Christmas Cake

Ingredients

• 375 g soft margarine
• 200 g sugar
• 1 packet vanilla sugar
• 0.5 bottle rum flavoring
• 1 pinch salt
• 6 eggs (size M)
• 375 g wheat flour
• 2 tbsp cocoa powder
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 pack baking powder
• 200 g chocolate shavings
• 125 g chopped almonds
• 160 ml dry red wine (add more if desired)
• powdered sugar (for dusting)

Instructions

1. 1.

   Grease and flour a springform pan. Preheat the oven to 180°C.

2. 2.

   Add the margarine to a mixing bowl, gradually whisk in the sugar, rum flavoring, and salt. Beat in the eggs one at a time, about 1 minute each on high speed. Mix the flour with cocoa, cinnamon, and baking powder; alternately fold in the chocolate shavings, almonds, and red wine on medium speed for brief periods. Pour the batter into the pan and place it in the lower third of the oven. Bake for about 75 minutes, checking with a toothpick. Remove the cake from the oven and let it rest in the pan for ~10 minutes, then release and cool on a wire rack.

3. 3.

   Decorate the finished cake with parchment paper, paper angels, and satin ribbon, then dust with powdered sugar before serving.