Mexican Chocolate Cake Recipe

5 from 1 vote

Mexican Chocolate Cake Recipe

Warm cinnamon spice elevates this easy Mexican chocolate cake, creating a rich and flavorful treat perfect for sharing (or not!).

Prep Time20

Cook Time24

Total Time44

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: Mexican

Servings:

Author: Kristyn Merkley

Ingredients

Cake

2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups sugar
½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 cup buttermilk
1 cup hot water
⅔ cup vegetable oil

Frosting

1 cup butter, softened
½ cup cocoa powder
3½ cups powdered sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
5-6 tablespoons milk or half and half
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
chocolate bar, optional (for chocolate curls)

Instructions

Cake

Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Mix flour, sugar, cocoa powder, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl.
Add eggs, buttermilk, hot water, and oil and beat with a hand mixer until combined and smooth (it should be runny). Pour into a greased metal 9x13-inch baking dish.
Bake for 24-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Let cool.

Frosting

Beat the butter and cocoa powder until light and fluffy.
Add the powdered sugar, cinnamon, milk, and vanilla. Mix until well blended, adding additional milk if needed to bring the frosting together.
Continue to beat for 3-5 minutes, until light and fluffy.
Frost the cake and make chocolate curls to add to the top if desired.

Video

Notes

Recipe Tips:

Room-temperature butter, milk, and eggs incorporate better with the other ingredients than cold.
We LOVE adding chocolate curls on top, but they can be a pain, so the best trick we learned is to use a vegetable peeler! Also, make sure the chocolate bar is room temperature.
The better the quality of the cocoa powder, the better your cake will turn out.
The batter will be very runny so don't worry, this is exactly what you want for a moist cake.
Use a metal baking dish to get even baking and clean edges.
Beat the frosting for several minutes to make it extra light and fluffy. Let the cake cool completely before frosting to prevent melting.
Cupcakes: Fill cupcake liners 2/3 of the way full and bake for 18-22 minutes.
Cake rounds: You can divide the batter into 2 round cake pans and bake for 22-24 minutes.

Store. Cool and wrap in plastic wrap. Place it in an airtight freezer bag or wrap it again in aluminum foil. Freeze for about 3 months. Freeze frosting in a separate container. Thaw and mix before applying.

For a frosted cake, cover a full cake with plastic or divide leftovers into airtight containers. Store at room temperature for 2-3 days, in the fridge for 4-5 days, or freeze for up to 3 months.

Nutrition