Chocolate Port Wine Cake Recipes

CHOCOLATE PORT WINE CAKE RECIPE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour one 9 or 10-inch cake pan. Melt butter and chocolate together in small saucepan. Add wine in quarters, stirring slowly until last addition is thoroughly incorporated before adding the next quarter. (If you go too fast it will break!)
• Combine sugar and egg yolks in bowl and mix on medium speed until pale yellow in color. Add melted chocolate slowly, and beat until smooth. Add flour and beat on medium speed for 1 minute. In another bowl, beat egg whites on high until stiff peaks form. Gently fold in 1/3 of chocolate mixture into egg whites. Fold in remaining chocolate carefully. Pour into cake pan and bake for 30 minutes.
• Blend water, sugar, and wine in small saucepan, and cook on medium heat to create syrup. Reduce heat to low, and add chocolate. Stirring constantly until melted. Remove from heat and add cream. Pour over Chocolate Port Wine Cake wedges before serving.

PORT WINE CHOCOLATE CAKE

Steps:

• Make the cake: Prepare three 8-inch round cake pans by spraying them with baking spray, then lining them with parchment paper circles. Spray the parchment paper circles.
• Soak the Bake-Even strips (if using) in cold water for 5 minutes. Press out the excess water (do not wring), and wrap them snugly around the cake pans.
• Preheat the oven to 350 °F.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment (or large bowl, if using a hand mixer), whisk together the flour, sugar, dark chocolate cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
• In a small bowl, whisk together the buttermilk powder and hot water. You can skip this step if you're using warmed buttermilk instead. Add the eggs, buttermilk mixture, canola oil, and vanilla to the cocoa mixture and mix well.
• Slowly add the port wine. Mix gently, being careful not to over-mix the batter.
• Divide the batter evenly between the cakes pans, and tap out the pans on the counter to release any trapped air bubbles. Bake the layers for 30 to 33 minutes, or until a cake tester comes out with a few crumbs. The cake is fudgy, so be careful not to over-bake the cakes. Every oven heats differently, so start checking your cakes at the 25 minute mark.
• Remove the cakes from the oven and allow to cool for about 10 minutes, then remove to cooling racks to cool completely. If you're not using Bake-Even strips, level the cakes before stacking.
• Make the ganache: In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, stir together the heavy cream and port wine and heat until steaming and bubbles begin to form. Remove from heat.
• Add the chopped chocolate, then cover and let sit for for two minutes.
• Open the lid and whisk the mixture until it's totally smooth. Set aside for about 30 minutes to cool. You want the ganache to be thicker and easily spreadable, but not too thin.
• Assemble the cake: Using the cake lifter, place one layer on the cake stand. Be careful because the layers can be delicate. Pour some of the ganache onto the center of the cake and use a small offset spatula to gently push the ganache off of the side so that it drizzles down the sides of the cake.
• Stack another layer on top and frost with ganache. Repeat with the third layer. If desired, frost the sides of the cake with ganache.
• Decorate the cake as desired. You can whip some of the ganache and pipe roses on top, or use sprinkles and cocoa nibs to decorate. Any leftover ganache can be scooped into balls and made into truffles...use those to decorate the cake.
• Chill the cake to firm up the ganache before slicing. Serve and enjoy!