Chocolate Cranberry Port Wine Cake

This is a dark chocolate cake baked and glazed in a port wine reduction. Adding some seasonality to the rich flavors are some cranberries that also provide an acidic contrast to the deep flavors of the chocolate in this port wine cake.

 

As many of you know I rarely take more than two days off from posting, but the last few days I took a bit of a break to enjoy the holiday with my son who was over the top excited for Christmas.

Funny thing was when Christmas Eve came around he was off. See that picture below-I was able to catch Mr. Mopey in full gear. I should mention he is seldom like this. Most of the time he’s Mr. Happy, so of course, I was a tad impatient with this on the eve of Christmas.

Then Christmas morning came and – no running from his room to the Christmas tree, no screaming to open presents. In fact, he made his way to the sofa and plopped himself down and said he didn’t want to open presents. Literally, “I don’t want to open presents”.

What. The. Hell. What kid looks at an overfilled stocking and a stacked tree and wants nothing to do it?

I tell you what kind of kid – a sick kid. As in projectile throw-up and you know what from the other end. He was sick and was sick the day of Christmas Eve when I was all impatient with him.

How did I miss this? I missed this because the kid never complains. Still how did I MISS this? I have no idea – but I felt guilty, so I baked this cake after reading him to bed to Zen myself out.  

It worked and it’s delicious.

A few notes:

• If cranberries are not in season for your area, try using oranges.
• For the cocoa powder, I used Scharffen Bergers Unsweetened Natural Cocoa Powder. I strongly recommend using this product as it makes a huge difference in your baked goods in terms of flavor. You can order it online or find it at Sur La Table and William Sonoma.
• The pan I used is a 10 cup Kupelhopf pan, but any bundt pan type of the same capacity will work just fine.

Chocolate Cranberry Port Wine Cake

Preparation: Lightly cover pan with bake spray and flour. Heat oven to 350 degrees F.

Ingredients:

• ½ cup boiling water
• ¾ cups unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 ½ cup cake flour
• 1 ½ cup granulated sugar
• ½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature
• ½ cup vegetable oil
• 3 eggs, room temperature
• 1 cup sour cream, room temperature
• ½ cup port wine
• 1 tablespoon vanilla
• 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¾ cups cranberries

Port Wine Reduction Glaze:

• 2 cups of port wine
• 4 tablespoons of sugar

Instructions:

1. Add cocoa powder to boiling water and whisk to combine. Set aside to cool while assembling the remainder of the cake
2. Place cake flour and sugar in a stand mixer bowl fitted with a paddle attachment and beat to combine. Add in butter and oil and beat to combine.
3. In a separate bowl combine eggs, sour cream, wine and vanilla and lightly whisk to combine. Add in baking soda and salt and whisk to combine.
4. With mixer on low add the cooled cocoa powder mixture to the flour mixture. Turn off mixer and scrape down the bowl. Resume mixing on low and gradually add the wet ingredients and mix until just combined. Turn off mixer and fold in cranberries.
5. Pour cake batter into cake pan and bake at 350 degrees F for 50-60 minutes or until insert toothpick comes out clean. Allow cake to cool in pan completely before removing.

To make Port Wine Reduction Glaze:

1. Place port wine and sugar in a small pot and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook for 30 minutes or until wine is reduced by a little more than half. Reduction will become even thicker as it stands.
2. Using a pastry brush glaze onto cooled cake. Allow to dry before applying second glaze coating.