1/2 cup minus 2 tbsp Chianti wine (or a good red wine) (75 ml)
4-5 cloves soaked in the above wine for at least 1/2 hr.
1/2 cup very soft butter (80-100 gr.) part coconut oil good too
1/2 cup (100 gr.) sugar
2 eggs (separated)
1/2 tsp cinammon
1 tsp vanilla
2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa
2 1/2 oz. (75 gr.) 75% dark chocolate, finely chopped
1 cup (125 gr.) sifted all purpose or cake flour
1/2 envelope (about 2 tsp) baking powder
to decorate: powdered sugar, 1 cup heavy cream whipped with 2 tbsp powdered sugar.
optional: cherries in syrup (Toschi brand are good)
1. Whip egg whites with a pinch of salt and/or cream of tarter until soft peaks form. Set aside.
2. Without changing beaters, beat the butter and sugar until fluffy.
3. Beat in yolks until creamy and light.
4. Beat in cinnamon and cocoa and vanilla.
5. Mix in the wine (strain out and discard the cloves first).
6. Gradually add the flour sifted with the baking powder and mix by hand until well combined.
7. Fold in the egg whites gradually 1/3 at a time (don’t beat).
8. Very gently fold in the chopped chocolate.
9. Pour mixture into a buttered parchment lined 8 inch (18 cm) cake pan. Level top.
10. Bake in a preheated 140-150 deg C.(300 deg F) oven for 45-60 minutes until top is firm and toothpick comes out clean when inserted in the center.
11. Remove from oven and cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Gently turn out the cake and peel off the parchment paper. Flip back topside up. Cool completely.
12. decorate with powdered sugar and/or sweetened whipped cream, and cherries in syrup if desired.