Are you a chocoholic? Looking for something that reminds you of fall, but isn’t pumpkin, and is full of chocolate instead? Need to spice up your life in a way that everyone can enjoy?
I crack myself up.
But really, I’ve actually got a recipe for you that fulfills all of your autumn chocolate dreams. It’s thanks to a customer who loved my Mexican chocolate cookies so much, she commissioned a Mexican chocolate birthday cake for her son, who also loved the cookies. I love getting creative orders!
This is a riff on a simple chocolate yogurt cake recipe from one of my favorite cookbooks, Snacking Cakes by Yossy Arefi. The book is full of fabulous one-bowl recipes that have consistently come out delicious and beautiful, and no I am not being paid to advertise this book. It’s just that great, and I like to give credit where it is due.
The key to getting the Mexican chocolate flavors is to use freshly-ground cinnamon, and a lot of it, as well as extra vanilla. Don’t skip the cayenne pepper, even if you’re spice-averse: as I tell people at my markets, the cayenne works to bring out the flavor of the cinnamon without making the cake burn your mouth. (And if my preschooler can eat it, so can you.)
That being said, if you wanna get frisky, feel free to increase the cayenne (especially in the glaze) and/or add finely ground chipotle chile powder. It’s also good, and will make it spicy spicy.
Now, without further ado, I bring you a tasty chocolate cake for fall!
Mexican Chocolate Cake
A solid chocolate cake with hits of cinnamon, vanilla, and cayenne for fun. For best results, use freshly-ground cinnamon.
for the cake:
- 2 c brown sugar
- 4 large eggs
- 2 c plain whole milk yogurt
- 1 c (2 sticks) butter, melted
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 ½ tsp kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- ⅛-¼ tsp cayenne pepper
- 1 ½ c cocoa powder, sifted for lumps
- 2 c all-purpose flour (I also like using a rye blend or a blend of ½ whole wheat, ½ all-purpose flour)
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
icing:
- 2 c confectioner’s sugar, sifted
- ½ c plus 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- pinch of cayenne
- ¼ tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons very soft butter
- ¼-⅓ c hot or boiling water
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9×13 inch pan with butter or oil, and line with parchment that hangs about 1 inch over the edges. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the brown sugar and eggs until foamy, about 1 minute. Add the yogurt, melted butter, vanilla, salt, cinnamon, and cayenne, whisking until fully combined. Add cocoa powder and whisk until the mixture is smooth and well-combined.
- Add flour, baking powder, and baking soda, and whisk until smooth and well-combined.
- Pour the batter into prepared pan, smooth the top with a bowl scraper or offset spatula, and bake at 350 degrees until a toothpick inserted in the center of the pan comes out clean, about 35-45 minutes. Cool in the pan on a cooling rack for 10 minutes, then use the parchment to lift the cake out of the pan onto the cooling rack, and allow to cool completely before frosting, about 1 hour.
- For the icing: In a medium bowl, combine confectioner’s sugar, cocoa, cinnamon, and cayenne with a whisk. Add salt, softened butter, and vanilla, then whisk in ¼ cup of the boiling water until smooth, adding boiling water 1 tablespoon at a time as needed to get a smooth and pourable, but not watery, consistency.
- Immediately pour icing over the cooled cake, and allow to set for at least 20 minutes before slicing. Dust with cinnamon, if desired.
The Crunchy Baker 
Laura, Thank you so much for this. I’m going to make it this week. It’s my husbands birthday. Gloria
LikeLike