Deep Dark Chili Chocolate Cakes with cacao, coffee and chili, as cupcakes or a cake, with dark chocolate glaze and perhaps chili whipped cream.
Who Doesn’t Love Deep Dark Chocolate Secrets!
Chocolate, in its truest form, is already mysterious, bitter, earthy, almost brooding. But when you invite chili into the conversation, something thrilling happens. The heat doesn’t shout; it whispers, slowly building, warming the back of your throat just as the deep cacao melts on your tongue.
Add coffee to the mix, and suddenly the chocolate feels darker, more intense, like it’s been steeped in secrets. This is not a dessert for the faint of heart, it’s for those who like their sweets layered, complex, and a little dangerous.
Grown-up Chocolate Cake
Raw cacao brings a bold, almost primal depth here, untouched by excess sugar or processing. It tastes real. Honest. Grown-up.
The coffee sharpens it, the chili flirts with it, and together they create a cake that feels indulgent without being cloying.
Each bite starts rich and velvety, then finishes with a gentle, lingering heat that makes you pause… and immediately go back for another forkful.
Naughty Intense and Deeply Dark
These cakes, whether baked as a dramatic layer cake or turned into irresistible little cupcakes, are meant for late nights, dinner parties with good wine, or moments when you want dessert to feel like an experience, not an afterthought.
They’re unapologetically bold, deeply chocolatey, and just spicy enough to remind you that pleasure should never be boring.
So yes, naughty, intense, and wildly satisfying. Consider yourself warned: once you’ve tasted chocolate like this, there’s no going back to safe, sweet, and simple.
Chili and Chocolate
Chili and chocolate, married together, make for the best cake recipe for adults! Why? It’s deliciously spicy and ‘hot‘ and is kissed with something that can make the flavors dark!
When I have a sweet tooth and feel like indulging in something really naughty, it’s going to be Chocolate. No, not just a milky sweet, barely brown chocolate; it must be laced with adult flavors, like something spicy hot, deep dark and ever so slightly sweet.
And so, I created these naughty little sweet treats that are nothing short of a ‘Cakegasm’ (yeah, I just created that word!), do I have your chocolate loving attention yet?
Who Likes Chocolate?
Surely, everyone will say they like chocolate, but there is chocolate and then there is chocolate.
Moist dark chocolate, when not overly sweet, or covered up with icing powder, is going to be the truest chocolate flavor we can get in a chocolate dessert.
Often times when folks look for a chocolate treat, we revert back to chocolates we may have had as a kid.
Real Chocolate
Most of our childhood experiences with chocolate have not been with real chocolate, at least, not real chocolate that hasn’t been overly processed.
Real chocolate, the kind used in this cake, is worlds away from the sugary imposters so often sold as “chocolate” on grocery store shelves. Much of what we’re used to eating is diluted with excess sugar, oils, and fillers that soften chocolate’s true character.
Real chocolate, especially when made with raw cacao, is unapologetically bold: bitter, earthy, complex, and alive with nuance. It doesn’t rush to be sweet, it lingers, it challenges, it rewards your palate.
In a cake like this, there’s no place to hide. Real chocolate stands up to the heat of chili and the depth of coffee without losing itself. Instead, it deepens, darkens, and becomes something almost intoxicating.
This is chocolate in its most honest form, less about sugar highs and more about flavor, texture, and sensation. Once you’ve baked with real chocolate, the overly sweet stuff starts to feel flat, one-note, and forgettable.
Have You Ever Had Savory Chocolate?
What are you talking about Robin, savory chocolate? Absolutely! You see, real chocolate, raw cacao, has a bitter somewhat hot flavor, much like cinnamon does.
That natural earthy, raw, somewhat hot flavor makes chocolate the perfect ingredient for both sweet or savory dishes. When you’ve wrapped your taste buds around this umami combination, you will definitely want to try making your own Chocolate Chili Pasta!
Deep Dark Chocolate Beans
These, not so attractive beans, plucked and roasted from the seed of the cacao tree, are a bit peppery on their own. However, give it a kiss of something sweet, and already cacao is transformed.
Let it remain without sugar, and you have the perfect dark rich enhancement to meats and savory sauces.
Chocolate For The Health Of It
Healthy? Ohhhh yes! Dark chocolate is loaded with minerals and antioxidants, and even a healthy amount of soluble fiber.
