We told you recently about chocolatier Larry McGlinchey and his Cacao Lorenzo,  a great Baltimore-area source for European-style, hand-crafted chocolates. But if you want to try crafting something chocolatey yourself, here’s a recipe to try.

MEXICAN CHOCOLATE CAKE
(A 9-inch cake that serves 9 – 12 people)
Ingredients:

Cake
1 ½ cups cake flour
2/3 cup cocoa or dark chocolate powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons cinnamon
½ teaspoon cayenne
1 teaspoon ancho chili powder
3 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 ¼ cups sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
5 tablespoons corn oil, canola or safflower can be substituted
½ cup milk
1 tablespoon white vinegar

Glaze
½ cup red jalapeno jelly such as Goya©
2 tablespoons sweet butter (unsalted)
Frosting
4 ounces dark chocolate, chopped
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3 tablespoons heavy cream
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Decoration
2 or 3 beautiful whole small fresh red peppers, such as jalapeños or anaheims
Topping :
Cinnamon whipped cream and/or ice cream

Method:
Pre-heat oven to 350º

Butter the bottom and sides of a 9-–inch cake pan. Line the bottom with buttered parchment paper.

In a medium bowl lightly stir the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, cayenne and chili powder with a fork.

Beat the eggs and sugar with an electric mixer until light and creamy. Beat in the vanilla and oil.
Mix in the flour, cocoa mixture and vinegar.

Pour into prepared pan and bake for 30 minutes. Lower oven temperature to 300º and bake for 25 additional minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean.

Cool in pan on cake rack for 15 – 20 minutes. Cake will still be warm. Remove from pan. Turn upside-down on wire rack and remove parchment paper. Leave flat side up on wire rack.

Glaze

Melt the jalapeño jelly and butter in a small saucepan, over low heat. Spread on top and sides of cake while warm. Let cool completely and then cover cake with chocolate frosting

Frosting
Place the chocolate, cinnamon, cream and butter in the top of a double boiler. Place over simmering water until well blended and shiny. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla. When frosting is room temperature, frost the cake. Refrigerate and top with the brightly colored peppers. Make sure to tell people that they are not marzipan.

Note: iI you are feeling especially ambitious, make look-alike peppers from marzipan.