Sunday, December 21, 2014

Southern Living: Mexican Chocolate Pudding Cake


It's certainly that time of year for warm desserts.  If it's cold outside, you can at least have something warm in your stomach.  So why not something warm and sweet and spicy?  I know, I know, chocolate and cayenne pepper?  Crazy.  But I promise it's not.  It just adds a little bit of bite in the background.  No tongue scorching here.  And you absolutely MUST serve it warm with vanilla ice cream.  No excuses.

Mexican Chocolate Pudding Cake
Adapted from Southern Living magazine, September 2014

 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
½ cup (1 stick) plus 2 teaspoons unsalted butter, divided
¾ cup granulated sugar
4 large eggs
1 cup all-purpose flour
¼ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
¼ teaspoon ground chipotle chile pepper
½ teaspoon kosher salt, divided
½ cup sliced almonds
1 teaspoon packed light brown sugar

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Microwave chocolate and ½ cup butter in a large microwave-safe bowl at HIGH 1 to 1½ minutes or until melted, stirring at 30-second intervals. Whisk in granulated sugar. Add eggs, 1 at a time, whisking just until blended after each addition. Whisk in flour, next 4 ingredients, and ¼ teaspoon salt.

Pour batter into a greased (with butter) 2-quart baking dish. Melt the remaining 2 teaspoons of butter.  Stir together sliced almonds, brown sugar, melted butter, and remaining ¼ teaspoon salt. Sprinkle almond mixture over cake batter. Bake for 30 minutes. (Center will be soft.) Cool on a wire rack 5 minutes. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream.

Makes 6 servings

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