Add to that lineup, iron; which could be why with each of my pregnancies or even during a woman’s cycle, we crave chocolate.
Our little body is crying out for more iron, “Give me chocolate, give me chocolate,” it’s saying!
Coffee Beans
We can’t forget an important ingredient to the chocolate cake, yet another seed plucked and roasted from a tree, the coffee bean. When freshly ground and brewed has a naturally occurring oil from the coffee bean.
While there are a number of skin benefits to using coffee oil externally, because of its high amounts of vitamin E and other essential nutrients, I use it in chocolate desserts to make them moist.
Sort of the same thing? When coffee is used in this recipe it adds another layer of depth to the dark, earthy flavor of the chocolate, which you will find also in my Coffee Chocolate Cookies!
The Heat Of A Chili
Why on earth would you put ‘bite-your-tongue’ hot chili peppers in a luscious chocolate cake? Oh, just try it!
It does something magical to bring out more of the cocoa bean flavor, deepen the character of the chocolate flavor, and send a hot little tingle through your mouth, sure to wake it up!.
If using fresh chopped chili pepper, just add a little sliver to the cup of hot coffee, let it steep and then strain the pepper out, leaving its heat in.
You can also just add a pinch of Cayenne pepper to the dry ingredients, if you don’t have a chili pepper.
Savory Chocolate And Chili Peppers
When using chocolate in a savory dish or sauce, a higher SHU (Scoville Heat Unit), can be used simply because flavors in a savory dish can stand up to the heat.
For a sweet heat, which is a more delicate flavor, it is best to stay with a chili pepper a little lower on the heat level, but still use a pepper that has a complimenting flavor; Serrano or Cayenne (8,000 to 50,000 SHU).
The flavor of a jalapeño or poblano have very definite flavors of their own, earthy/grassy, and I have not preferred them in sweet hot dishes.
Definitely would love to know if you have found a hot chili pepper you like in a dessert!
Cupcakes and Cakes
Why make a big ole cake when you can make lots of little cakes! Cupcakes are an easy to-go treat or gift to give, and now, a huge tree of cupcakes have become the rage, replacing wedding cakes!
I remember, growing up, how every wedding (because I have family in the wedding event business), would have a wedding cake. Then, something changed in early 2000, and cupcakes began to replace wedding cakes.
A beautiful tall mound of cupcakes, or small, stacked in a variety of decorations, just looked magical! Fast forward to these three years post-Covid and it has become the wise way to serve a celebration cake at a wedding. Not to mention birthday cakes, in which someone blows… blows out the candles!
Cupcakes vs Muffins
If truth be told about my passion for muffins and why I created My Muffin Madness cookbook, with 52 different sweet or savory muffins, it was inspired by the celebratory wedding cupcakes.
I created each recipe with a view in mind to decorate each muffin with pertinent ingredients on top.
Take, for instance, Cheeseburger Muffin has cheese, tomates and tiny burgers on displayed on top.
Or, for a fancy sweet muffin, such as Eggnog Muffin, it is adorned with meringues and laced with rum, but never icing, which is what makes it different from a cupcake.
So, naturally, when I want to decorate a cupcake, which always has an icing, whereas muffins do not, I want it to look extra special too.
And trust me, I am not a cake decorator, by any means, so I keep is simple, delicious and still pretty.
Icing On Cupcakes
I prefer these chili chocolate cupcakes without anything on top, but if you must have something on top, to call it a cupcake, keep it simple. Perhaps whip a little cream, toss in some booze and give a dollop of this to the cupcake.
You could also add a little cacao and confectionery sugar with a pinch of cayenne pepper to butter or whipped cream, and pipe that on as an icing. My take on icing for these chocolate cupcakes is to let the cake be the star and not the icing.
But, let’s get to the point! Don’t you get annoyed when you look for the perfect recipe, only to find lots of blah, blah, blah stories you don’t really care about. JUST GIVE ME THE RECIPE!
Okay, OK, the best recipe for Chili Chocolate Cupcakes is about to be on your evening plate!
Small Cakes Cupcakes And Grand Cakes
A grand cake doesn’t have to be a big ole wedding cake, dripping in icing sugar and very little else inside. The recipe for these deep dark chocolate chili cakes is grand enough on its own.
Whether you make them in a cupcake, regular size cake or simply double this recipe and make a large cake for several guests, this recipe it everything you want in a grand chocolate cake!
