Red Wine Chocolate Cake with Fudgy Chocolate Frosting recipe

This rich, ultra-moist chocolate cake is infused with red wine and topped with a decadent fudgy frosting. If you love moist, indulgent chocolate cake, this chocolate cake is a must-try. The red wine enhances the chocolate flavour, adding subtle fruity and spicy notes without tasting boozy. The cake is soft, velvety, and rich, topped with dark chocolate ganache frosting for the ultimate decadent dessert experience.

I first discovered the idea of using red wine in chocolate cake years ago from my food styling teacher. It adds a unique depth of flavor that beautifully complements the chocolate.

When I decided to bring this concept to life, I knew I wanted to use Ina Garten’s famous Beatty’s Chocolate Cake as the base. After some research, I found that Love & Olive Oil had a similar idea with their red wine chocolate cake. They layered it with buttercream, chocolate ganache, and blackberry jam—a true showstopper.

My chocolate fudge frosting is perfect for this cake. It’s intensely chocolatey since dark chocolate ganache forms the base of it.

The alcohol in the wine bakes off in the oven, so there’s no distinct boozy taste—just a rich, complex chocolate flavour. My cake stayed fresh for a full week—at least, that’s when the last bite was eaten, so it may have lasted even longer!

You can make this as a two-layer cake, as I have, or use smaller pans (18cm) for a three-layer version.

I made this cake using Backsberg Plum Valley Merlot, a smooth, well-rounded wine bursting with notes of plum, cherry, chocolate, and raspberry. It’s natural sweetness and velvety texture beautifully enhance the deep cocoa flavours of the cake, adding both richness and complexity.

Backsberg Merlot pairs well with duck, lamb, sirloin steak, and pasta dishes—as well as chocolate and mint desserts. For the best experience, serve it slightly chilled.