Ending our series on cake and wine and how they combine, there really is no other choice than the ultimate pairing of chocolate cake and Cabernet Sauvignon. In this instance, our Leopard’s Leap Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot. The complexity and dark fruit of the Cabernet matches the intense dark chocolate, while the juicy and mellow Merlot matches the creaminess of the crème patissiere.

Treat yourself or your  loved ones to this delicious moist, dark chocolate cake over the weekend.  And for once, forget about coffee and tea, the red wine will bring much more glee!

Chocolate Cake Recipe

Ingredients

Chocolate pastry cream — Crème pat

640 ml milk

1          vanilla pod

160 g     caster sugar

3          egg-yolks

300 g     butter

180 g     70% dark chocolate

50 g        custard powder

Chocolate sponge

200 g butter

435 g brown sugar

85 g cocoa powder

3 eggs

300 g flour

1 tsp baking-powder

1 tsp bicarb

350 ml warm water

Chocolate glaze

300 g   cream

50 g     sugar

200 g   70% dark chocolate

50 g     butter

Brandy syrup

250 ml brandy

500 ml water

2 cups sugar

Method

Mud cake sponge

Cream butter, sugar and cocoa powder until light and fluffy. Add eggs gradually.

Combine baking-powder with flour. Combine warm water with bicarb.

Add dry ingredients and liquid to creamed mixture in batches alternately, to prevent lumps.

Bake at 160 °C for 20 minutes.

Pour the brandy syrup over the sponge as soon as it comes out of the oven.

Leave to cool, divide into two or three layers and fill with the pastry cream

Brandy syrup

Place all 3 ingredients inside a pot and gently bring to the boil to allow the sugar to dissolve.

Remove from the heat and leave to cool.

Pour the syrup over the sponge as soon as it comes out of the oven.

Chocolate glaze

Combine sugar and cream and bring to the boil.

Pour over chocolate and stir to melt.

Allow the chocolate mixture to cool down to 40 °C and blitz in the soft butter.

Place the cake onto a wire rack and pour the glaze over the cake to cover completely.

Chocolate pastry cream — Crème pat

Scrape the seeds out of the vanilla pod. In a pot, bring the milk, butter and vanilla pod to the boil.

Whisk together the eggs, sugar and custard powder.

Pour a third of the simmering milk over the egg mixture and whisk together.

Strain the egg mixture through a fine sieve into the pot of simmering milk.

Cook the mixture until it starts to thicken.

Melt the chocolate in the microwave and add to the mixture off the heat.

Allow to cool, place into piping bag and pipe onto the cake.

To assemble:

Pour the brandy syrup over the sponge as soon as it comes out of the oven.

Leave the cake to cool, divide into two or three layers and fill with the pastry cream.

Place the cake onto a wire rack and pour the glaze over the cake to cover completely.

Garnish with chocolate shards, Whispers, hazel-nuts, or gold dust.

Pour your glass of Leopard’s Leap Classic Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot