Torta Negra Colombiana -- Colombian Black Cake

Total Time: 1 hr 35 mins Preparation Time: 20 mins Cook Time: 1 hr 15 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 4
• 450 g turbinado sugar or 450 g demerara sugar or 450 g light brown sugar
• 200 ml cognac (more to taste)
• 2 teaspoons baking soda (dissolved in a bit of warm water)
• 1 pinch ground cloves
• 120 g powdered sugar
• 1 cup hazelnuts, chopped
• 1 pinch ground cinnamon
• 1 cup walnuts, chopped
• 1 cup currants
• 200 g butter, softened
• 400 g self-rising flour
• 1 pinch ground nutmeg
• 400 ml red wine (any red drinking wine will do, not cooking wine)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Recipe

• 1 preheat oven to 375f/190c and grease/flour an 9" cake pan.
• 2 combine the red wine, butter, sugar, currants, walnuts, hazelnuts, nutmeg, cloves, cinnamon, and cognac in a saucepan; bring to the boil.
• 3 boil for 3 minutes.
• 4 let mixture cool to room temperature.
• 5 next add the flour, the vanilla, and the baking soda that has been previously dissolved in a bit of warm water.
• 6 mix thoroughly and pour into a cake pan that has been buttered and floured.
• 7 bake for approximately 45 minutes.
• 8 turn the oven off and let the cake stand inside until it tests done.
• 9 remove from the oven and sprinkle with powdered sugar.