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One-Bowl Red Wine Chocolate Cake with Easy Boiled Frosting

Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings 9
Author Margaret Bose Johnson

Ingredients

for the red wine chocolate cake:

  • ½ cup (115gms) salted butter, melted
  • ½ cup (120ml) red wine
  • ½ cup (100gms) soft, dark brown sugar, firmly packed*
  • ⅓ cup (80gms) sour cream
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 cup (140gms) gluten-free flour or regular flour for non-gluten-free
  • ⅓ cup (35gms) unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt (increase the salt to ½ teaspoon if using unsalted butter)

for the ooey, gooey boiled caramel-chocolate frosting:

  • ½ cup (100gms) soft, dark brown sugar, firmly packed
  • 1 large egg
  • ¼ cup (60gms) salted butter, diced
  • ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • ¼ cup (40gms) chocolate chips

Variation: replace the red wine with dark beer (gluten-free, if necessary)

Instructions

make the one-bowl red wine chocolate cake:

  • Preheat the oven to 325℉ (170℃). Grease a 9x9-inch (23x23cm) metal baking pan and line it with parchment paper.
  • Melt the butter and let it cool slightly.
  • In a large mixing bowl, whisk the red wine, brown sugar, sour cream, and egg. Add the melted butter and whisk until smooth.
  • Add the flour, cocoa powder (sifted if there are any lumps), baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Stir the dough until all the dry ingredients are incorporated. The batter will be quite stiff.
  • Scrape the batter into the prepared baking pan, and spread it evenly into the corners. Smooth the top with a silicone spatula.
  • Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the top springs back when lightly pressed with a fingertip or a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
  • Cool completely, in the pan.

make the boiled frosting (while the cake is cooling):

  • Put the brown sugar, egg, diced butter, and vanilla into a small saucepan and cook the caramel over medium heat, whisking constantly until it just comes to a boil and thickens. As soon as you see the first bubbles, remove the saucepan from the heat.
  • Add the chocolate chips and stir until they are melted. Let the frosting cool until it is thickened and spreadable, stirring occasionally.
  • Spread the frosting over the cooled red wine chocolate cake. Refrigerate the cake for 1 hour, until the frosting has set and is fudgy.
  • Cut into 9 dessert-sized squares or 12-16 snack-sized portions.

Notes

Don't let the cake batter sit out on the counter once you've added the dry ingredients to the liquid ingredients. The baking soda will react immediately with the acids in the liquid (think school science fair projects when adding baking soda to vinegar) and lose its bubbling action if it sits too long, causing a flatter, denser cake). Have the oven preheated and the cake pan ready so you can get the cake into the oven quickly once the batter is combined.
The cake can be stored at room temperature for up to 2 days, and covered and refrigerated for up to 5 days - let it come to room temperature before serving.
*The cake itself is not very sweet, so if you choose to make it without the icing, I'd recommend increasing the sugar to ¾ cup (150 grams).