Chocolate Red Wine Loaf Cake

“every bite feels like a warm embrace with exquisite taste”

There’s a saying that goes “You can’t live by wine alone, add some chocolate!” and this recipe does that so beautifully that you are really going to wish you could eat it every day for the rest of your life! At least, that is my biggest wish, as chocolate loaf recipes are my ultimate favorite food, or to put it better, my greatest weakness. Now, I know we can’t eat chocolate red wine loaf every day, and I’m not saying you should, but you should definitely make this recipe for a special occasion, when you want to impress some guests, or when life gets a little hard and you feel like you deserve something exquisite.

Because of the chocolate, the loaf is very soft and sweet with a velvet texture. The wine gives it a little bit of a bitter scent, while the whole cake has light vanilla notes with nutty flavor, due to the hazelnuts. Couple this with the natural sweetness of the chocolate and you get a heavenly pairing.

I haven’t specified in the ingredients list, but if you want to take the recipe one step further you can find the optimal wine-chocolate combination. For example, if you’re using dark chocolate you should use a wine like PX Sherry, Barolo Chinato, Banyuls, Dolcetto, while for milk chocolate is better to use Alsace Pinot Gris, Tawny Port, or other. The delicious relationship between red wine and chocolate is well documented, so you can spend some time finding a combination that fits your preference.

Without further ado, let’s make this perfect treat!

To make this recipe you’ll need a loaf pan, saucepan, parchment paper, a hand mixer (see my top picks here), two large mixing bowls, and one heatproof bowl, aside from the ingredients listed below. You’ll need to spend around 40 minutes in the kitchen and wait for an hour while the cake is being cooked, but trust me, it’s more than worth it.

The first thing you want to do is to preheat the oven to 175°C (350°F). Don’t forget this step, as it will save you a lot of time later.

After this, take a large mixing bowl and combine together the flour, baking powder, cocoa powder, ground hazelnuts, cinnamon, and a pinch of salt. Mix until all the ingredients are fused, then set it aside.

Take another mixing bowl and whisk in the sugar and butter. When the mixture becomes soft and light, stir in the eggs, vanilla extract, and a little bit of wine. Mix for a minute or two, then take the first bowl and start to slowly add the dry ingredients’ blend into the batter. To make sure it’s easy to mix and you have a good consistency, add the wine a little bit at a time, alternating between wine and the dry ingredients. Mix for another minute or two until everything is well combined, then chop half of the chocolate and throw the chocolate pieces into the batter. Mix again.

The next step is to line the loaf pan with parchment paper and grease it with butter or oil. Transfer the batter into the loaf pan and spread it evenly. Place the loaf pan into the preheated oven and let it cook for an hour.

To make sure I’m using my time optimally, what I like to do is make the chocolate glaze around 15 minutes before cooking is complete. This way, I can immediately pour the glaze over and serve it once cooled. However, you can also make the glaze after the cake is baked.

Boil water over high heat in a small saucepan and once the water starts bubbling, lower the heat to medium and cover it with a heatproof bowl. Combine the remaining pieces of chocolate, coconut oil, and mil into the bowl. Stir until the chocolate melts completely then aside. The chocolate glaze will thicken as it cools.

When cooking is complete, take the loaf out of the oven and immediately cover it with the chocolate glaze. Let it cool at room temperature for around 15 minutes then serve. I like to eat it with a glass of red wine and fresh strawberries or raspberries, but it’s totally up to your preference and taste! Enjoy!

Ingredients

• ½ cup red wine
• 8 tbsp butter
• ¾ cup of brown sugar
• 3 eggs
• 2 cups flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 18 tbsp chocolate (your preferred type)
• 2 tbsp cocoa powder
• 6 tbsp ground hazelnuts
• ½ tsp cinnamon
• 1 tbsp coconut oil
• 2 tbsp milk
• A pinch of salt

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 175°C (350°F).
• Take a large mixing bowl and combine together the flour, baking powder, cocoa powder, ground hazelnuts, cinnamon, and a pinch of salt. Mix well and set aside.
• Take another mixing bowl and whisk the butter and sugar, until the ingredients are well combined. Stir in the eggs, vanilla extract and continue to beat the mixture. After this, add a little bit of wine and continue to mix.
• Slowly add the mixture of dry ingredients from the first bowl into the batter. Gradually pour in the wine as well. Mix for another minute or two, then stir in half of the chocolate (cut into tiny pieces). Mix again.
• Take the loaf pan and line it with parchment paper. Grease the parchment paper with a little bit of cooking oil or butter, and transfer the batter into the loaf. Spread it evenly.
• Place it in the preheated oven and cook for one hour.
• Ten to fifteen minutes before cooking is complete boil water in a small saucepan and cover with the heatproof bowl. Add the remaining chocolate pieces into the bowl together with the milk and coconut oil. Stir until the chocolate melts. Set the glaze aside to cool and thicken.
• When cooking is complete take the loaf out of the oven. Pour the chocolate glaze over and leave it at room temperature to cool for around 15 minutes.
• Serve with a glass of red wine and/or fresh fruit. Enjoy!