My Mexican chocolate cake with berries is so easy to make, so intensely chocolatey, and so velvety smooth…this (almost) flourless cake is decadent but light at the same time. The subtle hint of Mexican spices like cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, and a pinch of cayenne, makes it magical.
my Mexican chocolate cake hits the sweet spot between simple and delicious.
Easy is a word I throw around a lot, I know, but this Mexican chocolate cake truly is. You need only a bowl and a whisk, and it comes together in a flash.
No matter how delicious something might be, if it’s too laborious and involved to make, I just don’t bother. I figure most of you must be like that too.
this is a variation of my Belgian chocolate cake
That cake is one of the earliest cakes in my personal recipe repertoire. I made it for this blog in my early days, then revisited it and updated a few years later. The recipe has never changed in all those years, it’s perfect. You can even make it as cupcakes, if you like.
a flourless chocolate cake is perfect for spring and summer
Spring and summer demand light desserts, and this cake delivers. It doesn’t have the overwhelming solidity that most flourless chocolate cakes have. Top it with juicy berries and a little hand shaken mason jar whipped cream and you will not be sorry.
When you slice into it the crisp shell crackles and buckles, revealing a dark moist better-than-brownie-like interior.
Just gaze into that dark chocolate interior…that’s what delicious looks like.
how to serve this Mexican chocolate cake
- Berries are so good right now I couldn’t resist. I like to slice the strawberries and intersperse a few edible flowers. I don’t do this until shortly before serving so the berries and flowers are fresh. Any berry would work on this cake.
- The cake doesn’t need any garnish at all, and sometimes I’ll just sprinkle it with powdered sugar and serve with whipped cream. Try spicing the whipped cream with a little cinnamon for a nice touch.
- Ice cream goes especially well with the deep chocolate of this cake, I use vanilla, it allows the flavors to shine.
Mexican Chocolate Cake with Berries (gluten free, or not)
Equipment
- 10 inch tart pan with removeable bottom
Ingredients
- 9 ounces dark, or semi-sweet chocolate, either chocolate chips, or bar chocolate cut in small chunks
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
- 1 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp allspice
- 1/4 tsp cayenne powder
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 5 tablespoons all purpose flour, or your choice of gluten free flour or nut meal
- 5 large eggs, at room temperature
garnish
- fresh berries
- powdered sugar
Instructions
- Lightly butter a 10 inch spring-form or tart pan with removable bottom. Note: make sure your pan is at least 1 1/2 inches deep because this cake will puff up.
- Put the butter and then the chocolate in a microwave safe bowl. Microwave for 1 minute, then stir. Microwave for another 30 seconds, and stir again. If it’s not completely melted, put it back in for another 15 seconds, and stir until the chocolate completely melts.
- Add the sugar, spices, vanilla extract, and flour to the chocolate, then the eggs, and whisk really well to completely break up the eggs. Cover and set aside at room temperature for 30 minutes. The mixture will thicken as it sits.
- Meanwhile pre-heat the oven to 325F
- Pour the batter into the buttered pan and smooth out evenly. Bake for about 50-60 minutes, until firm on top and cracks form across the surface. Cool on a rack, then remove the outer ring.
- When completely cooled and just before serving, decorate the cake with fresh berries and a dusting of powdered sugar.
Notes
Nutrition
Still craving flourless desserts?
Ottolenghi’s Flourless Coconut Cake
Flourless Belgian Chocolate Cake
Gluten Free Carrot Cake
If you want to mess with classic french gateau de chocolat, you pepper it with cayenne and call it mexican. Really ridiculous!
I plan to make this cake for a dinner party. Just wondering if it can be made ahead of time & frozen. Thanks!
Thank you! I’m new to baking but was wondering how can I tell that it’s cooked or not? I know you said for the top to be cracked and firm but wasn’t sure if I stuck a metal pick and it comes out clean is it cooked?
It’s sort of like brownies, where the toothpick test isn’t really reliable because even when this cake is fully cooked it will be fudgy inside. If the top is not shiny or wobbly in the center, and the cracks are starting to appear, then you can assume it’s cooked.
I didn’t see a nutrition evaluation. Did I miss it? I need to watch carbs for being a pre diabetic. It sounds delicious and I know my husband would eat them but I know I’d be very tempted a lot lol.
Mu older recipes haven’t been converted for nutritional info yet, I have to do it manually, which I will do for this one when I get a minute, thanks Carol!
I’D LOVE TO TRY THIS RECIPE AS I’VE BEEN BAKING LIKE AN OBSESSIVE SINCE COVID BEGAN, BUT….don’t like anything spicy and wonder if the cayenne pepper will make this spicy, or may i skip that 1 ungredient, please??thx, love many of your recipes:): Kelli
Hi Kelli, you can totally skip the hot stuff. I have a regular chocolate version of this cake you might like, just search Belgian chocolate cake in my search bar.
The Mexican tort was absolutely delicious and so easy. I omitted the cayenne.
Decadently delicious! Made this as a summer time birthday cake & served with fresh blueberries, raspberries and homemade chocolate whipped cream. This recipe is a keeper!
I have a quick question, I have a 9 inch springform pan, do you think this will work?
You should be able to do that, it will take a bit longer to cook, and I might take extra care prepping the sides of the pan so it doesn’t stick, the cake is quite moist.
I used an 11 inch pan instead of 10 and I used unsalted extra creamy butter sticks. Do you think this would have caused the cake to come out too moist ? I left it in the oven for 50 minutes and the toothpick came out clean and it was cracking at the top . What would you recommend I do differently? Also any other spice to replace cayenne pepper ? It was a bit overpowering for my like .
It’s meant to be quite a moist cake, Lucio, so maybe you weren’t expecting that? And you can leave out the cayenne without any issue.
Hi! Please clarify- do you mean 1 cup AND two sticks or just two sticks butter?
It’s 1 cup Katy.
Hello, i normally use 58% chocolate pistoles by cacoa berry for my flourless. Would like to know which chocolate you use. Should I use almond meal or almond flour, i think it is the same if i recall. This looks amazing and definitely want to try.
Thank you Marco
I generally use semi sweet or bittersweet chocolate, but feel free to experiment with different chocolates, Marco. And I generally use almond flour, which is a little finer than almond meal, but either will work.