Spiced Red Wine Cake with Dates and Ginger

by Kirsten on January 9, 2012 · 25 comments

in Cakes, Cakes & Sweets, Desserts, German Dishes

Spiced Red Wine Cakeis a very traditional cake in Palatinate Germany, the wine region where I come from. This cake has always been a favorite of mine. We even served it at my wedding. I was in heaven after I found this recipe since my old red wine cake recipe lacked in taste after the necessary high altitude baking adjustments.Red wine cake doesn’t taste like wine and is safe to eat for kids, don’t worry. The alcohol evaporates during the baking time. Chocolate and gingerbread spices are the dominant flavor components. To keep it moist I added some crystallized ginger and dates which turned out to be an ingenious addition. It added an extra layer off flavor to this spiced red wine cake that I would not want to miss anymore.Serve this spiced red wine cake topped with some whipped cream and a good cup of coffee. I am sure it will also become one of your favorites.Enjoy!

Spiced Red Wine Cake with Dates and Ginger
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Recipe type: Dessert
Cuisine: German
Author:
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 12
Ingredients
  • 1⅛ cup (250 g) butter, unsalted
  • 2 cups (250 g) confectionery sugar
  • 4 eggs, large
  • 2 cups 1½ Tablespoons (250 g) flour
  • 1 pinch salt
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • ⅓ cup 1 Tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1½ teaspoon ground allspice
  • 1 pinch red chili powder
  • 3 teaspoons cinnamon
  • 2 teaspoons ground ginger
  • ½ teaspoon pepper
  • 1¾ cup red wine ( I used Merlot)
  • ½ cup dates, chopped
  • ¼ cup crystallized ginger, chopped
Instructions
  1. Preheat your oven to 350 F. Grease 9 inch loaf pan.
  2. In a separate bowl mix together all the dry ingredients on the ingredients list from flour to pepper. Set aside.
  3. Cream butter and sugar in a stand mixer for about 4 minutes on medium high speed. Add the eggs one at a time.
  4. Add the flour mixture in three steps to the butter mixture, alternating with the red wine. Make sure to finish with the flour mixture. Don't over mix!
  5. Whisk in the dates and crystallized ginger.
  6. Pour batter into the loaf pan and bake for 40-45 minutes or until a wooden skewer inserted into the batter comes out clean.

Adapted from chefkoch.de.

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{ 25 comments }

Caterina B January 13, 2013 at 4:54 pm

ooooooh….I’m making this as soon as I get some dates! It looks delicious and I love cakes that other people might call “heavy” (moist) Such yummy ingredients, too. I can’t wait!

Karen Kaplan September 11, 2012 at 4:47 pm

Hi there,
I would love to make this cake, but it needs to be gluten free. What changes in the ingredients and process should I make?
Thanks!
Karen

Katie May 13, 2012 at 6:50 am

It looks great & who could go wrong with wine! Will this work at sea level without any adjustments?

Jacqueline - The Dusty Baker March 3, 2012 at 10:24 pm

How beautiful is this cake! Buzzed and saved – just lovely!

Petra February 7, 2012 at 9:33 pm

This a an amazingly tasty cake – thank you, for sharing!

Juls (Pepper and Sherry) January 14, 2012 at 4:12 pm

I made this today after having spent the week vowing to! This is the singular most tasty cake I have ever had, its barely sweet and has all the spicy and festive associations that come with mulled wine. I love it! Thank you so much for sharing this recipe!

Yvette ~ Muy Bueno Cookbook January 13, 2012 at 3:44 pm

I have been craving German food since my sister moved to German recently and then I remembered you and your blog. So glad I found your site! I look forward to bringing some German meals into our Mexican kitchen.

This red wine cake looks divine – I can’t wait to see all the recipes on your site. Mmmmm!

Within the Kitchen January 11, 2012 at 4:58 pm

This looks delicious. Putting on my "to make" list!
thanks
Ceecee

Kirsten@My German Kitchen...in the Rockies January 11, 2012 at 4:15 pm

@Ilke: Powdered sugar is easier to incorporate into the butter. If you would use the same volume in regular sugar it would probably be way too sweet, at least for me. You could use the same weight, which is 250 g or 8.82 ounces. Good luck! Kirsten

Ilke January 11, 2012 at 4:07 pm

I love the cakes with booze. I am interested in the difference between the powdered sugar vs granulated sugar. Is it an adjustment for altitude? Would it be denser with regular sugar?

Susan January 11, 2012 at 3:33 pm

Kirsten–what a beautiful red cake and I love dates, so this is a must bake! XOXO

Jeanne January 11, 2012 at 3:03 pm

Wow, this looks incredible! I love the color of the cake. I've never thought to use wine in cake but I bet it gives great flavor. Thanks for sharing this recipe!

From Beyond My Kitchen Window January 11, 2012 at 12:36 am

What an interesting recipe. I have never had cake with wine in it. Looks delicious and I just might have to make it just to see what it tastes like.

Amy January 11, 2012 at 12:13 am

Wow! This cake has so much goodness, all my favorites, especially the red wine and dates! You have a winner :)!

Steve n Vickie January 10, 2012 at 9:49 pm

Looks delicious.

Lea Ann (Highlands Ranch Foodie) January 10, 2012 at 2:52 pm

I love the "topped with whipped cream" part. I'm not a frosting fan, so use that more often than not. This cake sounds delicious Kirsten and since I've vowed to bake more this year, I should give it a try. Ok, is this recipe format the Kitchenbug we talked about last week?

Viviane Bauquet Farre - Food and Style January 10, 2012 at 2:43 pm

Oh my… This cake looks divine! You've got three all-time favorite ingredients in one beautiful, moist cake! Dreaming about a slice right now…

Kiri W. January 10, 2012 at 2:12 pm

This looks fantastic – I love the red wine in combination with ginger, and since I love dried dates, I bet those work beautifully, too. Wonderful recipe!
I can't fathom having to figure out all the alterations with altitude!

Kristen January 10, 2012 at 11:29 am

So nice for you to have found a recipe that works at high altitude. I spent a lot of years above 5000 feet and had to learn all of the tricks. Now, I am at about 30 feet and actually have had to readjust the opposite way! Your cake looks delicious!!!

pepperandsherry January 10, 2012 at 7:28 am

You could not have put up this delicious recipe at a better time! We were watching a food-competition show we have here called "Come Dine with me" last night and an Austrian woman created a spiced wine cake. My partner, whose, birthday is coming up, started demanding the cake for his birthday so I have to thank you for the lucky timing! I will certainly make this and no doubt report back!

Toni from Boulder Locavore January 9, 2012 at 11:48 pm

Fantastic! What a delicious recipe and your photos Kirsten are picture perfect. I noticed your new nutritional ingredient list too. What a great addition to your already informative blog. At this time of year especially I'm sure many will make use of it.

Susan January 9, 2012 at 10:37 pm

We used to make this a lot! But we added little chocolate sprinkles in our Rotwein kuchen.

thank you so much for posting this.

Pacheco Patty January 9, 2012 at 7:40 pm

Oh this cake is so beautiful, love the color, flavors especially excited about the red wine. It's just a dream of a cake, lovely photo as well!

Kirsten@My German Kitchen...in the Rockies January 9, 2012 at 5:44 pm

@sangeeta: Thanks so much. Fixed the ingredients list.

sangeeta January 9, 2012 at 5:41 pm

Oh wow …a cake recipe which i love making with millet flours….never knew this was a traditional recipe from this part of the world.

Just wanted to know how the dates are used, chopped or syrup? There is no dates in the ingredients list.
Thank you.

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