Mexican Chocolate Chile Cake

A party hit, this Mexican hot chocolate cake uses red chiles, almonds, a rich ganache, and minimal flour to deepen the intense cocoa flavor.

• Preparation Time: 30 mins
• Cooking Time: 35 mins
• Total Time: 1 hr 5 mins
• Calories: 698 Calories

Ingredients

• 1 cup butter
• 2 tablespoons white sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 6 tablespoons white sugar
• 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 tablespoon heavy whipping cream
• 1 cup heavy whipping cream
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 6 eggs, separated
• 2 tablespoons butter, divided
• 2 tablespoons Greek yogurt
• 1 cup blanched almonds
• 2 dried red chile peppers, seeded, or to taste
• 2 (1.2 ounce) packages milk chocolate bars, chopped
• 0.75 cup white sugar
• 1.5 cups chopped dark chocolate

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Place chiles in a bowl with water to cover; let soak until slightly softened, about 15 minutes.

Step 2

Place 1 1/2 cups dark chocolate and 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons butter in top of a double boiler over simmering water. Stir frequently, scraping down the sides with a rubber spatula to avoid scorching, until chocolate is melted, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat.

Step 3

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Line a 10-inch springform pan with parchment paper.

Step 4

Place chiles in a food processor; process until finely chopped. Add almonds, cocoa powder, flour, and cinnamon; process until almonds are chopped. Add Greek yogurt. Mix chile mixture thoroughly into the bowl of melted chocolate to make the batter.

Step 5

Place egg yolks and egg whites into 2 different bowls. Place 3/4 cup sugar into the bowl of egg yolks; mix until fluffy and creamy. Stir carefully into the batter.

Step 6

Beat egg whites until foamy using an electric mixer. Add 6 tablespoons sugar gradually, continuing to beat until medium peaks form. Blend meringue carefully into the batter; pour batter into the prepared pan.

Step 7

Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out mostly clean, 25 to 30 minutes. Let cake cool, at least 20 minutes.

Step 8

Combine 1 1/2 cups dark chocolate, milk chocolate, and 2 tablespoons butter in a bowl.

Step 9

Combine 1 cup plus 1 tablespoon heavy cream and 2 tablespoons sugar in a saucepan over medium heat; bring to a boil. Pour over the bowl of chocolate; mix thoroughly. Let ganache cool, at least 15 minutes. Spread over the cake.