Spicy Chocolate Cake Recipe (2024)

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Mostly sweet with just a hint of spice. That is what you get when you indulge in this spicy chocolate cake recipe.

Spicy Chocolate Cake Recipe (1)

I know what you are thinking… Spicy AND chocolate combined in one cake?

I promise it is sweeter than you think. This cake is a fun and refreshing way to serve your favorite chocolate dessert. The spice level is tolerable for even the youngest taste testers.

My six year old was hesitant when he heard the word “cayenne” but eventually caved after staring at these cute little cakes sitting in our cake display for a few hours. He had the entire thing gone in seconds and was picking up the crumbs!

Spicy Chocolate Cake Recipe (2)

I used a mini bundt pan to make these adorable tiny cakes but you could easily make these into cupcakes or a small 9 inch cake. If you are looking to create a layer cake I suggest doubling up on the batter. This recipe ends up with a flavorful and moist dessert that has a powerful flavor all on it’s own but a light dusting of powdered sugar or drizzle of chocolate ganache leaves you with a professional looking treat!

I whipped up a spicy chocolate ganache, recipe coming soon, over on Periscope the other day and loved the end result. The secret to a good ganache is to use a good quality chocolate. I love Ghirardelli 60% cacao but have also used semi sweet chips in a pinch. Either one is sure to produce a great end result. Make sure you drizzle it over the cake while it’s still fairly warm. If it starts to cool it will thicken up and won’t give you that nice pretty drip look. If that starts to happen just make sure you heat it up a little bit.

Spicy Chocolate Cake Recipe (3)

So what do you think? Will you top the cake with a ganache, leave it plain, or a dust of powdered sugar?

Spicy Chocolate Cake Recipe (4)

Spicy Chocolate Cake

Created by: Jesseca


Cuisine American

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 50 minutes minutes

12 mini cakes

Mostly sweet with just a hint of spice. That is what you get when you indulge in this spicy chocolate cake recipe.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper or Mexican chili powder 1/2 teaspoon for more kick
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup butter
  • 1/4 cup whole milk
  • 1 egg
  • 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup hot coffee or water

Instructions

  • Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Line a 12 cup muffin tin with paper liners or grease one 9 inch cake pan. Set aside.

  • Whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and cayenne pepper. Set aside.

  • In the bowl of an electric mixer cream together both sugars and the soft butter until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Stir in the milk, egg and vanilla.

  • Alternately add the dry ingredients with your hot coffee or water. Make sure you scrape the sides incorporating the ingredients well.

  • Fill your cupcake liners 3/4 full or pour batter in your prepared cake pan. Bake cupcakes 12-15 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Bake cake 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

  • Dust your finished cakes with powdered sugar or top with a chocolate ganache.

Nutrition

Serving: 1Servings

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    Comments & Reviews

  1. CLAIRE says

    I am quite happy to find this recipe! I have made slice and bake cookies with this same flavor combination and have been thinking about spicing up my brownies. Now I can make this !
    By the way, those cookies are a hit every time I take them somewhere. Looking forward to baking this

    Reply

    • Jesseca says

      So glad you like this recipe as much as we do! Something about sweet and spicy combined is just hard to resist!

      Reply

  2. Sydney says

    Tried this for my boyfriends moms 60th birthday! She loves spicy food so did the bunt cakes with powdered sugar! I also candied spicy pecans
    They were a hit!! Thank you for making a dessert for my future mother in law(?!?!?!!)

    Reply

  3. Miss Angie says

    That looks absolutely delicious, and fantastic photos too!

    Reply

    • Jesseca says

      Thanks! They are so good!

      Reply

  4. Sydney @ Tastefully Frugal says

    I love the idea of mixing spices and chocolate. This is one cake my hubby is sure to love!

    Reply

Spicy Chocolate Cake Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Can I use hot chocolate powder in a cake? ›

In short, you can use hot chocolate powder as a cocoa powder substitute in a pinch, but you may not experience the depth of flavour you want. Because most brands of hot chocolate powder include sugar or sweetener, you may wish to reduce the amount of sugar you add to your baking recipe.

How to spice up cake mix? ›

Pure vanilla extract and pure almond extract are great options, but you could also try lemon extract or orange extract paired with fresh citrus zest. Although more expensive, vanilla bean paste or fresh vanilla beans will provide even richer flavor to a boxed mix.

