Bakin Birthday Bundts.

Bundt cake alliteration, and yes - a post about baking a bundt cake.  But this is not just any cake.  This is a BIRTHDAY cake for my very good friend who deserves a billion bundt cakes.  I just made one though. A very special one, though, as it its two defining ingredients are two of my favorite things: chocolate and red wine.

"Red wine? In a cake??" you ask.

Yes.  Red wine in a cake.  I love cooking with booze.  And as it turns out, this cake got rave reviews from the birthday crew and most importantly, the birthday girl herself.   So, here is the recipe, and the photographic evidence of its deliciousness.

Chocolate Red Wine Bundt Cake (from foodandwine.com)

2 c. all-purpose flour
3/4 c. unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/4 tsp baking soda
2 sticks butter, softened
1 3/4 c. sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 1/4 c. dry red wine
powdered sugar for dusting

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Butter and flour a bundt pan (I used a silicon mold, and it worked beautifully).  In a bowl, whisk the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt.

In a large bowl, using a handheld electric mixer, beat the butter w/ the sugar at medium-high speed until fluffy.  Add eggs, one at a time, and beat until incorporated.  Add vanilla and beat for 2 min longer.  Working in two batches, alternately fold in the dry ingredients and the wine, until just incorporated.

Scrape the batter into the pan, and bake 45 minutes.  Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then turn it out onto a rack to let cool completely.  Dust the cake with powdered sugar and serve with lots of wine or some ice cream or some whipped cream.  But definitely serve with wine.

Dusting.

Birthday girl with birthday bundt, and yes thats a bottle of Andre in the middle.

All told, the cake was moist, rich and delicious.  It was not-too-sweet and slightly boozy, just like me.