chocolate+chile powder+cinnamon
If you’ve never had Mexican chocolate or a flourless chocolate cake before, you are in for a DOUBLE treat. Let’s start by talking about what makes Mexican chocolate so special
Unlike mass-market chocolate bars we primarily see here in the US, Mexican chocolate has several differences but the one we’re going to be focusing on today are the flavors. Our basic chocolate bar is simply that – chocolate. Mexican chocolate is so beautifully complex comparatively with chiles, vanilla and cinnamon as the more common additives. The cinnamon forward nature of this chocolate adds extra richness to any application whether it be cookies, hot chocolate, mole sauce, cakes, etc! Despite the inclusion of chiles, the balance is carefully crafted to not make this a “hot” chocolate.
Now, you may see 2 teaspoons of chile powder in my recipe and immediately wonder if you should be cutting that in half, but I promise it balances out after baking into a warmth that never overwhelms. Did you know that the intensity of spices will mellow out in a baked application? Let’s talk about why!
Baking affects the strength of spice flavor in the final baked good in several ways:
- Fats
- During the baking process, fat molecules encapsulate the spices, causing them to be released more slowly during the eating process
- Volatile Oil Evaporation
- Much of a spice’s flavor can come from volatile oils – these are called volatile because they evaporate at high temperatures. What do you bake at? High temperatures 🙂 This is also why your house smells AMAZING when something is baking – those volatile oils evaporating!
- Sugar transformation
- As sugar cooks, it caramelizes – this moves the sugar flavor away from the sharp sting of sweet to a nutty, caramelized sweetness. The depth of this sugar flavor balances with the spices, making them feel less prominent in the final product.
In this cake, we’re using ancho chile powder, ground cinnamon and vanilla extract to achieve that Mexican chocolate profile.
What is an ancho chile? Ancho chile is a dried fully mature and red poblano pepper. If you’re familiar with any Mexican cuisine, you may have heard of a dish called chile rellenos. In short, this is a cheese stuffed green poblano pepper that is dipped in a light eggy batter, then pan fried until golden and served with a sauce – delicious!
To become an ancho chile, a green poblano pepper is left on the vine until it is red and fully mature. It is then harvested and left out in the sun to dry for several weeks. This slow dehydration process causes the skin to darken to almost black and become dry and wrinkly – maybe think of a big dry peppery raisin?? The heat level is higher than when it came off the vine but still relatively mild when compared to other peppers.
Could you use another type of chile powder? I’m always an advocate for experimenting so if you’re really feeling cayenne or a chipotle chile powder, you do you boo! However remember that different chiles come with different levels of heat so you may have to adjust the measurements. Chipotle is a dried jalapeno, so definitely more kick in that one!
Ok, now let’s move onto why a flourless chocolate cake is so decadent and delicious. The big clue is in the name – Flourless. With no flour, the cake relies on chocolate, butter and eggs to create the structure. The result is an extremely fudgy, creamy, rich dessert that pretty much begs to be accompanied by a glass of cold milk. This is also a great option if you need a gluten free dessert!
For me, a springform pan is the easiest way to go for a flourless chocolate cake. It’s so fudgy that a standard cake pan doesn’t really work (unless you plan on leaving it in there). If you’re looking for individual servings, ramekins would be a cute option here! If using ramekins, I would suggest checking the cakes halfway through the recommended time. Depending on the thickness of your ramekins, the cakes might bake much quicker so you’ll want to keep checking them so they don’t over bake.
When is a flourless chocolate cake done? With the creamier interior, the toothpick trick doesn’t really help here. I will pull the cake out of the oven once the center no longer jiggles but isn’t fully firm to the touch. This timing has given me the texture I prefer, which is a little more traditionally cake-like around the edges but that beautiful smooth center.
chocolate+chile powder+cinnamon
Now it’s your turn! What would you make with this flavor combination? Tell me in the comments!
Printflourless mexican chocolate cake
this decadently rich and slightly spicy chocolate cake comes together in a single bowl but tastes like you slaved over it!
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 1 8-inch cake 1x
- Category: Desserts
- Method: Baking
Ingredients
Instructions
Preheat your oven to 325 degrees F. Spray an 8-inch springform pan with nonstick spray, along the bottom and up the sides. Set aside until ready to use.
In a large microwavable bowl, add semi sweet chocolate chips or chopped chocolate and 1 cup of butter. Microwave on high in 30 second increments, stirring each time, until it is mostly melted. Then stir it together until it is completely smooth. This typically takes between 3-4 microwave sessions before the chocolate is melted.
Add packed brown sugar, granulated sugar, salt, ground cinnamon, ancho chile powder and vanilla extract. Use a spatula and stir until well combined. Add 3 large eggs to the bowl and beat with a whisk until combined. Lastly, add cocoa powder into the bowl. Mix just until combined and pour it into the prepared springform pan.
Bake at 325 degrees F for 35-45 minutes. When you test the cake, gently shake the pan – the center should still be less firm than the rest of the cake but not very jiggly.
Take the cake out of the oven. The cake will continue setting up for a little while in the pan. Let the cake cool completely. Serve as is, dusted with powdered sugar, with whipped cream or ice cream!
Looking for other recipes that use cinnamon, chile powder or chocolate? Try one of my other recipes below!
