Servings: —
Preheat: 350°
Chocolate and cinnamon make a terrific combination. Mexican cooks have known this for centuries, but chefs in the United States are just beginning to catch on. In this dense, not-too-sweet layer cake, a delicious mocha filling adds a touch of coffee flavoring to the chocolate and cinnamon, sending it over the top.
NOTE: Ibarra chocolate is a sweet variety that is laced with cinnamon. You can find it in the imported foods section of quality supermarkets. If you don’t have lbarra chocolate, use semisweet chocolate and a little cinnamon instead.
Ingredients
Melt the chocolate about 20 to 30 minutes ahead of time, so it can cool to room temperature.
Wrap any leftover cake tightly so it won’t dry out, and store at room temperature. The flavors deepen as it sits around.
A little butter or oil for the pan
3 ounces Ibarra or semiswet chocolate
3 ounces unsweetened chocolate
2 cups cake flour
2 tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
¾ tsp cinnamon (if using the semisweet chocoate)
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
1 cup plus 2 tbs granulated sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
4 large eggs
1 cup milk
Mocha Buttercream (recipe follows)
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350°. Lightly grease the bottom and sides of a deep 9-inch springform pan with oil or butter.
Melt the two types of chocolate together in a double boiler or in a microwave at a low power. Set aside to cool to room temperature.
Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt into a medium-sized bowl. (Add the cinnamon, as well, if you are not using the Ibarra chocolate.)
Place the butter, sugar, and vanilla in a large mixing bowl and cream at high speed with an electric mixer. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each. Pour in the cooled chocolate mixture, and beat well until everything is incorporated.
Add 1/3 of the flour mixture, stirring until it is just barely incorporated, then pour in half the milk. Stir briefly, then repeat with another 1/3 of the flour and the remaining milk. Add the rest of the flour mixture, and stir just enough to blend. (Don’t overmix, or the cake will toughen.)
Spread into the prepared pan, and bake for 55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted all the way into the center comes out clean. Cool completely before assembling and frosting.
Yield: 1 dense 9-inch layer cake, about 5 inches high (enough to serve 10 or more)
Preparation time: 1 ½ hours, plus time to cool (30 minutes of work)
Mocha Buttercream
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
3 ½ cups confectioners’ sugar (possibly a a little more)
½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp vanilla extrat
½ cup very strong black coffee
You can make this while the cake bakes.
Combine all ingredients in a medium-large bowl, and mix slowly (without breathing) until everything is moistened.
Beat at high speed with an electric mixer until the frosting is uniform and fluffy. If it seems a little too wet to spread, you can beat in up to 1/2 cup additional confectioners’ sugar.
Optional Toppings
Cinnamon
Unsweetened cocoa
Confectioners’ sugar