Chocolate Chipotle Cake with Cinnamon Buttercream and Chocolate Ganache

For Easter, we went to the family’s for the big tribal get together. We are a rather large group, yet a very fun loving family. A taco bar was on the agenda for our Easter dinner, and I was asked to bring a Mexican Chocolate cake for dessert.

I knew just exactly what I wanted to bake. A cross between this Chocolate Chipotle Cake made with a cake mix, and the perfect chocolate cake from Hersheys.

We woke to a rainy, cold day which was a bummer. We had a 2 1/2 drive to get to where we needed to be, and driving in the rain is no fun. But we sure weren’t going to let a little rain put a damper on out festivities, no sirree!

We ate,

and we ate,

and we ate some more!

Then we had dinner!

We might have drank a little bit of wine.

Lydia gave everything a thumbs up!

And of course it wouldn’t be Easter without a buffet of desserts. I got a snapshot of each one and made a mosaic for you!

Now this little bunny says, “enough all ready, lets get on to the recipe!”

Pushy rabbit!

CAKE RECIPE

2 cups sugar
1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup HERSHEY’S Cocoa
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 cup milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 teaspoons cinnamon
4 teaspoons minced chipotle in Adobe Sauce
1 cup boiling water

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour three 9-inch round baking pans.

2. Stir together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt in large bowl. Add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla; beat on medium speed of mixer 2 minutes. Stir in boiling water (batter will be thin). Pour batter into prepared pans.

3. Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks. Cool completely. Frost with “PERFECTLY CHOCOLATE” CHOCOLATE FROSTING. 10 to 12 servings.

VARIATIONS:

ONE-PAN CAKE: Grease and flour 13×9x2-inch baking pan. Heat oven to 350° F. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake 35 to 40 minutes. Cool completely. Frost.

THREE LAYER CAKE: Grease and flour three 8-inch round baking pans. Heat oven to 350°F. Pour batter into prepared pans. Bake 30 to 35 minutes. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks. Cool completely. Frost.

BUNDT CAKE: Grease and flour 12-cup Bundt pan. Heat oven to 350°F. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake 50 to 55 minutes. Cool 15 minutes; remove from pan to wire rack. Cool completely. Frost.

CINNAMON FROSTING

1 cup (2 stick) butter or margarine
4 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cream
2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 teaspoons cinnamon

Cream butter. Alternately add powdered sugar and cream, beating to spreading consistency. Add small amount additional cream, if needed. Stir in vanilla and cinnamon. About 4 cups frosting.

CHOCOLATE GANACHE

1 PKG chocolate chips
1/2 cup cream

Heat cream till just starting to boil. Pour hot cream over chocolate and let sit for a few minutes to melt. Stir till smooth. Pour over chilled cake letting it flow over the edges.

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