Leftover wine? Let's make chocolate cake! This decadent chocolate bundt cake is made with red wine and pairs perfectly with a glass of red wine too!

If you've tried my favorite chocolate cake recipe, you know I use coffee in it to enhance the chocolate flavor. It's widely known with bakers that adding coffee to chocolate recipes give chocolate a really rich flavor.

I love eating chocolate anything with a really good glass of red wine. Chocolate and red wine really do make a good pairing for your taste buds. So that got me thinking about a red wine chocolate cake.
I've done the combo before with my red wine chocolate brownies and the result was amazing! For this cake, not only did I use red wine in the batter but also topped it off with a red wine chocolate glaze.

So let's dive in and get started on all the details.
Ingredients Needed
Basic cake ingredients: all purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and granulated sugar.
Cocoa Powder: Be sure to use quality unsweetened cocoa powder. I use a dutch process cocoa powder in my chocolate cakes.
Unsalted Butter and Eggs: Be sure to have them at room temperature for ideal mixing.
Sour Cream: This helps with the richness and moisture of the cake and should also be at room temperature.
Vanilla Extract: Enhances the flavor. Use good quality pure extract only.
Red Wine: It doesn't matter what type of red wine but go for something on the drier side. I happened to use cabernet sauvignon because it's my favorite but you can also use a merlot or pinot noir.
How to Make Red Wine Chocolate Cake Batter
Prepare your cake pan(s) by brushing the sides and bottom of the pan with butter. If you are using a bundt pan like me, be sure to get butter into every crevice of the bundt pan for easier release. Dust the pan with cocoa powder.
This recipe can be used as is to make 1 large 10 cup bundt pan, 24 cupcakes, 3 nine inch rounds for a layer cake, or a 13x18 sheet pan. If you are not using a bundt pan or cupcake pan, also line the bottom with parchment after greasing with butter and before dusting with cocoa.

In a large bowl, sift together the dry ingredients: flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the butter and sugar and mix on medium with a paddle attachment until the mixture is smooth.
Don't forget to stop and scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl to insure everything gets mixed.
With the mixer on low speed, add the eggs one at a time to the butter mixture and then the vanilla extract. Scrape down once again.
Alternately add the flour mixture and sour cream to the butter mixture in two batches. After scraping down the sides of the bowl, gradually pour in the red wine on low speed and mix until smooth and well combined.
Transfer the batter into the prepared pan and bake at 325F for 55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. (For non-bundt pans, the bake time will be less and vary. You will have to keep an eye on it.)
Allow the cake to cool in the pan for about 10 minutes and then release it by turning the pan upside down on a plate. Let it cool completely before frosting or glazing.

How to Make the Red Wine Chocolate Glaze:
In a small bowl, combine the chopped chocolate with butter that's been cut up in small pieces. Heat the wine in a small saucepan and bring it to a boil.
Pour the wine over the chocolate and butter and stir until smooth. Let the mixture cool until it's slightly thick. Then drizzle it over the bundt cake.
How to Store the Cake:
The cake can be stored at room temperature fro 1-2 days in an airtight container. The cake can also be frozen in an airtight container for up to 2 months.
Other Tips and Variations:
For a layer cake, I suggest using my fudge frosting between the cake layers and the outside of the cake. After frosting, you can still drizzle the wine glaze in this recipe over the top of the cake or cupcakes.
You can also double the glaze recipe and serve your cake slices by plating them in a pool of the red wine glaze.


Red Wine Chocolate Cake
This decadent chocolate bundt cake is made with red wine and pairs perfectly with a glass of red wine too!
Ingredients
For the cake:
- 2 ⅔ cup all purpose flour
- 1 ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter
- 2 cups sugar
- 2 eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1 ¼ cup red wine
For the Glaze:
- Red Wine Glaze:
- 4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped or use chips
- 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter, cut small and room temperature
- ½ cup red wine
Instructions
For the cake:
- Preset the oven to 325°F. Generously butter a 10 cup bundt pan using a pastry brush. Be sure to get into all crevices of your pan.
- Sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt in a large bowl and set aside.
- In an electric mixer, paddle the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. While mixing on slow speed, add the eggs one at a time incorporating each one into the batter. Then add vanilla and mix until incorporated.
- On low speed, alternately add the dry mixture and the sour cream in five total additions starting and ending with the dry mixture. Slowly add the red wine and mix just until the batter becomes smooth.
- Transfer the batter into the prepared bundt pan. Bake for 55 minutes or until a toothpick placed in the center comes out clean. Let the cake cool slightly in the pan. Then, unmold by turning the pan upside down onto a large plate. Let it cool completely .
Glaze:
- Combine the chocolate and butter in a small bowl.
- In a small saucepan, bring the wine to a boil.
- Pour the wine over the chocolate and butter and stir gently until it comes together into a smooth mixture.
- Let it cool until it looks thicker but is still pourable.
- Pour the sauce over the top of the bundt cake.
Notes
Notes:
This amount of cake batter can also be used to make 24 cupcakes, 3 nine inch rounds, or a 13x18inch sheet pan.
If you want to serve the cake with extra glaze, double the glaze recipe. When plating, first pour some glaze into a small plate, then place a slice of cake on top of the pool of glaze.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 10 Serving Size: 1 sliceAmount Per Serving: Calories: 715Total Fat: 35gSaturated Fat: 19gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 11gCholesterol: 106mgSodium: 480mgCarbohydrates: 82gFiber: 6gSugar: 41gProtein: 10g
This nutrition information is only an approximate provided for convenience and as a courtesy only. Information comes from Nutritionix, an automated nutrition calculator.
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