Winter Mulled Wine Chocolate Bundt Cake

Heat red wine with cinnamon stick, cloves, and orange zest in a saucepan over medium heat. Don't let it boil! Let steep for 15 minutes, then strain out the spices. Reduce the wine to about 100ml and let cool completely.

Thoroughly grease a large bundt pan (24-26cm) with butter. Dust with cocoa powder, shaking out excess. Preheat oven to 180°C (160°C fan/350°F).

Combine flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt in a bowl and set aside. Toss chopped chocolate pieces in a little flour to help distribute evenly in the batter.

Beat room temperature butter with sugar in a stand mixer for 5-7 minutes until very pale and fluffy. The mixture should be almost white and noticeably increased in volume. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.

Alternately add the flour-cocoa mixture and milk to the butter-sugar mixture, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Mix just until combined. Finally, fold in the cooled mulled wine reduction and chocolate pieces.

Pour batter into prepared pan and spread evenly. Bake for 50-55 minutes until a wooden skewer comes out clean. Don't open the oven for the first 40 minutes! Cool in pan for 10 minutes, then carefully turn out onto a wire rack.

Finely chop chocolate. Heat cream (don't boil!), pour over chocolate and let stand for 2 minutes. Whisk from center outward until smooth. Stir in butter until glaze is glossy.

Place completely cooled cake on serving plate. Pour glaze evenly over cake, letting it drip down the sides. Let set for 30 minutes before slicing.