Hot & Spicy Chocolate Love Cake (for Two)

A no hassle, quirky, fun loving, tender hearted chocolate cake with a hot and spicy kick.

Nothing says Valentine’s Day with quite the oomph of lush, spicy, bittersweet chocolate cake. Especially when topped with a fudgy bittersweet chocolate sauce. And embellished with jagged bits of caramelized bacon and peanuts.

It’s a special cake, worthy of a special day.

But that’s not all. You can make this unforgettable oil-based cake with two bowls and a spatula—in under 15 minutes (not counting bake time). No endless beating of butter and sugar. No careful incorporation of egg to avoid curdling the batter.

No muss. No fuss. Just perfect results every time.

In other words, a cake you can count on, a cake you can lean on, laugh with, play with, respect, trust, and admire. Love Cake.

Hot & Spicy Chocolate Love Cake (for Two)

A no hassle, quirky, fun loving, tender hearted chocolate cake with a spicy kick. Oh wait, I just described MauiJim. He loves this cake.

Make Ahead   If well-wrapped to prevent moisture loss, this cake will keep at room temperature for several days; or longer in the freezer.

Equipment Note   If your baking dish is smaller than recommended, simply fill it half full with batter and use remaining batter to fill another baking dish half full.

Cake
cooking spray, to coat dish
1 teaspoon sugar, to coat dish

¼ cup vegetable oil ¼ cup sugar
¼ cup firmly packed brown sugar
2 egg yolks 2 tablespoons unsulfured molasses
2 tablespoons hot coffee 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

½ cup King Arthur unbleached, all-purpose flour
¼ cup unsweetened natural-process cocoa (not alkalized)
½ teaspoon ground ginger ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground chipotle chile
½ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon fine sea salt

Optional Embellishments
powdered sugar
-or-
Salted Bittersweet Chocolate Sauce Par Excellence   
-and-
Spicy Caramelized Bacon & Peanuts 

1. If you plan to take the Wild and Crazy route indicated in Step 12, make Bittersweet Chocolate Sauce and Caramelized Bacon & Peanuts up to a day ahead.
2. Set rack in the middle of the oven, and heat to 350F°.
3. Lightly coat a 3-cup capacity glass or terra cotta baking/serving dish with cooking spray.
4. Sprinkle sugar into the dish and tip dish in all directions to coat evenly. Turn dish upside down and tap to remove any excess sugar that doesn’t cling.
5. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the oil, sugar, brown sugar, egg yolks, molasses, coffee, and vanilla. Reserve.
6. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa, ginger, cinnamon, chipotle, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
7. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients, and mix until just combined. Over mixing will produce a tough cake.
8. Pour batter into prepared baking dish, filling no more than half full. Pour any excess batter into another smaller baking dish.
9. Bake the larger cake for 20-25 minutes (and the smaller cake for about 15 minutes), until the top feels springy and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out with moist crumbs (not gooey batter). Remove cake from the oven BEFORE the edges begin to pull away from the sides of the pan. Over baking will produce a dry cake.
10. Cool the cake in the pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes or so.
11. To finish, simply dust with sifted powdered sugar.
12. Or go Wild and Crazy (especially on Valentine’s Day), and pour melted Bittersweet Chocolate Sauce over the warm cake. Let the sauce set for 10 minutes or so (it should still be wet and warm), and then top with Caramelized Bacon & Peanuts

Makes one, two-lovers cake.

More LunaCafe Chocolate Cakes

• Bittersweet Chocolate & Cabernet Butter Cake
• Chocolate Almond Pound Cake
• Chocolate Cake Day: 10 Super Easy Chocolate Dream Cakes
• Choco­late Gin­ger Chipo­tle Stout Cake
• Chocolate Shortcake with White Chocolate Crema, Strawberry Lime Sauce & Strawberry Lime Salsa
• Chocolate Snacky Wacky Cake (Depression Cake)
• Heavenly Chocolate Beet Tea Loaf & 3 Variations
• Mad Dash Chocolate Cake (Fast & Easy)
• Mexicano Chocolate Pudding Cake (Hot, Easy & Good)
• Mexicano Chocolate Ebelskivers
• Spicy Chocolate, Banana & Fresh Ginger Tea Loaf
• Spirited Chocolate Crepes
• Warm-Spiced Molten Choco­late Cake
• White Chocolate, Cardamom & Coconut Beignet

Cookin’ with Gas (inspiration from around the web)

• 10 Unusual Chocolate Combinations | Kitchen Daily
• Cherry Coke Chocolate Cake | The Plaid & Paisley Kitchen
• Chocolate Cake… with a Crazy Ingredient | Chocolate-Covered Katie
• Chocolate-Mashed Potato Cake with Ganache | Food 52
• Courgette Chocolate Cake | Poires au Chocolate
• Kale & Chocolate Cake | Stone Soup

 Copyright 2015-2019 Susan S. Bradley. All rights reserved.