10/02/14

White Wine Cake

Brown sugar, cinnamon and white wine transform an ordinary cake mix into an indulgent, super moist bundt soaked in a simple wine glaze that will have everyone begging for the recipe!

TABLE OF CONTENTS:

  1. JUMP TO THE RECIPE
  2. 8 FAQ ON WHITE WINE CAKE
  3. MORE 5-STAR CAKE MIX RECIPES

I don’t usually drink white wine but I try to keep some in the house for guests and recipes. Any time I open a bottle and don’t finish it all, I whip up one of these cakes to make use of the rest of the wine.

When I'm at the store buying ingredients for a recipe that calls for white wine, I go ahead and grab a yellow cake mix too because I know I will make this cake!

White Wine Cake! Brown sugar, cinnamon and white wine transform an ordinary cake mix into an indulgent, super moist bundt soaked in a simple wine glaze that will have everyone begging for the recipe!

For the record, it’s not that I don’t like wine (I love it – especially red), it’s that, as a beer drinker, I drink at a certain “speed” because of the lower alcohol content.

I talk up a storm in social settings so I get thirsty. While my brain knows I can’t handle as many glasses of wine as I can pints of beer, my body forgets and I drink too many glasses.

That muscle memory kicks in and the next thing you know I'm in the neighbor's backyard with a lampshade on my head so I just stick with my light beer, please and thank you! 

White Wine Cake! Brown sugar, cinnamon and white wine transform an ordinary cake mix into an indulgent, super moist bundt soaked in a simple wine glaze that will have everyone begging for the recipe!

I got this recipe from a truck driver named Don. And it’s one my very favorite cake recipes. It’s moist and rich and the ever-so-slight hint of wine pairs perfectly with the vanilla and warm cinnamon in the cake.

Don and I used to work together a long time ago and both shared a love of good food. He told me about this cake his wife makes and brought me a handwritten recipe for it (which I still have). I've made this many times over the years and I always think about Don when I make it.

I remember two things most about Don: he appreciated good food and he loved buying his wife nice things (pretty sure he kept the Coach outlet in business).

White Wine Cake! Brown sugar, cinnamon and white wine transform an ordinary cake mix into an indulgent, super moist bundt soaked in a simple wine glaze that will have everyone begging for the recipe!

8 FAQ ON WHITE WINE CAKE

What can I substitute for the wine? Well, this is a WINE cake sooo... if you don't want to use wine you might need to find a different recipe.

Can I use "cooking wine" in this recipe? No. The wine in this (and any recipe) needs to be good enough to drink if you're going to use this much of it. You don't need to spend a ton of money on it, though. An $8-$10 bottle should be just fine. 

What kind of dry white wine should I use? I typically use a sauvignon blanc, pinot grigio or chardonnay.

What is dry wine? The easy answer? Any wine that isn't sweet. There's a little more to it but ultimately it comes down to the residual sugar left after fermentation. The longer the yeast is left to chow down on the sugar while the wine is fermenting, the less sugar is left in the wine to make it taste sweet. But we use the word "dry" because the wines with low residual sugar have more tannins which are the compounds that leave the mouth feeling, well, dry.

White Wine Cake! Brown sugar, cinnamon and white wine transform an ordinary cake mix into an indulgent, super moist bundt soaked in a simple wine glaze that will have everyone begging for the recipe!

Can I use red wine? Technically, yes, but I am quite positive the color would not be very appealing. Maybe use chocolate cake and pudding mixes then omit the cinnamon if you'd like to use red wine.

Do I have to use dry white wine? No, but I think it's best. Sweeter wines don't typically work as well with flavors like brown sugar and cinnamon. 

Can I make this in another size pan? You can make this in a 13x9 pan but nothing smaller.

Won't the cake be too sweet? Nope. The wine helps to balance the sweetness and the cake isn't iced with mounds of sugary frosting.

White Wine Cake! Brown sugar, cinnamon and white wine transform an ordinary cake mix into an indulgent, super moist bundt soaked in a simple wine glaze that will have everyone begging for the recipe!

MORE 5-STAR RECIPES USING A CAKE MIX!

  • Cherry Danish Cake - An easy semi-homemade cake recipe dotted with cherry pie filling, drizzled with sour cream icing and topped with slivered almonds.
  • Impossible 5-Ingredient Chocolate Cake - An impossibly moist, fudgy, decadent chocolate bundt cake recipe made with just five ingredients.
  • Lemon Crumble Cream Cake - A tender lemon-kissed cake with lemon cheesecake filling topped with a crumb streusel topping dusted with powdered sugar.
  • Pistachio Cake - Also called Watergate Cake, this moist cake recipe uses pistachio pudding in the cake and in the frosting.

Recipe for How to Cook White Wine Cake

White Wine Cake! Brown sugar, cinnamon and white wine transform an ordinary cake mix into an indulgent, super moist bundt soaked in a simple wine glaze that will have everyone begging for the recipe!

White Wine Cake

White Wine Cake
Yield: 10 Servings
Author: Mandy Rivers | South Your Mouth
Prep time: 15 MinCook time: 45 MinTotal time: 1 Hour
White wine, brown sugar and cinnamon transform an ordinary cake mix into an indulgent, super moist dessert that will have everyone begging for the recipe!

