Spicy Chocolate Cake (Mexican inspired)
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.
Servings 12 servings
Calories 463kcal
Ingredients
For the cake:
- 1 ¾ cups self-rising flour
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¾ cup cocoa powder unsweetened
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ⅛ to ¼ teaspoon ground cayenne see Notes below
- 2 eggs at room temperature
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 1 cup milk at room temperature
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup prepared coffee or water
For the cream cheese frosting:
- ½ cup cream cheese at room temperature
- ¼ cup unsalted butter at room temperature
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pinch salt optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).
- Butter or spray an 8x11-inch baking pan.
- Line it 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 (1 ¾ cups self-rising flour, ¼ teaspoon salt, and 1 teaspoon baking soda) with sifted ¾ cup cocoa powder, 1 cup sugar, 1 cup brown sugar,1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon, and ⅛ to ¼ teaspoon ground cayenne (depending how spicy you want it) in a large mixing bowl.
- Add 2 eggs, ½ cup vegetable oil, 1 cup milk, and 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract and beat at medium speed for 2 minutes, until smooth and no lumps remain.
- Heat 1 cup prepared 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 thin 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 ½ cup cream cheese in a medium bowl with the softened ¼ cup unsalted butter until very creamy and no lumps remain.
- Gradually add 2 cups powdered sugar and beat until you have a thick, very creamy consistency, good enough to spread.
- Add 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, ½ teaspoon vanilla extract, and Pinch 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
Baking time: consider that all ovens and pans are different, even if they look similar. The baking time in my recipes is as accurate as possible, but it might take you more or less time. You can use an oven thermometer to check that your oven is at the right temperature. I recommend tracking how your oven works and what tiny details you might need to adjust.
Adjust spiciness: I use a very strong cayenne pepper, so ⅛ teaspoon is enough. 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. Adjust quantities to your palate.
Storing: the plain cake 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 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.
Nutrition
Calories: 463kcal | Carbohydrates: 73g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 19g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Sodium: 196mg | Potassium: 192mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 56g | Vitamin A: 328IU | Vitamin C: 0.03mg
