Glogg cake: Fruitcake has accumulated a bad reputation as being inedible, and rightly so. But that negative stereotype doesn’t hold true for the glogg cake at First Slice Pie Cafe. A slice ($2) of this Swedish holiday specialty won’t win any beauty pageants, but one bite will convince you of the genius of this recipe. The pound cake is moistened with house-made mulled red wine called glogg. It is dotted with soft raisins, flavored with a whisper of cinnamon and other warm spices and topped with contrasting crunchy slivered almonds. This comfort food that leaves a warm afterglow is only on the menu until this year’s batch runs out, which, as a testament to its popularity, means about the end of December or a bit before. In addition to slices, small cakes ($10) and large ($18) are also available. 5357 N. Ashland Ave., 773-275-4297, and other locations; firstslice.org
— Nancy Maes, special to the Tribune
