We are only a few days short from starting into the Advent season. This is typically the time I start finalizing preparations for my annual trip to South Africa. With all what is going on however, I am not feeling to make a long-distance trip and sadly, have cancelled everything already earlier this year.
Staying home during the holiday season for the first time in about 15 years, I figured it’d be the perfect time to experiment with some new recipes for the festive season.
If you are looking for something a bit out of the usual to put on the table during the festive season, either entertaining guests (perhaps next year) or just for yourself, try this super delicious mulled wine pound cake.
It has been on my list for quite a while and I am so glad I got finally around making it.
Mulled wine pound cake
What you need:
200 g butter
200 g sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla sugar
4 eggs
Pint of salt
250 g all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
A pinch of cinnamon, grated
100 g dark chocolate, chopped into small pieces
For the mulled wine:
200 ml red wine
1 clove
1 cinnamon stick
2 pinches of cardamom
How to make it:
First, prepare the mulled wine. Add wine, clove, cinnamon and cardamom to a large pot and heat to about 80°C (make sure it does not start to boil). Reduce the heat and let simmer for about 10 minutes.
Pour through a sieve to eliminate the spices then put the wine back into the pot and over medium heat reduce to around 125 ml.
Set aside to let cool.
Preheat oven to 175°C.
Add butter, sugar, vanilla sugar, and a pinch of salt to a food processor or use an electric mixer on high speed. Mix everything together for about 5 to 8 minutes until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time and combine well each time.
Add the mulled wine with the mixer on slow until well combined.
Combine flour, backing powder and cinnamon then gradually add to the butter-sugar-mulled wine mix. Stir in the roughly chopped chocolate.
Grease a pound cake pan with butter than add the cake batter. Bake for about 50 minutes on the second rail from the bottom. The cake is ready when a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean.
Let cool in the pan for about 15 minutes than invert onto a wire rack.
Finally, whisk some powdered sugar into a glaze and drizzle over the cake.
It tastes great just on its own but if you like, serve with some whipped cream aside and maybe a glass of mulled wine.
Enjoy
Carrots and Tigers 