This old-fashioned German Mulled Wine Cake is a delicious blend of cake, chocolate, and spiced wine. Perfect for cold winter days! Enjoy with a cup of coffee, tea, or just make a larger batch of mulled wine.
Ingredients
For a detailed, printable list of ingredients please check the recipe card below.
For Mulled Wine
RED WINE - This is where you can put your own spin on this recipe and work with what you have. I like to use a good Merlot, Malbec, Cabernet Sauvignon, or a Red Zinfandel. You don't have to use really expensive wine, but I also wouldn't use cooking wine.
RUM - Again, I typically use what I have on hand which is mostly Bacardi. But you can also experiment with adding a splash of Amaretto. It goes really well with the other spices.
ORANGE - Whenever I use zest or peel as well as juice, I try to find organic oranges. Be sure to also give it a really good scrub before using it.
SPICES - Cinnamon is a must. And for this recipe use a cinnamon stick (instead of ground cinnamon). Besides cinnamon, you'll also want to add cloves (again not ground). You can definitely use star anise as well. I didn't have any and anise isn't one of my favorite flavors, so I don't include it in the recipe.
SUGAR - My family has always added sugar to our Glühwein (mulled wine) but you can experiment with other sweeteners, too.
For The Batter
CHOCOLATE - Semi-sweet chocolate works best. I typically use chocolate chips.
BUTTER - If you're a regular reader you hear me preach about this all time. I always recommend using unsalted butter for all of your baking and cooking.
SUGAR - Granulated sugar is perfect for this recipe. I've gravitated more and more to buying unbleached organic sugar, so it's just a little less refined and more environmentally friendly. But from a baking point of view, it's the same sugar as plain white sugar.
EGGS - I use large or extra eggs. And yes, there are quite a few in this recipe that just adds to the richness of this beautiful seasonal cake.
FLOUR - It's an easy recipe and regular all-purpose flour will work just fine.
RAISING AGENT - For this cake recipe, I like to use baking powder and of course a dash of salt.
VANILLA - There are a few core ingredients in my cooking and baking that I will pay extra for. Pure vanilla extract is one of them.
Vanilla is similar to salt in that it enhances all of the other ingredients. But what if you don't have any on hand? Yes, you can leave it out, it won't destroy the integrity of the recipe, but like salt, a little goes a long way.
For The Icing
SUGAR - Yes, more sugar! For this icing well just need some powdered sugar (confectioner's sugar).
LEMON - for the white layer of the icing we'll use a tiny bit of a lemon.
How To Make Mulled Wine Cake
Mulled Wine
- Combine wine, rum, orange juice, orange zest, cinnamon sticks, cloves, and sugar in a saucepan. Bring to a boil. Simmer for 2-3 minutes.
- Remove from heat and let cool. Strain mulled wine through a sieve. Cover and set aside.
Cake Batter
- Add chocolate chips to a food processor and blend until they look like bread crumbs. Set aside. (You can also do this by adding them to a zip lock bag and crushing the chocolate with a rolling pin.)
- In a large bowl and combine butter, sugar, and vanilla extract. Beat with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until smooth.
- Add eggs one at a time and continue to beat on medium speed.
- Mix in flour, baking powder, and salt. Beat until well combined.
- Add mulled wine and beat on low speed. Fold in chopped chocolate.
- Pour the mixture into the bundt cake pan. Bake for 40-45 minutes. Transfer onto a wire rack to cool. Leave to cool completely.
Icing
- In a medium bowl whisk powdered sugar and lemon juice until smooth and creamy.
- OPTIONAL - In a small separate bowl combine a few tablespoons of powdered sugar with a couple of teaspoons of red wine. Whisk till smooth. Drizzle the red wine over the white ice. It'll add an extra boost of flavor and look pretty, too.
- Drizzle icing over the Mulled Wine Cake. Serve and enjoy.
Store and Keep
The best way to store Mulled Wine Cake is to keep it covered in a cake pan with a lid or in an airtight container. You can keep it covered at room temperature for 4-5 days.
Freezing Mulled Wine Cake
- You can freeze the entire cake. If you do, don't add any icing. Wrap the Mulled Wine Cake first with a layer of plastic wrap. Then wrap the cake again with aluminum foil. The cake will last for up to three months in the freezer. Don't forget to date the cake when you freeze it.
- You can also freeze individual slices of cake using the same double wrap procedure. If you do that I suggest to ice the cake after defrosting it.
- When it's time to defrost the Mulled Wine Cake, allow it to saw in the fridge. Once thawed remove it from the fridge and allow it to rise to room temperature.
- Make a quick frosting and drizzle it on over the cake.
If You Like This Recipe, Try These German Dessert Recipes
- Streuselkuchen
- Vanillekipferl
- Strudel Cookies
- German Cherry Crumb Cake
- Cherry Pound Cake
- Thumbprint Cookies - Augenzeugen
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Mulled Wine Cake
Ingredients
Mulled Wine
- ½ cup red wine Merlot, Red Zinfandel, or a Cabernet Sauvignon
- 1 tablespoon brown rum
- 1 large orange zest + juice
- 1 whole cinnamon sticks
- 3 whole cloves
- ¼ cup sugar
Cake Batter
- 4 ounces semi-sweet chocolate *I used chocolate chips*
- 1 ½ cups butter 3 sticks, unsalted, room temperature
- 1 ½ cups sugar
- 6 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 3 cups flour
- 1 tablespoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
Icing
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 2-3 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1-2 tablespoons mulled wine optional
Instructions
Prep
- Preheat the oven to 350° Fahrenheit. Grease a bundt cake form. Set aside.
Mulled Wine
- Combine wine, rum, orange juice, orange zest, cinnamon sticks, cloves, and sugar in a saucepan. Bring to a boil. Simmer for 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool. Strain mulled wine through a sieve. Cover and set aside.
Cake Batter
- Add chocolate chips to a food processor and blend until they look like bread crumbs. Set aside.
- In a large bowl and combine butter, sugar, and vanilla extract and beat with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until smooth.
- Add eggs one at a time and continue to beat on medium speed. Mix in flour, baking powder, and salt. Continue on low speed and add mulled wine. Fold in chopped chocolate.
- Pour batter into the pre-greased cake pan. Bake for 45 minutes. Transfer onto a wire rack to cool.
Icing
- In a medium bowl whisk powdered sugar and lemon juice until smooth. Divide the icing in half and add a few drops of mulled wine. Alternatively drizzle both red and white icing over the cooled mulled wine cake.
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