Ultra Moist Lower Fat Chocolate Mayonaise Cake

Ultra Moist Lower Fat Chocolate Mayonnaise Cake

Ingredients:

2 cups flour
2/3 cups cocoa powder (unsweetened)
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1 1/2 cups dark brown sugar

2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup LIGHT Mayonnaise
2/3 cup red wine
2/3 cup water
3 eggs
1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips (optional - if you like a little extra-chocolate)

Frosting:
Chocolate Ganache Frosting

or
A delicious chocolate buttercream or chocolate cream cheese frosting of your choice

Directions:

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Mix dry ingredients (flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, salt and brown sugar) together with a whisk until well incorporated.

2.  Add mayonnaise and vanilla to dry ingredients (do not mix yet).  In a microwave or saucepan heat the wine and water until just before boiling.  Add wine/water to dry ingredients and mix until well incorporated.  Add 3 beaten eggs and mix until there are no lumps and all ingredients are well incorporated.  Add chocolate chips and mix, optional.

3.  Baking Options:  Pour mixture in to prepared pans (sprayed generously with cooking spray) of choice and bake as noted:
2 8 inch cake pans - bake for 25-35 minutes or until done
Bundt Pan - bake for 45-55 minutes or until done
About 30 cupcakes - 15 minutes or until done
2 9 inch Loaf Pans - 30-40 minutes or until done

A toothpick will come out clean when cake is done.

4.  Let cool completely and frost as desired.  Enjoy!

Lower-Fat Chocolate Ganache Frosting

Ganache is so much easier and better than frosting, not sure I will ever go back...

Ingredients:
1/2 cup skim or low-fat milk
1 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions:
Put chocolate chips in a medium mixing bowl.  In a small-medium saucepan heat milk until just-before boiling and immediately turn off the heat; or heat milk in a microwave for 1 minute.   Add milk to chocolate chips and stir until chocolate is dissolved. Ganache will be thick.  Pour over your favorite cake. Let harden at room temperature or in the refrigerator and then serve.

Quick and Easy Summer Chocolate Malbec Spice Cupcakes

These cupcakes are the perfect combination of chocolate and wine, two of my favorite things.  These cupcakes are very moist and are delicious with or without frosting.  Bonus!  This means less work for you, enjoy!

Ingredients:
1 package Chocolate Cake Mix (any type including German Chocolate)
3/4 cup red wine (Malbec adds some spice, but any red wine will work)
1 stick butter
5.25 ounces (about 3/4 cup) Chocolate (milk, dark or semi-sweet to your preference)
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
3 eggs beaten
1 tsp. vanilla

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

In small saucepan melt chocolate and butter together over medium heat until both are just melted.

Pour cake mix until medium mixing bowl, add melted chocolate mixture, wine, cinnamon, ginger, eggs and vanilla.  Stir until combined.

Pour until prepared cupcake cups.  I use cupcake liners.  Bake for 12-16 minutes or until cooked through.  Serve warm or let cool. If topping with desired frosting, make sure the cupcakes are cool first.  Makes 24 cupcakes.