich; none of that fake stuff filled with milk solids and emulsifiers. I’m talking glorious, genuine, dark chocolate.
The beauty of using dark chocolate in baking is that you’ll always get that authentic chocolate-y taste in your baked goods. You can always sweeten a recipe made with dark chocolate by adding sugar, but when you use a diluted milk chocolate, for example, you never obtain the same richness and quality in chocolate that you would have otherwise.
There is no substitute for pure, unadulterated dark chocolate, and this dark chocolate cake with red wine glaze is evidence of that.
Sinfully rich, this dark chocolate cake contains a minimal amount of flour and relies on quality dark chocolate for exemplary taste. There are no fruits, nuts, or other ingredients to fill the cake, because there should be nothing getting in the way of each silky, smooth bite.
The glaze is made with a combination of bittersweet chocolate and red wine to make this dark chocolate cake a standout; it’s luxury at its finest.
The wine has a subtle, yet noticeable effect, highlighting the sweet and acidic notes of the chocolate. Together, the two are an intoxicating blend that renders this cake the divine remedy for any woman in need.
Dark Chocolate Cake with Red Wine Glaze
A rich dark chocolate cake made with a red wine-chocolate glaze poured on top.
Ingredients
for the cake
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, plus more for greasing pan
- 2.5 tbsp all-purpose flour, plus more for pan
- 4 oz dark chocolate, 70%-72% is preferable
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1/4 tsp salt
for the glaze
- 4 oz bittersweet chocolate, Ghirardelli 60% chocolate chips work well
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter, cubed
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 cup powdered sugar
- 1/4 cup red wine
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325°F. Brush the bottom half of a bundt pan (or the entirety of a 6-inch cake pan) with softened butter. Dust the pan with flour; set aside.
- Begin the cake batter by melting the dark chocolate in the microwave (30 to 45 seconds) or in a heatproof bowl set over a simmering pot of water. Remove the chocolate from the heat and stir in the butter and sugar until the mixture is smooth and the butter has completely melted. Set aside to cool.
- Once the chocolate has cooled, add the eggs (one at a time) and beat on medium speed with an electric mixture. Once the eggs are completely incorporated and the batter has slightly lightened up a bit, reduce the mixer’s speed to low and add the salt and flour. Beat until smooth.
- Scrape the batter into your prepared pan. Bake the cake for approximately 35 to 40 minutes, or until the cake’s top looks firm and when gently pressed with your finger, the cake immediately springs back. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let the cake cool completely in the pan before turning out.
- To create the glaze, melt the bittersweet chocolate in the microwave or in a heatproof bowl set over a pot of simmering water. Remove from the heat and stir in the butter and salt until smooth. Whisk in the powdered sugar.
- Heat the red wine in a small saucepan over medium heat until it’s just come to a boil. Whisk the red wine into the chocolate mixture, then let the mixture cool until it’s slightly thickened - about 15 minutes.
- Set your cake on a wire rack over a rimmed baking sheet, then spoon the glaze over the cake, using an offset spatula or the back of a spoon to spread the glaze all over the cake. For best flavor, let the glaze dry and set for a couple of hours before serving.
Notes
To create a full size bundt cake, double all of the recipe ingredients.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 6 Serving Size: 6 ServingsAmount Per Serving: Calories: 450
Hi, do you have a particular type of red wine you would recommend for the glaze?
You can honestly use any kind! I tend to have cabernet on hand but you could use a merlot, pinot noir, syrah…I would think a good beaujoulais would be excellent because it tends to be sweet and fruity! 🙂
That chocolate cake looks incredible! Dark, damp and delicious. And that glaze…..A slice of heaven, Beeta! <3 x
It’s indeed dark and rich, and the glaze is everything! Thanks Louise <3
Oh girl – you totally nailed it! I absolutely feel like a giant glass of wine on so many of those days including a rich chocolate cake like this. Love the dark chocolate – it looks incredible with the red wine glaze!
Thank you Kelly!! As a busy mom and wife, you have every right to enjoy a giant glass of wine with this chocolate cake <3 XO
I could certainly go for a slice of this beautiful, decadent cake, especially today! The wine sauce is pure brilliance, I am absolutely craving this right now! <3
Thanks Sam!! The wine adds a special, healing effect…you know what I mean? 😉 hehehe! XO
Mmm… this cake looks dense, which equals awesome in my book. 😉 I’m a complete chocoholic, so this looks right up my alley!
So rich and decadent, Lexi…you’d love it! Thanks sweets <3
Love that fudgy rich texture of the cake, Beeta! And the wine sauce?? OMG, I want that so bad!
Thanks Shinee! Fudgy is the perfect word to describe this cake! This should be your post-baby celebration dessert! LOL