Bittersweet Chocolate & Cabernet Sauvignon Butter Cake With

Submitted by Chef #355854

"From Cafe Luna. Don’t refrigerate the cake after glazing. It will lose its beautiful shine in the refrigerator."

 

• Ready In: 55mins
• Ingredients: 17
• Yields: 16 slices

ingredients

• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted, to brush pan
• 1⁄4 cup sugar, to line pan
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1⁄2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (not alkalized)
• 1 teaspoon dried ancho chile powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1⁄4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1⁄2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
• 3⁄4 cup unsalted butter, cool room temperature (1 1/2 cubes)
• 1 cup superfine sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 extra large eggs, beaten lightly, cool room temperature
• 1⁄2 cup dry red wine, such as cabernet sauvignon or 1/2 cup merlot

• bittersweet chocolate glaze

• 4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, pistoles (65%-72% cacao)
• 1⁄2 cup unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces, cool room temperature

directions

1. Set an oven rack in the middle of the oven with plenty of room above it and preheat the oven to 325°F.
2. Brush a six-cup capacity bundt pan (or two 2½- to 3-cup capacity bundt pans) with melted butter. Pour ¼ cup sugar into the pan and tip the pan in all directions to coat evenly. Turn the pan upside down to remove any excess sugar that does not cling. (If you are using two smaller bundt pans, divide the butter and sugar between them.).
3. Over a large mixing bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa, cinnamon, cloves, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
4. Using a mixer fitted with the paddle, cream the butter until smooth, and then add the sugar and continue creaming until light and fluffy. Scrape the sides of the bowl a few times with a flexible spatula.
5. While beating at medium speed, add the vanilla and mix to incorporate.
6. Add eggs, a bit at a time, beating until the mixture is light and fluffy.
7. Beating at low speed, add a third of the flour mixture and a third of the red wine. Repeat twice more with the remaining dry ingredients and wine, scraping the bowl with a flexible spatula between additions.
8. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 30-35 minutes, until the top feels springy and a metal skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean. The internal temperature of the cake at its thickest center should read 190º-195ºF. The temperature will continue to rise a few degrees after removing the cake from the oven, so don’t overbake. (If using two smaller bundt pans, bake for 20-25 minutes.).
9. Cool the cake on the pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes or so. Turn out onto a wire rack to finish cooling.
10. To finish, dust with powdered sugar or continue with Glaze.
11. Makes one cake; about sixteen 1/2-inch slices.

12. For the Glaze:

13. Put the chopped chocolate in a 4-cup glass measuring cup and microwave for 1 minute.
14. Remove from the microwave and stir with a wooden chopstick or other wooden utensil to melt the chocolate. If it won’t melt completely, return it to the microwave for 10-second intervals, just until it is smooth when stirred. If you overheat the chocolate, it will seize and turn grainy. If this happens, you must begin again with a new batch of chocolate.
15. When the chocolate is completely melted and smooth, add all of the room temperature butter and stir with a plastic spatula until it is completely absorbed and the glaze is smooth. If it won’t blend completely, return to the microwave for a few seconds and try again. When finished, the glaze will be glossy, smooth and slightly thickened. A temperature probe will register 80º-85ºF. The glaze should be thin enough to pour over the cake in a smooth finish. (In the picture at the top of this post, you can see that the glaze was a bit too thick. I had difficulty getting an even coating. Next time, I will not let it thicken quite so much).