flourless dark chocolate red wine cake

There really are only two words necessary to describe this cake… Pure decadence.

Hell, even that’s an understatement.

I simply adore flourless chocolate cake. There is just something about the consistency that makes it (in my opinion) one of life’s finer indulgences. Think somewhere between a slice from the world’s biggest dark chocolate truffle, and a rich, dense, f’ing perfect brownie.

And, as an added bonus, it’s gluten free.

The other night I was relaxing on the couch amid a towering mass of tiny, freshly dried clothes, sipping from a glass of Cocoban wine while enjoying a few squares of Trader Joe’s bittersweet chocolate with almonds… imagining I owned a robot who’s sole purpose to exist was to fold our laundry. Okay, and maybe to put away the dishes too.

I’d be really nice to that robot. In fact, he’d probably think I was the best robot owner in all the land.

It was during this rambling pipe dream that I decided I should make a flourless chocolate cake with red wine in it. Because that would make not owning a laundry folding robot seem okay. Yeah, that’s me convincing myself that cake with wine in it would be as amazing as having my very own mechanical man.

Sounds pretty bunk as I’m reading it now on the screen.

Anyhoo, with Valentine’s day right around the corner, it’s perfect timing for you to try this. Trust me, it’s pretty much sweet perfection.

Flourless Dark Chocolate Red Wine Cake
(makes one 10″ round cake)
1/2 cup red wine (I used Cocoban because it was already open, and it has wonderful blackberry and mocha notes.)
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 tsp salt
18 oz good quality dark chocolate (I used Trader Joe’s 72% Dark Chocolate)
1 cup unsalted butter (room temperature)
6 large eggs (room temperature)

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Grease the bottom and sides of a 10″ round cake pan and set aside.

In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the red wine, sugar and salt and stir until the sugar is dissolved.

Heat the dark chocolate for 30 seconds in a microwave safe bowl, stir then continue melting in 30 second intervals until it’s completely melted and smooth. Transfer the chocolate to the bowl of a stand mixer and gradually add the butter, one tablespoon at a time, mixing completely in between. Pour the hot sugar wine into the chocolate and continue mixing until combined. Slowly beat in the eggs, one at a time.

Pour the batter into the greased cake pan and smooth the top with an offset or rubber spatula. Set the cake pan inside a larger roasting pan and fill that pan with boiling water around halfway up the sides of the cake pan, being careful not to spill any water into the cake.

Bake the cake in the water bath, in the preheated oven, for 45 minutes. The center will still appear wet, but don’t over bake it. Remove the pan from the water bath and chill to set over night.

To remove the cake from the pan, dip the bottom in hot water for 10 – 15 seconds to loosen the cake, then invert it on to a serving plate and dust with unsweetened cocoa powder.

This baby is rich. I’d recommend starting out with a small slice, and you might want to add a glob o’ whoop to balance it out…

But trust me, you’ll be back for more. Even a mechanical man couldn’t resist the temptation. Probably.

OMFG. SO GOOD.