Red Wine Chocolate Cake

Wine and chocolate is always a beautiful combination. They go together like an adult version of the classic peanut butter & jelly combination (although I'm an adult and I still consume PB&J on a regular basis). I made red wine and dark chocolate cookies a couple months ago and, while they were good, they didn't have as much flavour from the wine as I would have hoped. This moist, dense loaf cake doesn't have an overpowering flavour, but you definitely notice the hint of red wine shining through the chocolate. I highly recommend indulging in a slice or two with a glass (or two) of your favourite red! 

Ingredients:

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened

1 cup light brown sugar

1/2 cup white sugar

1 large egg

3/4 cup red wine

1/4 cup plain yogurt

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 and 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 cup Dutch-processed cocoa powder

1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. baking soda

1/4 tsp. salt

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Butter and flour a 9x5" loaf pan. You could also bake this in an 8x8" or 9x9" square pan, but keep in mind you will have to adjust the baking time to a shorter amount.

In a large bowl, beat the butter with an electric until smooth. Add the brown sugar and white sugar and cream together until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg until well combined, then mix in the red wine, yogurt, and vanilla. The mixture will look curdled but don't worry!

In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and gently stir together until just combined. Don't over mix.

Scrape the batter into the prepared loaf pan and bake for 60-70 minutes, until a toothpick or knife inserted into the centre of the loaf comes out clean. Cool the loaf in the pan on a wire rack for 10-15 minutes, then run a knife around the edges to loosen it and turn it out onto the wire rack to cool completely.

This cake is great warm out of the oven, but the flavour intensifies after it has cooled, and even more so the next day. Wrap leftovers in plastic and store at room temperature.

*Recipe adapted from 17 and Baking