Ingredients

Cake:
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 2 teaspoons cinnamon
  • 4 eggs
  • 3/4 cup vegetable oil
  • 3/4 cup dry white wine
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1 box yellow cake mix
  • 1 3.5-oz box instant vanilla pudding mix
Glaze:
  • 1/4 cup dry white wine
  • 1/2 cup powdered sugar

Instructions

Cake:
  1. Grease a standard-sized bundt pan; set aside.
  2. Combine brown sugar, sugar, cinnamon, eggs, vegetable oil, wine and water in a large bowl or stand mixer then mix until well combined. Add cake and pudding mixes then mix until smooth.
  3. Pour batter into greased bundt pan then bake at 350 degrees for 45-50 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
  4. Just before cake is done, make the glaze.
  5. When cake is done, remove from oven and pour hot glaze over hot cake, leaving cake in the pan.
  6. Cool cake completely in pan then invert onto a plate. Store in an airtight container at room temperature.
Glaze:
  1. Combine wine and powdered sugar in a small saucepan then bring to a boil. Boil for 2 minutes then remove from heat (glaze will be thin).

Notes

Any questions you may have are likely answered in the FAQ section above.

white wine, dry wine, cake, bundt, easy, cake mix, brown sugar, yellow cake, icing, glaze, best, recipe, vanilla, cinnamon, box mix
dessert
american
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35 comments:

  1. Recipe sounds delicious. Had to laugh out loud as I am a beer drinker too and know exactly what you mean about drinking wine!! (Debra)

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  2. Squat Blossom... Jo10/2/14, 3:51 PM

    Thank you! This will be so easy to convert to gluten/dairy free for me! New kitchen almost done.. might this be my first desert???? Love you girl - thank you for sharing your beautiful recipes.

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  3. My! Oh! My!.........what a cake! Brilliant!!!

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  4. Who This is a cake to make and eat and make again and again, I feel It around my hips(allready)But be shore I'm going to make It. Thanks for the recipe, greatings from the Netherlands, Ria

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  5. can you make this with red wine?

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    Replies
    1. Yes! But the cake has a pink tint to it :o)

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  6. Will this fit one square pan instead of a bundt pan?

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    Replies
    1. If it's 9x9 or smaller, I doubt it. It would work in a 13x9 pan, though.

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    2. I ended up using 2 7.8X7.8 square pans and it worked! So delicious and moist, thank you for the recipe!

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  7. Can I use French vanilla pudding instead?

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    Replies
    1. Yes. I have used white chocolate and cheesecake flavors. Delicious

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  8. Can't wait to try this. Sounds wonderful. Thanks again for all the great recipes. - Kim M.

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  9. This looks a lot like the recipe I use for Rum Cake. So, I'm guessing you could substitute rum in this recipe, too?? Thanks for the reminder! Now I'm going to whip up a few rum cakes for Christmas gifts.

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    Replies
    1. Ooooh, I bet you could! I LOVE those rum cakes you get on cruises. I might have to try that myself! Thanks for the idea!

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    2. I make it with white wine and it so good

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  10. This cake is awesome and talk about easy . This is going in my everyday recipe book. Try this you will not be disappointed . Thanks for sharing.

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  11. I was going to ask if I could use a 13x9 pan but I see someone else asked. The recipe sounds easy and scrumptious. As always, thanks for sharing.

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  12. I have a beer cake recipe, similar starting with a box cake mix, jello pudding powder, beer, etc., but I made my glaze out of powdered sugar and tangerine/orang juice to add another layer of flavor. It was very good. I cant wait to try this one.

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  13. Do we use the cake mix that has the pudding already in it?

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  14. Is there a spice other than cinnamon that can be used, I'm allergic to cinnamon.

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    Replies
    1. Maybe nutmeg - but only half the amount.

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  15. I want to make this cake and I have everything except for white wine however I do have sherry. Do you think it would be an acceptable substitute?

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    Replies
    1. Sherry's a good bit stronger than wine. Maybe use 1/2 the amount?

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    2. I have a recipe similar to this using cream sherry. It calls for 1/2 to 3/4 cup sherry. The glaze is made with 1/2 cup sherry 1/4 cup water, 1 stick butter and 1 cup sugar. Boil for 5 min. in saucepan. Pour over warm cake that you have poked holes all over the top. This can be done in the bundt pan or after you remove it from the pan. Delicious!!

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  16. How about a yellow cake and a bottle of wine? LOL

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  17. I made this but before I poured the batter in the pan I sprinkled about a cup of chopped pecans in the bottom of the pan. I though it added some nice texture. Fab recipe!

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  18. Wow, Terri, that sounds like a great idea!
    I have a question: Why do you pour the hot icing over the hot cake? Is it meant to soak the cake? Will that not make it a very messy process to get the cake out of the pan?

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  19. Sounds wonderful and I want to try it. Am I reading that correctly that you pour the icing on BEFORE taking the cake out of the pan (the icing goes on the BOTTOM?)?

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    Replies
    1. That is correct! The cake absorbs the liquid icing.

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  20. Dee Weatherington12/24/17, 9:46 AM

    Great Cake! Moist and delicious. I think it gets better day after day. Made them for Christmas

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  21. Replaced white wine with sangria. Cake did not last long should have made two cakes.
    Thanks for sharing all the great recipes.

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  22. Hi , I’m confused, why all the sugar if you’re using a box cake?

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  23. Would a sweeter wine (Moscato) make it too sweet?

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  24. made this for my parents who were skeptical just by the name and it blew their socks off!

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Hi there! While I’m not able to respond to every comment, I try hard to answer any questions that haven’t been addressed in the post, recipe or in other comments.

I can tell you now 1) I have no idea if you can substitute Minute Rice or brown rice in my recipes because I’ve never used them and 2) If I know how to convert a recipe to a Crock Pot version, I will make a note about it (otherwise, I don’t know).

And though I may not respond to them all, I do read each and every comment and I LOVE to hear from you guys! Thanks, y’all! - Mandy