Mexican Chocolate Cake — cinnamon-chocolate cake
Mexican chocolate cake is a deeply chocolate cake spiced with cinnamon, vanilla and sometimes a pinch of chilli — flavours derived from Mexican drinking chocolate (chocolate de mesa), which itself derives from the pre-Hispanic Mesoamerican drink. The cake is intensely dark and slightly grainy from the traditional chocolate.
i. Origin & history
Mexican drinking chocolate — Ibarra, Abuelita — is made with cinnamon, sugar and almonds added during grinding. The cake form translates this traditional flavour profile into Western patisserie.
ii. Ingredients
Makes 10 servings · scroll the side panel to adjust
- 200 g dark chocolate
- 100 g unsalted butter
- 100 ml strong coffee
- 200 g muscovado sugar
- 3 eggs
- 100 g plain flour
- 30 g cocoa
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- Pinch chilli powder (optional)
- 1 tsp vanilla
- Pinch salt
- 100 ml sour cream
iii. Method
- Heat oven to 170 °C. Line a 22 cm round tin.
- Melt chocolate, butter and coffee.
- Whisk sugar and eggs pale. Stir in melted chocolate, then flour, cocoa, cinnamon, chilli, vanilla, salt. Stir in sour cream.
- Bake 30-35 min — the centre should still wobble slightly.
- Cool fully. Dust with icing sugar; serve with whipped cream.
iv. Tips & common mistakes
- Use the freshest ingredients you can. The recipe relies on them.
- Read the method through first. Several steps must be ready in advance.
- Season patiently. Sweetness and salt are tuned at the end, not the start.
v. Variations
Mexican hot-chocolate cake emphasises the cinnamon. Chocolate-chilli cake increases the chilli. Almond Mexican chocolate cake uses ground almonds in the batter.
vi. Common questions
What is mexican chocolate cake?
Mexican Chocolate Cake is cinnamon-chocolate cake, from latin american cuisine. The cake is intensely dark and slightly grainy from the traditional chocolate
Where is mexican chocolate cake from?
Mexican Chocolate Cake is from the latin american dessert tradition; the recipe and history are detailed above.
How long does mexican chocolate cake keep?
See the storage note in the Quick facts panel: 4 days at room temperature.