Red Wine Chocolate Cake with Cream and Cherries

 For the Cake  

Note:  I used almond extract in the topping instead of Vanilla to up the cherry flavor

Cake Ingredients

12 tablespoons (170 grams) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 1/2 cup (390 grams) firmly packed dark brown sugar
1/2 cup (100 grams) white granulated sugar
3 large eggs, at room temperature
1 1/2 cup (354 ml) red wine
2 teaspoon (10 ml) vanilla extract
2 cups + 2 tablespoons (266 grams) all-purpose flour
1 cup (82 grams) Dutch cocoa powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon table salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon 

Cream Topping Ingredients

1 cup mascarpone cheese
1 cup (236 grams) chilled heavy or whipping cream
1/4 cup (50 grams) granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon almond extract

Method

Make the cake: Preheat the oven to 325°F. Line the bottom of a 9-inch round cake pan with parchment, and either butter and lightly flour the parchment and exposed sides of the pan, or spray the interior with a nonstick spray. 

In a large bowl, on the medium speed of an electric mixer, cream the butter until smooth. Add the sugars and beat until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the egg and yolk and beat well, then the red wine and vanilla. Don’t worry if the batter looks a little uneven. Sift the flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon and salt together, right over your wet ingredients. Mix until 3/4 combined, then fold the rest together with a rubber spatula. 

Spread batter in prepared pan. 

Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean. The top of the cake should be shiny and smooth, like a puddle of chocolate. Cool in pan on a rack for about 10 minutes, then flip out of pan and cool the rest of the way on a cooling rack. 

This cake keeps well at room temperature or in the fridge.

Make the topping: Whip mascarpone, cream, sugar and extract together until soft peaks form — don’t overwhip. Dollop generously on cake. It can be covered and refrigerated for up to 4 hours.

Cherry Sauce Source

Ingredients

2 cups frozen or fresh sweet cherries
½ cup sugar
1 pinch salt 
1 lemon 
1 Tbsp cornstarch 
3/4 cup water 

Method 

Place a medium-sized pot over medium heat. Add cherries, sugar, salt, and 1/2 cup of water. Stir to incorporate and bring the mixture to a soft boil.

Use a vegetable peeler to zest the lemon in long strips. Then juice the lemon. Add the zest and just 1/2 tablespoon of the lemon juice to the pot. Stir to incorporate.

In a separate bowl, mix the cornstarch into the remaining 1/4 cup of water until it is completely dissolved and creates a slurry. Add the cornstarch slurry and stir until incorporated. Boil the sauce for at least one more minute to activate the cornstarch.

Continue to stir until the syrup in the cherry sauce is bubbling softly and has thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon. Take the cherry sauce off the heat, allow it to cool, and remove the strips of lemon zest. It will thicken as it cools. Enjoy!