Christmas Mulled Wine Velvet Cake

Name: Christmas Mulled Wine Velvet Cake
Yield: 16 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 225 grams unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus more for greasing tins; 150 grams granulated sugar; 430 grams dark brown sugar; 4 large eggs; 2 tsp vanilla extract; 530 ml mulled wine (the cheap, pre-made stuff from the supermarket); 400 grams plain flour, plus more for flouring tins; 130 grams Dutch cocoa powder (powder that has its acids neutralised, available in supermarkets); 1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda; 1 tsp baking powder; 3/4 tsp ground cinnamon; 3/4 tsp table salt; 1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda; 450 grams mascarpone cheese; 135 grams icing sugar; 1 pinch of salt; 1/4 tsp ground gloves; 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg; 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon; 1/4 tsp orange extract; 1/4 tsp vanilla extract

bruce78952 @cook_3148149

My family all like Christmas pudding, but it's just not for me. This year I decided to try making a Christmas-style cake for me to have at Christmas, and hopefully win some of the others away from the evil Christmas pudding too ;).

I took a red wine velvet cake recipe that I had and altered it by replacing the red wine with mulled wine, and added some Christmas spices to the icing. I am very pleased with the result of my test bake - it's lovely and moist, rich and and the spices come through nicely. Waiting till Christmas now to see if I can win the family over.

bruce78952 @cook_3148149

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Ingredients

16 servings

For the sponge
225 gramsunsalted butter, at room temperature, plus more for greasing tins
150 gramsgranulated sugar
430 gramsdark brown sugar
4 largeeggs
2 tspvanilla extract
530 mlmulled wine (the cheap, pre-made stuff from the supermarket)
400 gramsplain flour, plus more for flouring tins
130 gramsDutch cocoa powder (powder that has its acids neutralised, available in supermarkets)
1/2 tspbicarbonate of soda
1 tspbaking powder
3/4 tspground cinnamon
3/4 tsptable salt
1/2 tspbicarbonate of soda
For the filling
450 gramsmascarpone cheese
135 gramsicing sugar
1 pinchof salt
1/4 tspground gloves
1/4 tspground nutmeg
1/4 tspground cinnamon
1/4 tsporange extract
1/4 tspvanilla extract

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Steps

1

Preheat your oven to 160C/fan 140C/gas mark 3. Line the bottom of two 23cm cake tins with parchment and butter and lightly flour the parchment and sides of the pans.
2

In a mixer on medium speed, cream the butter until smooth. Add the sugars and beat until fluffy. Add the eggs, beat well, then the mulled wine and vanilla. Sift the flour, cocoa, bicarbonate of soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt together, over the mixture. Mix with the machine until almost combined, then fold the rest together with a spatula.
3

Divide batter between the tins. Bake for 45 minutes, or until a skewer comes out clean. The top of each cake should be shiny and smooth. Cool on a rack. If your cakes have domed a bit, level the tops using a long serrated knife.
4

In a medium bowl, beat the mascarpone with the icing sugar, pinch of salt, vanilla extract, orange extract and spices at medium speed until the mixture is light and fluffy. Place the first cake layer on a cake stand or plate, and spread with half of the filling. Repeat with the second layers. Chill in the fridge until you're ready to serve.