Glühwein Chocolate Hazelnut Cake

This Glühwein Chocolate Hazelnut Cake is a decadent, rich dessert with a personality as bold as your Aunt Linda’s Christmas sweaters. This isn’t just any cake. It’s a dense, luscious masterpiece loaded with chocolate, hazelnuts, and a hefty dose of Glühwein, the holiday drink of legends.

Glühwein?

I’ll get to the cake in the minute. Meanwhile, here’s a quick crash course on Glühwein (pronounced gloo-vine). This festive mulled wine in this Glühwein Chocolate Hazelnut Cake hails from Germany and Austria, where it’s the ultimate winter warmer. It’s a magical concoction of red wine, cinnamon, cloves, citrus, and sometimes a little extra zing-like brandy. No wonder the direct English translation is “Glow wine”. Historically, mulled wine dates back to the Roman Empire. So those wine-loving Romans knew how to beat the winter chill with their spiced creations. The tradition stuck. Thank you, Rome.

Surprisingly, Glühwein is easy to make at home. Here’s a good recipe.

Now the Cake:

So back to the Glühwein Chocolate Hazelnut Cake. Imagine this: cocoa powder and melted chocolate dancing in a luscious batter. Add two glorious cups of chopped hazelnuts—raw for crunch or toasted for an extra nutty oomph. Pro tip: Toast those hazelnuts. Your taste buds will thank you.

The further addition of Glühwein gives the batter a warm, spiced depth that screams holiday cheer. Once baked and cooled, a thin, glossy layer of melted chocolate goes over the top. Think of it as the cake’s little black dress—simple yet stunning.

Sprinkle the top with Christmas-themed sugar pearls and decorations. Go wild. Bling it up. It’s a party, after all.

This cake doesn’t just sit on a dessert table; it owns it. Whether you’re hosting a brunch, lunch, or a full-blown holiday dinner, the Glühwein Chocolate Hazelnut Cake is a guaranteed crowd-pleaser.

So grab a slice, pour yourself a mug of Glühwein, and toast to the season. Because nothing says “Merry Christmas” like cake with a little tipsy kick.

Print

Glühwein Chocolate Hazelnut Cake

Course Dessert

Cuisine German

Keyword Chocolate Cake, Chocolate Hazelnut Cake, Christmas Cake, Glüwein Cake, Hazelnut cake, Mulled Wine Cake

Prep Time 35 minutes

Cook Time 35 minutes

Servings 12

Author Lora Wiley-Lennartz

Ingredients

• 2 cups flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
• 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
• 9 oz. semi-sweet chocolate
• 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons unsalted butter room temperature.
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract.
• 1 tablespoon orange zest
• 6 eggs
• Scant cup mulled wine
• 1 cup hazelnuts roughly chopped
• Sugar decorations

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350F.
2. Line a 9' X 9" square pan with baking paper. Make sure the paper overlaps on the sides.
3. Grease the baking paper.
4. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, cloves, and cocoa.
5. Melt the chocolate in a double boiler.
6. Beat the butter, sugar, and vanilla sugar until fluffy.
7. Beat in the vanilla and zest.
8. Add the eggs 1 at a time. Make sure each is fully incorporated into the batter before adding another.
9. Beat in 2/3 of the melted chocolate.
10. Add the dry ingredients in thirds alternating with the mulled wine.
11. Fold in the chopped hazelnuts.
12. Transfer the batter to the prepared pan.

13. Bake for 35 minutes or until a knife inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean.

14. Once the cake has cooled.
15. Reheat the remaining chocolate and spread it over the top.
16. Sprinkle the sugar decorations over the top.
17. When the chocolate topping has hardened. Cut and serve.

Like this Glühwein Chocolate Hazelnut Cake? Also, check out some of these other delicious recipes:

ORANGE APEROL GLÜHWEIN

MULLED WINE CHOCOLATE TRUFFLES

GLÜHWEIN HAZELNUT LINZER STAR COOKIES