Recipe

Chocolate and Cabernet Sauvignon Italian Cake

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Chocolate and Cabernet Sauvignon Italian Cake

Photo 1 of 2
by Maria Teresa Jorge

Chocolate and Cabernet Sauvignon Italian Cake

Photo 2 of 2
by Maria Teresa Jorge

  • This recipe was entered in the contest for Your Best Edible Gift
    This recipe was entered in the contest for Your Best Chocolate Cake
    This recipe was entered in the contest for Your Best Open House Dish
  • Chef

    Maria Teresa Jorge's Notes: Come winter and I love a nice moist chocolate cake to finish off dinner. I learned this recipe at the Cordon Bleu Cookery School in Florence and have adapted it to my taste. This chocolate...

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Serves 6

  1. Pre-heat the oven to 300ºF with rack in the middle.

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  2. Butter and flour a 10 inch diameter springform pan.

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  3. In a pan over medium heat, put the wine, the crushed juniper berries and the cinnamon stick and bring to a simmer. Remove from the heat and infuse for 20 minutes. Strain and discard the berries and the cinnamon.

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  4. Put the wine back in the pan over medium low heat and add the sugar, butter and the chocolate powder. Stir to dissolve the sugar and completely melt the butter. Remove from the heat and allow to cool completely.

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  5. Seperate the egg yolks from the whites, putting the egg whites in a bowl of a stand mixer.

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  6. Lightly beat with a fork the egg yolks and 1 tablespoon of sifted flour. Add 1/4 cup of the wine mixture to the egg yolks, mix and pour the eggs in the pan with the wine and sugar. Stir to mix well.

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  7. Set aside 2/3 cup of this mixture that will be used to glaze the chocolate cake.

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  8. In a stand mixer fitted with the whisk beater, beat the egg whites to hard peaks.

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  9. Sift the remaining flour with the baking powder in a bowl. Add the wine, sugar and egg mixture and mix just enough to incorporate everything. Add the Rum and lastly fold in the egg whites very lightly with a spatula.

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  10. Transfer the cake mixture to the buttered and floured springform pan and bake for 40 minutes.

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  11. Put the apricot jam and the hot water in a pan over medium low heat and allow to warm up to thin it.

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  12. When the cake is baked, put it on a cooling rack, allow to cool for a couple of minutes and unmold. Spread the apricot jam on top of the cake which should be still hot, and finally pour the reserved chocolate glaze over the apricot, spreading well with an icing spatula. Allow to cool completely.

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  13. Serve with a light creme anglaise, some blueberries and raspberies.

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Reply

Dear Maria Teresa, your recipes are so inspiring to me! I have a question regarding this cake. I cannot seem to find juniper berries close to me and is there a substitute that you can recommend? I am on a budget so i really would rather not mail order some or have to travel and purchase them (I am sure I can find them in some specialty shop near LA if I research it but in the meantime...how do you think it would taste if I eliminated the juniper berry infusion?)

Thanks!

Chocolate_peppermint_truffle_cookies_032 Reply

I have a great marinade I make for venison that incorporates red wine and juniper berries. I will have to make this chocolate cake as the dessert when I make it next as I think the two would go very well together. It looks like such a great recipe!

Maria_teresa_jorge_colour Reply

Why not, keep it in the family! Thank yu for the comment.

Green_apple_card Reply

oh my, I feel like I should be out foraging mushrooms or hunting wild boar in the Italian countryside to work up an appetite to eat this cake. It sounds incredible - especially with the juniper berries.

New_years_kitchen_hlc_only Reply

I'd have to double the recipe for the wine with the spices, in order to actually have some to put in the cake. It must be so tasty!! I've never put juniper berries in red wine before . . . . it sounds positively wonderful. I knew this week's recipes were going to be great fun, but this is amazing . . . .

Maria_teresa_jorge_colour Reply

Thank you for the comments. This is a very suttle cake, the wine taste comes out without being overwhelming. Just a note here - use a good wine and serve the cake with the same wine.

186003_1004761561_1198459_n Reply

As a producer of a premium brand Cabernet Sauvignon, this is a recipe that I will definitely try!

Maria_teresa_jorge_colour Reply

Do tell me how it came out!

Dsc_0019_2 Reply

I wish I could just reach through the computer screen and eat this cake!

Maria_teresa_jorge_colour Reply

I wish I could have it more times too, keep promising myself to keep my diet, but I love desserts. Kelsey, this is a trully simple and fast recipe, don't hesitate. Just don't drink the rest of the CS while making it otherwise you'll be the one napping.

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