It's a super moist chocolate cake with a touch of cinnamon and spice for a little kick. A one-bowl recipe that can be made as a sheet or layer cake, cupcakes, or bundt cake. The topping is a smooth cinnamon cream cheese frosting. Both parts can be made in advance.
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We have our perennial favorite Mexican recipes (the best chocolate flan recipe and pastel or tortilla Azteca) that now include this chocolate Mexican cake recipe, laced with cinnamon and a touch of cayenne pepper for a faintly spicy kick.
It could also be called Mexican hot chocolate cake, as it reminds me of the beverage.
It's topped with a cinnamon cream cheese frosting made with less powdered sugar, making it super creamy and unctuous. It's not meant to be piped but simply spread on top of the cake.
About this recipe
- Super moist: the cake is spongy and fudgy, and stays that way for days, even if you refrigerate it. Truly.
- Unique flavor: the combination of chocolate with cinnamon and cayenne makes this a great recipe for a Mexican cake.
- One bowl cake batter: simply dump ingredients into a large mixing bowl in the order given and beat until smooth and lump-free. Beyond easy to make.
- Cake pans: I love it as a single-layer cake because it's easier to cut and serve at a gathering, but you can make round layers, cupcakes, or a bundt cake.
- Made ahead: you can make the chocolate cake and refrigerate it for a few days or freeze it for several weeks before frosting and serving. The cream cheese frosting keeps well for a week in the fridge.
Cake ingredients
- Cocoa powder: always use unsweetened like Hershey's unsweetened cocoa powder, Ghirardelli Premium baking cocoa, and Scharffen Berger natural cocoa powder. And, in my experience, the dark ones are the best (this does not apply to the super dark used for making homemade oreo cookies known as dark cocoa powder).
- Vanilla: I use pure vanilla extract or pure vanilla paste when available, but a good vanilla essence (artificially flavored) also works.
- Spices: ground cinnamon and cayenne pepper (or another ground chile) give this cake a Mexican flair. The amount can be adjusted to your personal taste.
- Sugars: both white and brown sugar are used for the best flavor and moistness. But you can use only one if that's all you have.
- Self-rising flour: it comes with baking powder.
- Baking soda: make sure it's not expired. It helps the cake rise, together with the baking powder in the flour.
- Salt: I like to use kosher salt when baking. But regular table salt works just fine.
- Oil: any vegetable oil can be used, and I like sunflower oil. But canola or coconut oil also work.
- Coffee: prepared hot coffee is added at the end and deepens the flavor of the chocolate. You won't taste it. But if you don't want to use it, use water.
- Milk: use whole milk for a richer cake, but reduced-fat or almond milk can be used.
- Eggs: large, fresh.
See recipe card towards the end of this post for quantities.
Frosting ingredients
- Cream cheese: full fat, regular cream cheese is needed for best results. I love Philadelphia brand cream cheese.
- Unsalted butter. If you want to use salted butter, go ahead. Omit the salt in the recipe.
- Cinnamon: use any ground cinnamon you love. I like to use Vietnamese ground cinnamon or this roasted cinnamon.
- Powdered sugar.
- Vanilla: I use pure vanilla extract or pure vanilla paste when available, but a good vanilla essence (artificially flavored) also works.
- Salt: optional, but it balances the sugar and deepens the flavor.
See recipe card towards the end of this post for quantities.
Steps to make the cake batter
- One bowl mixing: this is one of the best things about this cake, it's super simple to mix. Use a large bowl to combine the dry ingredients followed by the wet ingredients (except the coffee) (image 1).
- Electric mixer: it comes together in a few minutes, so I recommend an electric handheld mixer (image 2). If you still want to use the stand mixer, do so with the paddle attachment.
- Hot coffee or water: it's added at the end. If using water, there's no issue letting it boil, but coffee should not. So heat it until it's *just about* to boil and use it (image 3).
- Final batter: it should be lump-free and thin (image 4).
The cinnamon frosting
Cream cheese frosting goes with everything. Well, almost.
- Cinnamon flavored: this is the moment to use your favorite, pungent ground cinnamon. I love this organic Vietnamese cinnamon. A dash of vanilla extract or paste and a pinch of salt are added to bring out the flavor.
- Room temperature ingredients: this is very important! Make sure the butter and cream cheese are soft and completely lump-free before adding the rest of the ingredients.
Kitchen notes
- Organization: read the recipe first and ensure you have ingredients at the correct temperature, equipment, and enough workspace. This will make the process so much easier.
- Baking time: keep in mind that all ovens and pans are different, even if they look the same or very similar. The baking time in my recipes is as accurate as it can be, but it might take you more or less time. You can use a thermometer that is placed inside the oven (like the OXO oven thermometer) to check that your oven is at the right temperature. I recommend you keep track of how your oven works and what tiny details you might need to adjust.