What is the difference between chocolate cake and Devils cake? ›

The Difference Between Devil's Food Cake And Chocolate Cake

In general, devil's food cakes will have a deeper chocolate flavor because they're made with cocoa powder, and will be fluffier than other chocolate cakes, due to the higher amount of baking soda.

How to add Flavour to chocolate cake? ›

Add Espresso Powder or Instant Coffee

The simplest way to accentuate the chocolate flavor in your baked goods is to add a teaspoon or so of espresso powder or instant coffee granules. Espresso powder tends to be more concentrated, so you definitely only need a teaspoon to do the trick.

What is the difference between hot chocolate and cocoa powder? ›

Cocoa Powder: Hot chocolate starts with cocoa powder, which provides a chocolatey flavour. However, hot chocolate mix is distinct from plain cocoa powder, as it often contains added sugar, powdered milk, and sometimes additional flavourings like vanilla or spices.

What's the difference between hot chocolate and hot cocoa? ›

Hot Chocolate is made using solid chocolate melted in warm milk or cream. Hot Cocoa, however, is made from a powdered base of cocoa with added sugar and dissolved in hot water or hot milk.

How to make chocolate box cake taste homemade Paula Deen? ›

So, I always start with a box mix, but I doctor it up.
  1. Add one extra egg. Usually, box mixes call for 3 large eggs. I use 4.
  2. Substitute melted (but not hot) unsalted butter for the required oil.
  3. Add one box of appropriately flavored pudding.
  4. Substitute a flavored liquid for the water, if appropriate.
Jul 12, 2020

Why do you add Sprite to cake mix? ›

The carbon dioxide bubbles in soda pop act as a leavening agent — the element that makes baked goods rise and makes them light and fluffy. Kitchen staple leaveners — like baking soda and baking powder — use a chemical reaction to create carbon dioxide bubbles.

Why is it called crazy cake? ›

Wacky cake is considered wacky not only because the recipe lacks any dairy or eggs but also because all the ingredients for this cake are mixed directly in the pan it is baked in. This recipe goes against the most popular methods for mixing cake batters, especially since there is no bowl or whisk necessary.

Why is angel cake different? ›

Angel food cake, or angel cake, is a type of sponge cake made with egg whites, flour, and sugar. A whipping agent, such as cream of tartar, is commonly added. It differs from other cakes because it uses no butter. Its aerated texture comes from whipped egg white.

What's the difference between German chocolate cake and chocolate cake? ›

German chocolate cake uses a particular kind of baking chocolate as its base, one which has a milder, sweeter profile thanks in part to lecithin, a fatty substance derived from egg yolks. In contrast, classic chocolate cake recipes often use cocoa powder or darker chocolate for a richer, more intense flavor.

Which flavor is best in chocolate cake? ›

No one disputes that one of the very best chocolate cake flavour combinations is fruity. If the cake that you're making uses white or milk chocolate and is very sweet, then something more acidic like passion fruit will work brilliantly to balance out the fat and sugar.

What does adding coffee to chocolate cake do? ›

Coffee is made for baking. Its rich, bittersweet flavour adds depth to cakes, cheesecakes, pies, cookies, muffins, loaves, and soufflés. It boosts the chocolatey appeal of Fudge Layer Cake with Chocolate Avocado Icing, Coffee Brownies and soft, fudgy Coffee Chocolate Crinkle Cookies.

Can I use hot chocolate mix instead of cocoa powder for cake? ›

Yes, if you're baking a cake or cookies, or making icing, you can use hot chocolate powder in place of cocoa if you're out of cocoa powder. Cocoa powder will give your recipe a much more "chocolaty" flavor.

Can you use hot chocolate powder instead of cocoa powder for chocolate milk? ›

Either one would work, but the cocoa will blend more easily into hot milk.

What cocoa powder to use for cake? ›

“When it comes to baking, I prefer Dutch process cocoa powder,” says former BA food editor Claire Saffitz. “The alkalizing process darkens the color and typically deepens the flavor.” Dutch process cocoa powder produces baked goods that taste more intensely chocolatey.

How does cocoa powder affect cake? ›

The role of cocoa powder in cakes: When used alone in cakes, cocoa powder imparts a full rich chocolate flavor and dark color. Cocoa powder can also be used in recipes with other chocolates (unsweetened or dark) and this combination produces a cake with a more intense chocolate flavor than if the cocoa wasn't present.

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