Chocolate Chile Cake

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photo by a food.com user photo by a food.com user
Ready In:
1hr 5mins
Ingredients:
21
Yields:
1 9inch layer cake
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ingredients

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directions

  • For the cake, preheat the oven to 350 degrees and place a rack in the center of the oven.
  • Butter two 9-inch round cake pans and line the bottoms with circles of parchment or waxed paper.
  • Lightly dust the sides of the pans with flour, tapping out the excess.
  • For best results, use a mixer with a wire whip attachment.
  • Combine the flours, sugar, baking soda, salt, and cocoa and beat on low speed until well mixed.
  • In a medium saucepan, cook 1 cup of the water with the chili powder over medium heat until simmering.
  • Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the vanilla.
  • Add the softened butter to the dry mixture and beat thoroughly on medium-low speed.
  • The mixture should be grainy.
  • Raise the speed to medium and gradually add the remaining cup of water and the buttermilk.
  • Add the eggs on at a time, beating well after each addition.
  • Slowly add the hot water/chile mixture and continue to beat just until well combined--be sure not to overbeat.
  • Pour the mixture into the pans and bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the centers of the cake comes out clean.
  • To cool, set the pans on a wire rack for 15 minutes.
  • Then turn the cakes out onto the rack, remove the paper from the bottom, and immediately reinvert so that the risen tops don't flatten.
  • Let sit until completely cool before frosting.
  • For the frosting, combine the butter and cocoa in a large saucepan and melt over medium heat.
  • Stir in the buttermilk.
  • Add the confectioners' sugar a little at a time, stirring with a wired whisk between additions.
  • Stir in the bourbon and vanilla.
  • The frosting should stiffen as it cools.
  • When it has reached a spreadable consistency, assemble the cake.
  • If necessary, trim the tops of the cakes so they are level.
  • Place one of the cake layers onto a 9-inch round cardboard cake circle.
  • Spread 1 cup of the chilled frosting over the cake layer.
  • Sprinkle 1 cup of the chopped walnuts over the frosting.
  • Place the second layer of the cake onto the frosted base.
  • Use the remaining frosting to cover the top and sides of the cake.
  • Finish the top of the cake by holding the spatula at a slight angle and making several strokes to smooth the top.
  • To decorate the cake, press the remaining walnuts against the lower half of the side of the cake and on top of the cake.

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Reviews

  1. I made this for the Aztecs challenge for ZWT8. We loved it, it turned out to be really moist with just a hint of spice. I did leave out the walnuts but other than that it was delish!
     
  2. I liked this, but one little problem. I forgot the sugar! Also, I made muffins instead of a single cake. Even without the sugar, these were very moist and tasty, but obviously not very sweet. I will definitely make these again, and next time, I will remember the sugar. Thanks!
     
  3. Love it! I also used coffee and cinnamon, like the previous reviewer.
     
  4. This was really good.. I made a few changes, I added a little cinnamon to flour/sugar mix, also substituted cold coffee for 1/2 of the water called for. I made 1/2 of this recipe and made it into cupcakes.(It made 16 medium sized ones) The cake is very tender so make sure you let it cool a B/4 you turn it out. The frosting is a wonderful, soft, thick chocolatey concoction that goes perfectly with the cake. If you are unsure of the chocolate/chili combination let me assure you, it is not at all what you are afraid of.. it has this slightly "warm",spicy aftertaste that you just can't quite put your finger on.. nothing screams CHILI POWDER at you.. LOL. I'm really glad I made this
     
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Tweaks

  1. This was really good.. I made a few changes, I added a little cinnamon to flour/sugar mix, also substituted cold coffee for 1/2 of the water called for. I made 1/2 of this recipe and made it into cupcakes.(It made 16 medium sized ones) The cake is very tender so make sure you let it cool a B/4 you turn it out. The frosting is a wonderful, soft, thick chocolatey concoction that goes perfectly with the cake. If you are unsure of the chocolate/chili combination let me assure you, it is not at all what you are afraid of.. it has this slightly "warm",spicy aftertaste that you just can't quite put your finger on.. nothing screams CHILI POWDER at you.. LOL. I'm really glad I made this
     

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