- Adjust spiciness: I use cayenne pepper that's very strong, so use ⅛ teaspoon, maybe a smidge more. Use ground chile de Arbol, chili powder, or other red pepper spice to add heat to this cake. And adjust quantities to your palate.
- Storing this cake: the cake by itself can be kept for a week in the fridge or frozen for a month, well covered in both cases. The assembled cake lasts a week, covered in plastic wrap or an airtight container.
- Cake sizes: make a large bundt cake (10-12 cups), 18 or so cupcakes, 2 medium loaves, or three 8-inch layers with this recipe. Adjust oven baking times.
- Frosting variations: you can use a chocolate ganache (our favorite for regular chocolate cakes) laced with cinnamon or cinnamon whipped cream frosting (simply add 1 teaspoon cinnamon to the heavy cream before beating).
- Omit the frosting, and serve this spiced dark chocolate cake with dulce de leche for a memorable dessert.
Related recipes you might like:
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Spicy Chocolate Cake
It's a super moist chocolate cake with a touch of cinnamon and spice for a little kick. A one-bowl recipe that can be made as a sheet or layer cake, cupcakes, or bundt cake. The topping is a smooth cinnamon cream cheese frosting. Both parts can be made in advance.
- Total Time: 2 hours 25 minutes
- Yield: 12 servings
Ingredients
For the cake:
- 1 ¾ cups self-rising flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder (see Notes below for brands)
- 1 cup white sugar
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ⅛ to ¼ teaspoon ground cayenne (see Notes below)
- 2 eggs, at room temperature
- 1 cup milk, at room temperature
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup prepared coffee (or water)
For the cream cheese frosting:
- ¼ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
- ½ cup cream cheese, at room temperature
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F/180°C.
- Butter or spray an 8x11-inch baking pan.
- Line with a piece of parchment paper if you want, covering the bottom of the pan and two long sides. The two short sides will remain unlined but greased. This will help you remove the cake from the pan.
For the chocolate cake:
- Combine sifted flour mixture (flour, salt, and baking soda) with sifted cocoa powder, sugars, cinnamon, and cayenne pepper in a large mixing bowl.
- Add eggs, oil, milk, and vanilla and beat at medium speed for 2 minutes, until smooth and no lumps remain.
- Heat coffee (or water) until it's about to boil and add to the chocolate batter in a thin stream, beating at low speed until completely incorporated and smooth.
- Pour batter into the prepared pan. It will be very thin.
- Bake for about 40 minutes, until the top springs and a cake tester or toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Let cake cool completely on a wire rack.
- Make sure the sides of the cake are not stuck to the pan and remove it carefully, helping lift it with the parchment paper.
- Transfer to the serving plate after removing the paper.
- Spread cinnamon frosting on top (I use an offset spatula or the back of a spoon) and sprinkle with chopped chocolate (or mini chocolate chips)and ground cinnamon if you want to.
- Cut into squares and serve.
- Store leftovers in the refrigerator, well covered.
For the cream cheese frosting:
- Beat cream cheese in a medium bowl with the soft butter until very creamy and no lumps remain.
- Gradually add the powdered sugar and beat until you have a thick, very creamy consistency, good enough to spread.
- Add the cinnamon, vanilla, and salt. Beat again until completely incorporated and smooth.
- It keeps well in the refrigerator for a few weeks. Beat again before using to attain a creamy consistency.
Notes
Organization: always read the recipe first and make sure you have all the ingredients, at the right temperatures, and also the rest of the equipment and space to make it. This will make the process so much easier!
Baking time: keep in mind that all ovens and pans are different, even if they look the same or very similar. The baking time in my recipes is as accurate as it can be, but it might take you more or less time. You can use a thermometer that is placed inside the oven (like the OXO oven thermometer) to check that your oven is at the right temperature. I recommend you keep track of how your oven works and what tiny details you might need to adjust.
Cocoa powder: always use unsweetened like Hershey's unsweetened cocoa powder, Ghirardelli Premium baking cocoa, Scharffen Berger natural cocoa powder. And, in my experience, the dark ones are the best (this does not apply to the super dark used for making homemade oreo cookies known as dark cocoa powder).
Adjust spiciness: I use a cayenne pepper that's very strong, so use ⅛ teaspoon maybe a smidge more. Up to ¼ teaspoon is fine with most spices. But you can use ground chile de Arbol or other spices to add heat to this cake. And adjust quantities to your palate.
Storing this cake: the cake by itself can be kept for a week in the fridge or frozen for a month, well covered in both cases. The assembled cake lasts for a week also, covered in plastic wrap or in an airtight container.
Cake pans: you can use a large bundt pan, make 18 or so cupcakes, 2 medium loaves, or three 8-inch layers (use round cake pans with removable bottom) with this recipe. Adjust oven baking times.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cooling time: 90 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Cakes
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: International
Keywords: Mexican chocolate cake
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