Chilies are commonly used in Mexican cuisine, not only in savory dishes but in desserts as well. It might sound strange, but chilies add a unique flavor to cake and pair really well with chocolate. I love a good reason to combine sweet and savory ingredients and this cake nicely balances the light chocolaty taste and the spiciness of chilies with the tang of balsamic vinegar. Feel free to omit the spices, chipotle, and vinegar for a more traditional chocolate cake with a less intense flavor.
Serve this chocolate delight when you have guests over for an unexpected surprise! For a simple presentation, instead of icing, layer the cake with fresh peach slices and a peach reduction sauce: Combine 2 cups chopped peaches, 2 tablespoons gluten-free flour, 1 cup evaporated cane juice or agave nectar, and 1 teaspoon lemon juice in a saucepan and cook over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, for about 5 minutes, until thick. (This sauce is also perfect for a cake or ice cream topper.)
Note: I like to make this cake, and all the cakes in this chapter, in four 6-inch pans. This produces thin layers that are easy to work with. However, if you don’t have four 6-inch cake pans, or if you prefer thicker cake layers, you can bake the cakes in two or three 6-inch pans, which will result in thicker cakes (as shown on the opposite page); you can also bake thinner cakes in two 7- or 8-inch pans.
Mexican Chocolate Cake
Makes four 6-inch cake layers
- 2 teaspoons golden flaxseed meal
- 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon warm water
- Dry Ingredients
- 1¼ cups | 188 grams Lael Cakes Gluten-Free Flour (page 11)
- ¾ cup | 157 grams evaporated cane juice
- ½ cup | 50 grams cocoa powder (sifted)
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon arrowroot
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ground chipotle peppers (cayenne or chili powder works well also)
- Wet Ingredients
- 1 cup | 235 ml vanilla soy or rice milk
- ⅓ cup | 80 ml safflower oil
- 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
- ½ tablespoon vanilla bean paste (or ¾ teaspoon organic vanilla extract or seeds of 1 vanilla bean)
Preheat the oven
to 350°F.
Grease four
6-inch round cake pans (or other pans, see Note above) by spreading
non-hydrogenated palm oil with a pastry brush or spraying with
coconut cooking spray (available at your local health food store).
Trace and cut out four 6-inch circles of parchment paper and place
on the bottom of each greased pan.
In a small bowl,
combine the flaxseed meal and warm water. Set aside.
In the bowl of a
standing mixer with a paddle attachment, combine the dry
ingredients. Mix on low speed until incorporated.
In a separate
bowl, combine the wet ingredients. Add the flaxseed meal
mixture.
With the mixer
on medium speed, slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry
ingredients. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix on
medium-high until all the ingredients are incorporated and the
batter is smooth, about 2 minutes.
Divide the
batter among the cake pans and smooth the tops with a flat spatula
or spoon.
Bake for 15 to
20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into a cake comes out clean.
If there is still batter on the toothpick, continue to bake for
another 5 to 10 minutes. (Baking times will vary depending on your
oven and the thickness and size of the cake layers.)
Let the cakes
cool completely in the pans. Cover the pans tightly with plastic
wrap and refrigerate preferably overnight, or for at least 1 hour.
This will ensure the cakes set up properly and be much easier to
work with.