Wednesday, May 11, 2011

Cinco de Mayo Chocolate Cake

Well, I needed to bake a dessert for a  Mexican themed potluck dinner and I  thought about a chocolate cake with either cinnamon or Mexican   vanilla to give it a more authentic flavor. I came across this recipe for “Mexican Chocolate Cake” online at epicurious.com and I made a few adjustments. The cake was quite easy to make and the fact that you mix it in a large saucepan is certainly unique. There is no need for an electric mixer and I do think you could easily experiment with some of the flavors. As you can see below, I chose to also add some cinnamon to the glaze recipe and I served each slice      with a dollop of whipped cream. The cake was moist and its flavor was complex. I hope you enjoy it.
The Cake:                                                                                                                      
* 2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter  
* 1/2 cup Dutch-process unsweetened cocoa powder, I use Ghiradelli
* 3/4 cup coffee, can be hot or cold
* 2 cups granulated sugar
* 2 large eggs
* 1/2 cup buttermilk
* 2 tablespoons vanilla
* 2 cups all-purpose flour
* 1 teaspoon baking soda
* 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
* 1/4 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter bundt cake pan well and dust with flour, knocking out the excess. Melt butter (2 sticks) in a 3-quart heavy saucepan over moderately low heat, then whisk in the cocoa. Add water and whisk until smooth, then remove from heat. Whisk in separately the sugar, eggs, buttermilk, and vanilla. Mix together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt into a bowl, then slowly add to the cocoa mixture, stirring until just combined (don't worry if there are lumps REALLY!).

Pour batter into cake pan and bake until a toothpick comes out with a few crumbs stuck to it...about 45 to 55 minutes. Let cool in pan for about 10 minutes and then turn out onto serving plate.
The Glaze:
* 1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter
* 1/2 cup half-and-half
* 1/2 cup confectioners sugar
* 5 ounces fine-quality bittersweet chocolate (not unsweetened), broken into 1 inch pieces
* 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

Melt the butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Then whisk in half and half and sugar. Remove form heat and stir in the chocolate until melted. Whisk in the cinnamon an dlet cool for about five minutes to let is start to thicken. Then carefully spoon the glaze over your cake and let set for a few minutes before serving.

I suggest serving a slice with a dollop of whipped cream and maybe even a drizzle of Kahlua is you are so inclined.

Enjoy-
yours in baking- p



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