Port wine and dark chocolate pair nicely together. Enjoy this decadent and intense chocolate port wine cake with a rich port wine glaze. You may substitute medium sherry or marsala for the port.
CAKE RECIPE HELP
INGREDIENTS
Cake:
10 ounces unsweetened chocolate, evenly chopped in 1/4-inch pieces
3/4 cup unsalted butter, cut into tablespoon size pieces
5 large eggs, separated
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup port wine
1/2 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
3 tablespoons sugar
1 cup chopped walnuts
Glaze:
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1/2 tablespoon corn syrup or golden syrup
1/2 cup port wine
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
INSTRUCTIONS
STEP I: MAKE THE CAKE
Prepare the initial cake batter:
1. Position an oven shelf in the middle of the oven. Remove oven shelves above. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
Adequately grease and flour a 10 inch Bundt or tube pan, preferably with brush with shortening or spray with Baker’s Joy. Set aside.
Cakes notoriously stick to Bundt pans, so get every nook and cranny with a pastry brush and make sure every area is evenly covered. With a paper towel, lightly smooth any pockets of shortening.
2. In the top of a double boiler, with simmering water, melt unsweetened chocolate and butter, stirring often, until smooth. Set aside to cool to room temperature.
3. In a large bowl, beat egg yolks and 3/4 cup sugar together with a hand-held electric mixer on High speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.
Gradually stir in the port wine and flour.
4. Fold in the melted and cooled chocolate mixture: Temper the chocolate by adding a teaspoonful of the egg yolk / wine / flour mixture at a time to the cooled chocolate mixture and mix thoroughly after each addition.
Add a few tablespoons of the butter/sugar/egg mixture to the cooled chocolate mixture before returning it all to the main mixing bowl.
Fold the mixtures together with a large rubber spatula.
Beat the egg whites and fold in the chocolate cake batter:
1. With a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, begin beating the egg whites on medium-low speed.
When the egg white foam increases in volume and becomes white with large bubbles, immediately add the cream of tartar at the side of the bowl.
2. When the bubbles in the egg white foam will become smaller and more even in size, increase the mixer speed to medium-high.
Immediately, add the sugar at the side of the bowl. Then, increase the mixer speed to high and continue to whip until stiff peaks form.
3. Fold 1/3 of the whites into the chocolate batter, then quickly fold in remaining whites until no streaks remain. Fold in the walnuts. Pour batter into prepared pan.
Bake the cake and cool:
1. Bake in the preheated oven for about 45 minutes, or until the cake springs back when lightly touched in the center.
2. Take from the oven to a wire cake rack and let sit for 10 minutes. Loosen the sides with a small metal spatula or sharp knife. Invert onto greased rack and place upright to cool completely.
STEP II: MAKE THE GLAZE AND GLAZE THE CAKE
1. In the top of a double boiler, over lightly simmering water, combine chocolate chips, 1/2 cup butter and corn syrup. Stir frequently until chocolate is melted.
2. Stir in the remaining 1/2 cup port wine and vanilla until mixture is smooth. Set aside to cool for about 30 minutes.
3. Set cake on a wire cake rack set over a rimmed baking sheet. Pour icing over top edge of the cake. Let the icing set, about 10 – 15 minutes and serve.
STORAGE
Store glazed cake at room temperature under an inverted glass bowl or cake keeper for about 3 – 5 days. If you want to keep your unfrosted cake layer longer, freeze it. If frosted, place cake in the freezer to harden the frosting before covering. Wrap the cake in plastic wrap and then in foil. Place inside of a resealable plastic bag. Keeps for 2 – 3 months.
Glaze keeps for a week at room temperature.
