Julie Clark
Posted:
Mexican Chocolate Cake
May contain affiliate links. Disclosure policy.
Cinnamon and cayenne pepper give this Mexican Chocolate Cake a little kick! Topped with cinnamon buttercream this homemade cake is easier than you think.
We used our traditional homemade chocolate cake as a base which is a great make ahead cake and it freezes well, too. If you’re new to homemade cakes, this is the one to start with. It’s easy and delicious.
Cinnamon and cayenne pepper add a hint of spice to each bite. Those spicy flavors pair well with the cool and creamy cinnamon buttercream made with real butter and heavy cream.
About this Mexican Chocolate Cake recipe:
When you want full flavor, there’s cinnamon roll coffee cake, gingerbread cake, apple butter cake and chocolate peanut butter bundt cake.
And then there’s Mexican Chocolate Cake. When you need just a little kick of spicy flavor. You’ll love every spicy bite of this moist homemade chocolate cake. It’s easy, it’s different…and it’s amazing!
What makes a chocolate cake Mexican? No, it’s not a chocolate tres leches cake (although that cake will knock your socks off so you should definitely try it). It’s a traditional chocolate cake with added cinnamon.
The first time I had these flavors together was in a Mexican hot chocolate drink. Some are spicier than others, and this cake is on the mild side. I added ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper but you can add more if you’d like more of a kick. Cayenne pepper is strong so go slow adding it!
This cake is the perfect finish to a favorite dinner like Mexican baked potatoes, jalepeño steak, grilled Mexican chicken or even bbq with pasta salad with pasta salad seasoning.
Enjoy! -Julie
Mexican Chocolate Cake
Cinnamon and cayenne pepper give this Mexican Chocolate Cake a little kick! Topped with cinnamon buttercream this homemade cake is easier than you think.
Servings 15
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Ingredients
For the cake:
- 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper 1 gram
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup freshly brewed strong hot coffee
For the frosting:
- 1 cup salted butter at room temperature
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 5-6 tablespoons heavy cream
- 1 cup mini chocolate chips for topping
Instructions
Make the cake:
- Spray a 9×13 baking pan with cooking spray. Preheat the oven to 350ºF.
- For the cake, put flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, cayenne pepper and salt in a large bowl and whisk well. 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour , 1 ¾ cups granulated sugar, ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 2 teaspoons baking soda, 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper, 1 teaspoon salt
- In a stand mixer, mix the buttermilk, oil, eggs and vanilla together. Slowly add in the mix of dry ingredients to the wet ingredients while the mixer is on low. Add the coffee and make sure everything is combined. The batter will be very thin. 1 cup buttermilk, ½ cup vegetable oil, 2 large eggs, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1 cup freshly brewed strong hot coffee
- Pour batter into the prepared pan and bake for about 30-35 minutes or until the center of the cake springs back when you touch it. You can also insert a toothpick into the center and it should be mostly clean.
- Allow the cake to cool on a cooling rack. While the cake is cooling, make the frosting.
Make the frosting:
- Whip the butter alone in a stand mixer on medium for 2 minutes or until fluffy, almost white in appearance and lighter in texture. 1 cup salted butter
- Add the vanilla and cinnamon. Add the powdered sugar slowly, mixing between each addition. 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract, 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon, 4 cups powdered sugar
- Alternate the last bit of powdered sugar and the heavy cream, and whip the frosting on high for at least 2 minutes. If the buttercream is too thick after 5 tablespoons of heavy cream, add another tablespoon. 5-6 tablespoons heavy cream
- Spread the frosting over the cooled cake. Sprinkle the top with mini chocolate chips. 1 cup mini chocolate chips
Notes
- Do I have to add coffee? If you are 100% against coffee, you can use hot water instead. But coffee makes chocolate cake have a more intense flavor so we highly recommend using coffee.
- Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 24 hours, then refrigerate or freeze after that.
- Refer to the article above for more tips and tricks.
- Store in an airtight container at room temperature.
- The calories shown are based on the cake being cut into 15 pieces, with 1 serving being 1 slice of cake. Since different brands of ingredients have different nutritional information, the calories shown are just an estimate. **We are not dietitians and recommend you seek a nutritionist for exact nutritional information. The information in the nutrition box are calculated through a program and there is room for error. If you need an accurate count, I recommend running the ingredients through your favorite nutrition calculator.**
Nutrition
Calories: 550kcal | Carbohydrates: 79g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 26g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 64mg | Sodium: 435mg | Potassium: 152mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 63g | Vitamin A: 553IU | Vitamin C: 0.2mg | Calcium: 71mg | Iron: 2mg
Key Ingredients in Mexican Chocolate Cake
- All-purpose flour. Some homemade cakes take cake flour, like our chocolate chip cupcakes, but this takes all-purpose flour. A pantry staple!
- Ground cinnamon and cayenne pepper. These both add a spicy kick and are what makes this recipe special. Don’t skip them. Even a touch of cayenne pepper makes a difference. Ground cinnamon goes in the cinnamon frosting, too.
- Buttermilk. Don’t have buttermilk? Mix 1 tablespoon vinegar into one cup of whole milk. Let it sit for 2-3 minutes and then use as the recipe states.
- Coffee. The coffee enhances the sweet chocolate flavor in this Mexican chocolate cake and I highly recommend trying it. If you don’t have coffee in the house, you may use water instead.
- Butter. The butter for the frosting should be at room temperature. Not at all warm or melted. This will help it cream properly and make a fluffy buttercream.
- Heavy cream. You have this in your fridge from making our cinnamon roll recipe on the regular, right? 😉
See the recipe card for full ingredients and amounts.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you make this into a layer cake?
Yes. Bake the cake in two 8″ round cake pans for 22-25 minutes or until the cake tests done. If you are frosting the entire outside of the cake, you may need to make another ½ recipe of frosting.
Can you make this cake in a bundt cake pan?
I haven’t tested this cake in a bundt pan yet. If you try it, let me know how it works!
Can you make Mexican chocolate cake from a box?
Yes. Add the ground cinnamon and cayenne pepper to the box cake mix. Try a gluten-free cake mix, too.
I’ve been holding this recipe in an open page since April. I didn’t get a chance to make it for Cinco de Mayo. Finally made it and wow! Easy to whip up. The cake itself is moist and flavorful. The icing is literally a bonus!
This is the very best chocolate cake!
Can I make this as a cupcake?