Serbian cuisine · Cake / dessert

Karlovački kuglof

A Sremski Karlovci ring cake enriched with red wine and raisins, scented with cinnamon and finished with a central layer of grated chocolate inside a soft, well-aerated crumb.

Serbian National Dishes
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Karlovački kuglof
Yield 12 slices from one standard kuglof mould
Preparation time 20 minutes
Cooking time 60 minutes
Passive time 30 minutes
Ingredients ↓
Overview

Karlovački kuglof with red wine, raisins, cinnamon and chocolate

Karlovački kuglof reflects the long cake and wine culture of Sremski Karlovci. Local versions often use the region’s wine traditions as part of the cake’s identity, and bermet is especially associated with some preparations. This home formula uses red wine while keeping the same broad aromatic direction: raisins, cinnamon and chocolate against a tender ring-cake crumb.

The batter is oil-based rather than built from creamed butter. Eggs and sugar provide much of the aeration, so preserving that foam becomes the central mixing task. Flour and baking powder are folded in with the wine and oil without prolonged beating. The aim is a batter that remains light enough to rise through a deep mould while still carrying a substantial amount of liquid and fruit.

Raisins absorb some moisture during baking and bring concentrated sweetness. Red wine contributes colour, acidity and aroma, while cinnamon supports the spiced profile. The alcohol should not be treated as if it necessarily disappears completely during baking; the recipe uses wine as a genuine ingredient rather than as a purely aromatic splash.

The mould preparation is more important than it appears. Kuglof moulds have ridges, corners and a central chimney that can trap cake even when the main surface seems well greased. Butter has to reach every groove, and breadcrumbs provide a dry release layer that also gives the exterior a lightly textured crust.

Grated chocolate is layered through the centre of the batter instead of being fully mixed through it. This creates a darker aromatic band without turning the whole cake into chocolate batter. The deepest part of the ring needs the full bake at 175 °C; checking only the exposed top can be misleading because the centre around the tube stays moist longer.

Cooling for about 30 minutes gives the crumb time to set before slicing or wrapping. The finished cake should release with its decorative profile intact, feel moist rather than wet in the deepest section and carry wine, cinnamon, raisin and chocolate as distinct but connected notes. It needs no glaze or sauce to establish its character.

Practical

Practical

  • ServingServe in thick slices with coffee or tea; the wine and cinnamon are already part of the cake’s aromatic profile, so no sauce is needed.
  • Make aheadThe cake can be baked the day before; cool completely before wrapping.
  • Storage and reheatingOnce fully cool, keep tightly covered at room temperature for up to 2–4 days. Freeze well-wrapped slices for longer storage if needed; thaw covered to limit drying.
Ingredients

Ingredients

Wine kuglof batter

  • 3 large eggs, separated
  • 300 g granulated sugar, divided
  • 250 ml sunflower oil
  • 100 g raisins
  • 200 ml red wine, bermet if available, otherwise another medium-sweet red wine
  • 350 g wheat flour, sifted
  • 12 g baking powder
  • 5 g ground cinnamon
  • 50 g dark chocolate, coarsely grated

Mould preparation

  • 50 g butter, softened
  • 100 g fine dry breadcrumbs
Directions

Directions

Directions

  1. Whip the egg baseGrease the kuglof mould thoroughly with the butter and coat every ridge with the breadcrumbs, shaking out only what does not adhere. Every groove is evenly greased and dusted.

  2. Add wine and oilBeat the yolks with half the sugar until pale, then stream in the oil; separately whip the whites with the remaining sugar to a firm glossy foam. The yolk base is thick and the meringue holds a firm peak.

  3. Fold in flourFold the egg mixtures together, then fold in raisins, wine, flour, baking powder and cinnamon just until no dry pockets remain. The batter is uniform and still visibly aerated.

  4. Fill the mouldPour half the batter into the mould, scatter over the grated chocolate, cover with the remaining batter and level the surface. The chocolate forms an internal band and the batter sits level in the mould.

  5. Bake through the ringBake until the cake is deeply risen, set through the centre and a skewer emerges without wet batter. Keep the oven at 175 °C. The top springs back and a skewer from the thickest section has no wet batter.

  6. Cool before turning outLet the cake cool before storing or slicing. Steam has subsided and the crumb has set enough to slice cleanly.

Practical

Practical

Substitutions

Replacing bermet with 200 ml medium-sweet red wine is workable here. The cake keeps the wine-based moisture and colour but loses the spiced aromatic profile associated with bermet.

Troubleshooting

The kuglof sticks in the decorative ridges. The mould was unevenly greased or dusted. Brush butter into every groove and cover it with breadcrumbs before filling.

Troubleshooting

The centre is damp while the outside is dark. The oven is too hot for the deep mould. Hold to 175 °C and test the thickest section near the end of the full bake.

Nutrition

Nutrition

  • Serving size1 of 12 slices
  • Calories495 kcal
  • Carbohydrates61 g
  • Protein7 g
  • Fat23 g
  • Fibre3 g
  • Sodium170 mg

Figures are approximate per serving and can shift with ingredient brands, trimming, absorption and exact portioning. The calculation does not assume that all wine alcohol disappears during baking.

Allergens and food safety

Allergens and food safety

Egg, milk and wheat/gluten. Breadcrumbs add wheat unless a separately verified alternative is used. Bake until no wet egg batter remains in the centre. Cool completely before airtight room-temperature storage so trapped steam does not encourage spoilage.

FAQ

FAQ

Can the cake be removed from the mould immediately?

No. A short cooling period helps the crumb set. Turning out a very hot deep ring cake increases the chance that a ridge tears or the centre compresses.

Result: A moist ridged ring cake with wine, raisin, cinnamon and chocolate aromas.

Key: Preserve egg aeration and bake the deepest part of the ring fully at 175 °C.