Prosecco Chocolate Cake: National Prosecco Day

Today is National Prosecco Day, and since I love Prosecco, I had to pair it with chocolate. Here's an easy recipe for Prosecco Chocolate Cake. 

BTW, Prosecco is an affordable, versatile, appealing, good-quality sparkling wine.

The difference between Prosecco and Champagne: 

Sparkling wine can only be referred to as champagne when it originates from the Champagne region of France. Prosecco is specific to the Veneto region in northern Italy. In terms of technique, the two are also made in different ways: for both wines, the grapes are fermented twice, but with prosecco, at least one fermentation takes place in a stainless-steel vat. Champagne is fermented twice in the bottle.

Prosecco Chocolate Cake

Ingredients
2 cups sifted cake flour
1/4 cup DARK cocoa
1 1/2 cups sugar (superfine is best, regular is ok), divided
1 Tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup Prosecco
5 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
7 large egg yolks
7 large egg whites, at room temperature

Directions
Preheat oven to 325F. Use an ungreased 10" Bundt Pan.
In large bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa, sugar (reserving 2 Tbsp), baking powder, and salt.
In medium bowl, whisk together champagne, vegetable oil, vanilla, and egg yolks, then pour into dry ingredients and whisk until just smooth.
In another large bowl, using electric mixer, beat egg whites to stiff peaks. Add remaining 2 Tbsp of sugar gradually, starting when whites begin to get foamy.
Once egg whites have reached stiff peaks (do not overheat), gently whisk 1/4 of egg whites into Prosecco batter. Gently, working in two additions, fold remaining beaten whites into Prosecco batter until no streaks of egg white foam remain visible and batter is uniform color. Be sure to scrape sides and bottom of bowl well.
Pour into ungreased bundt pan and bake for 50-60 minutes, until top of cake springs back when gently touched and toothpick inserted into center comes out clean.
Invert onto wire rack and let cool completely.
Once cooled, run knife around the edges and turn cake out onto a serving platter.
Dust with powdered sugar or cocoa.

Serve with whipped cream and a glass of Prosecco