Mulled Wine Chocolate Cake

CAKE

1. Preheat oven to 180ºC. Grease and line three 9-inch round cake tins with parchment. Grease parchment, sprinkle with cocoa powder and shake to coat the entire pan. Tap out any excess cocoa. Set aside.
2. In a large bowl using an electric mixer, cream Stork Original until smooth. Add the sugars and beat until fluffy. Add the eggs and beat well, then the mulled wine and vanilla. The mixture will look a bit curdled.
3. Sift the flour, cocoa, bicarbonate of soda, baking powder, and salt into the wet mix. Fold gently to combine.
4. Divide mixture evenly amongst tins. Bake for 25 mins, until a cake tester or knife inserted into each layer comes out clean.
5. Let cool in the tins for 10 minutes then remove onto a cooling rack until completely cooled.
6. Trim the top of the cakes with a serrated knife they have domed slightly.

CRANBERRIES

1. In a small saucepan, whisk water and 135g of sugar to combine. Bring just to a simmer and whisk until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat and stir in the cranberries so that they are coated evenly with the sugar syrup. Cover and let steep for 10 minutes.
2. Strain, reserving the syrup. Separate the cranberries and place on a piece of parchment paper on a wire cooling rack. Allow to dry out for one hour.
3. Place the remaining sugar on a plate and transfer the cranberries to the plate, rolling the cranberries in the sugar to coat.

ICING

1. Place the cream cheese and icing sugar in a large bowl and beat on medium-low speed until smooth.
2. Turn the mixer down to medium-low speed and pour the cold Elmlea double down the side of the bowl in a very slow and steady stream, scraping the sides every so often.
3. When all the cream has been added, turn the mixer up to medium-high and whip until the frosting holds stiff peaks.
4. Fold in the vanilla extract, orange zest and cinnamon.

CHOCOLATE DRIP

1. Heat the cream in a heatproof bowl in the microwave in 1 minute intervals until just simmering.
2. Pour cream over chopped chocolate and let sit for 2 minutes to melt. Stir to combine and melt through.
3. Let cool to room temperature.

ASSEMBLY

1. Place one of the cake layers on a cake stand or serving platter and spread a layer of icing. Top with the second cake and add more icing. Place the third cake layer on top upside down so that the surface of the cake is perfectly flat.
2. Cover the whole cake in a layer of icing then chill in the fridge for 1 hour to firm up, or 30 minutes in the freezer.
3. Re-warm the chocolate ganache in 10 second intervals if needed so it’s just warmer than room temperature.
4. Using a spoon, starting at the edge of the cake, spoon the ganache over the top edge of the cake, encouraging it to drizzle down the side with your spoon. Gently fill in the middle of the top of the cake with ganache.
5. Return the cake to the fridge for 15 minutes then garnish with sugared cranberries.