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Red Wine Cake with Cinnamon and Chocolate

This is the cake of my late teenage years, made with red wine, bittersweet chocolate chunks and cinnamon. It's spongy, juicy and so rich in taste! My friends and I were obsessed with it, we baked it for every possible occasion. That's a while ago now and I've since moved on to other great cakes but today I thought it's time again: pink cake for the weekend!

I must say it was yesterday that this idea came to mind. I baked it and was surprised by the cakes texture until I noticed that I didn't put in the right amount of wine - I mixed up milliliters and cups on my measuring cup and put in far too little red wine. The cake turned out much too dry and hard on the outside. I was confused at first, wondering if the memory was sweetened by time but I remembered this cake so soft and juicy that I knew I must have mixed up the recipe (I even questioned my oven's reliability for a second). Today I got my second chance and my pink cake turned out as pretty and delicious as I remembered it!

Red Wine Cake with Chocolate and Cinnamon

For 1 loaf tin, about 23cm x 10cm / 9" x 4", you need

For the dough

  • butter 250g / 9 ounces

  • granulated sugar 250g / 9 ounces

  • organic eggs 4

  • plain flour 250g / 9 ounces

  • baking powder 3 teaspoons

  • cocoa powder 3 teaspoons

  • cinnamon, ground, 2 teaspoons

  • a pinch of salt

  • red wine 125ml

  • bittersweet chocolate, chopped, 100g / 3.5 ounces

For the icing

  • icing sugar (100g / 3.5 ounces) mixed with red wine or water (3-4 tablespoons)

Set your oven to 165°C / 330°F (fan-assisted oven). Butter your loaf tin and dust with flour.

Combine the dry ingredients (except the sugar). Mix the butter together with the sugar till fluffy, add the eggs, one at a time, and continue mixing for a couple minutes. Add the dry ingredients and the red wine and mix until smooth. Gently fold in the chocolate and scoop into your prepared tin. Bake for 65 minutes or until golden. Check with a skewer, it should come out clean, and let it cool. Spread the icing sugar on top of the cake to finish its pink glory.

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