German Red Wine Cake

The familiar flavors of holiday spices, bittersweet chocolate and red wine come together to create this ultra-cozy dessert. Think German Christmas markets, glühwein, and the smell of candied almonds in the air. This German Red Wine Cake transports me to some of my most cherished memories. Finished with a maple crème anglaise, this deliciously rich cake is sure to warm you up this holiday season.

Prep Work for German Red Wine Cake

• Collect items like mixing bowls, whisk, spatula, and a Bundt cake pan.
• Instead of a whisk and spatula, you could also use a stand mixer with a whisk and paddle attachment.

Shop my pantry and spice cabinet to find ingredients you’ll need for this recipe.

Ingredients Needed for German Red Wine Cake

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 4 eggs (room temperature)
• 1 cup dry red wine
• 1 cup butter (room temperature)
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 bar bittersweet chocolate (roughly chopped)
• 2 tbsp cocoa powder
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp ground cardamom
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp ground cloves
• pinch of salt

Ingredients for Maple Crème Anglaise

• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 cup whole milk
• 4 egg yolks
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 2 tsp maple extract
• pinch of salt

How to Make German Red Wine Cake

1. Preheat oven to 350F.
2. In a mixing bowl (or stand mixer) whisk together butter and sugar. Whisk in the eggs and add the remainder of the wet ingredients (red wine & vanilla extract).
3. Sift in the dry ingredients flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, cardamom, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves. Add your pinch of salt and thoroughly combine the cake batter. Fold in the chopped chocolate chunks.
4. Coat the inside of the Bundt cake pan with butter, granulated sugar (about 2 tbsp worth). Pour the cake batter in to the pan. Place in the middle of the oven and bake for 50-60 minutes.
5. Once finished remove from oven and allow to cool in the pan for about 10 minutes.
6. Placing a plate or dish, large enough to cover the bottom of the pan, flip the cake over onto the platter.
7. Finish with the maple crème anglaise and a dusting of cinnamon. Serve immediately.

Steps for Maple Crème Anglaise

1. Add heavy cream, milk, and maple extract to a saucepan. Heat the mixture over medium-low heat until steam starts to ribbon off the top (do not let boil)
2. Whisk together the egg yolks and sugar in a heat-safe mixing bowl.
3. Pour the cream mixture in a steady stream into the egg yolk mixture while whisking.
4. Once all liquid has been added, transfer back to the saucepan over low heat, whisking continuously.
5. Cook until the custard mixture has thickened slightly (about 5 minutes). It should coat the back of a spoon.
6. Remove from heat and pour sauce through a fine mesh sieve into a heat-safe bowl.
7. Allow to cool on the counter or place in a larger bowl with an ice water bath to chill.
8. Store in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

Notes and Modifications

The knife or skewer method works great when checking for the cake’s doneness. Insert the knife or skewer towards the middle of the cake, and if it comes out clean, your cake is ready.

There should be crème anglaise leftover. A great way to use this up is to serve the extra on the side for those who’d like more with the cake or store it in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to a week.

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If you make this recipe be sure to tag me on Instagram! Just mention @servedseasonal or tag #servedseasonal. Thank you endlessly for your support!