Chocolate Cabernet Cake with Blackberry Red Wine Glaze

Chocolate cake is dipped in a house-made Cabernet reduction, then drizzled with dark chocolate ganache. Eat with caution. This cake is made with known aphrodisiacs, wine and chocolate, and is sure to get things going.

ingredients

Cake
1 3/4 c. sugar
2 C flour
3/4 C high-fat cocoa powder
1 1/4 tsp baking soda
1 1/4tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 eggs, room temperature
1 C whole milk
1/2 C vegetable oil
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 C water
1/2 C of Cabernet Sauvignon (or other dry red wine)
Blackberry Red Wine Glaze
4 tbsp seedless blackberry fruit spread or preserves
1/3 C Cabernet Sauvignon, (or other dry red wine)

directions

1
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2
Sift together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and salt in large bowl. Set aside.
3
Combine the eggs, milk, oil and vanilla. Using an electric mixer beat on medium speed for 1 minute.
4
With the mixer on low speed, add dry ingredients to the wet, 1/2 cup at a time. Do this slowly so that the batter doesn’t develop clumps. (Do not over mix).
5
Combine the water and wine and bring to a boil.
6
When the batter is thoroughly combined (do not over mix), slowly mix in boiling water and wine mixture. Note: the batter will be thin.
7
Transfer batter to cake pans) that have been coated with a baker’s cooking spray that includes flour (or greased and floured), filling until cavity is about 3/4 full.
8
Bake cake(s) until an inserted toothpick or cake tester comes out clean - about 45 minutes for a big ol’ bundt.
9
Invert cake(s) onto a cooling rack or serving plate. If cake resists, cool in the pan for 15 minutes before inverting. (If cake still resists, cool an additional 15 minutes in the pan.) Cool completely before frosting at least 1 hour for a big ol’ bundt.
10
Drizzle Blackberry Glaze (below), over the cooled chocolate cake.
11
Pour warm chocolate ganache (ooo) or chocolate glaze (ooo) over the red wine-glazed cake.
12
Blackberry Red Wine Glaze
13
In a small saucepan, whisk wine and blackberry preserves over medium heat.
14
Once incorporated, bring mixture to a boil and boil for 1 minute, (this helps thicken the glaze).
15
Remove from heat and let mixture cool for 3 minutes.
16
Spoon over chocolate cake. The amount is up to your preference, but I use 1 tbsp each for mini bundts, 2 tbsp each for baby bundts and the entire batch of glaze over a big ol’ bundt.