Ingredients Needed
Every ingredient in this cake plays a role, and none are here by accident.
- The Chilies are the spark, the slow, warming heat that wakes up the chocolate and lingers just long enough to be remembered. Cayenne pepper deepens that warmth, while Cinnamon adds a softer, round spice that feels familiar and comforting rather than fiery. Together, they create heat with intention, not aggression.
- Sugar and Eggs bring structure and balance, softening the intensity and giving the cake its tender, almost velvety crumb. Milk and Cream add richness and moisture, while Butter lends that unmistakable depth and luxury that only real fat can provide. A neutral Oil, sunflower or your favorite, keeps the cake supple and indulgent, even days after baking.
- Coffee is the quiet amplifier, enhancing the Cacao without ever announcing itself. And the Cacao, raw, dark, unapologetic cacao, is the soul of this cake, grounding everything with its deep, earthy bitterness. Flour provides just enough structure to hold the decadence together, while Baking Powder and Baking Soda ensure a gentle rise that keeps the texture light despite the cake’s intensity. A pinch of Salt sharpens every flavor, making the sweet sweeter, the bitter bolder, and the spice more alive.
- Finished with a whisper of Confectioners Sugar or a Silky Cream topping, this cake becomes a study in contrast: heat and cool, dark and light, bold and tender. Each ingredient knows its place, and together they create a dessert that’s as intentional as it is irresistible.
Equipment Needed
This cake doesn’t ask for fancy equipment or professional tricks—just a well-loved kitchen and a willingness to indulge.
- Cupcake tin or a classic 9-inch springform pan works beautifully, and when temptation strikes hard, doubling the recipe for a generous 12-inch pan is always encouraged.
- Cupcake papers, a light mist of Non-stick spray, and a sturdy Spoon make filling the pans easy and delightfully mess-free.
- A Saucepan is all you need to gently coax heat and depth from the chilies and chocolate, while a Strainer or Slotted spoon keeps the flavor bold but refined. A Mixing bowl and Whisk, or a trusty Hand-held mixer, bring everything together with ease, and Measuring cups and Spoons ensure the balance stays just right. Freshly brewed coffee, made in your everyday Coffee Maker, slips quietly into the batter, deepening the cacao without stealing the spotlight.
- Finally, the Oven does what ovens do best, transforming intention into indulgence. What comes out is a cake (or a tray of cupcakes) that feels daring, decadent, and deeply satisfying. Dark chocolate, gentle heat, and grown-up flavor, proof that sometimes the most unforgettable desserts are the ones made with a little courage, a little restraint, and a lot of love.
Deep Dark Chili Chocolate Cakes
Equipment
- 9-inch springform cake pan or a cupcake tin
- Non-stick spray
Ingredients
- Cake Ingredients
- 2 Eggs
- 1 cup Sugar
- 1 cup Cream/Milk
- 1/2 cup Oil light flavor
- 1 cup Hot Coffee
- 1 Small chili
- 1 3/4 cups Flour extra for dusting
- 3/4 cup Raw Cacao
- 1 1/2 tsp Baking powder
- 1 1/2 tsp Baking soda
- 1 tsp Salt
- 1/4 tsp Cayenne pepper or adjust to personal heat level
- 1 tsp Cinnamon
- Chocolate Glaze
- 6 oz Chocolate 70%
- 3/4 cup Heavy Cream
- 1/2 cup Sugar
- 2 tsp Corn Syrup
- 3 tbsp Butter
- Whipping Cream optional
- 3/4 cup Heavy Cream
- 1/4 cup Confectioners sugar
Instructions
- CakePreheat oven to 350. Prepare cupcake tin with cupcake papers, or prepare a springform pan with non-stick spray and a dusting of flour.
- Make a strong cup of coffee, steep a finely chopped chili in a cup of the coffee and keep it hot, set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl with a hand mixer, or stand mixer, whip eggs and sugar together about 5 minutes, until light in color. Slowly pour in the cream/milk and oil.
- In a separate medium bowl, sift the dry ingredients, then gently whisk into the wet ingredients. Last, strain the chili pepper out from the coffee and slowly pour in the hot coffee into the batter, mix well. Pour 3/4 full into prepared pan/tins. Bake until tester comes out clean, about 25-minutes for cupcakes and 50-minutes for cake pan. Cool completely.
- Chocolate Glaze
- In a medium saucepan over low-to-medium heat, place the chocolate squares, cream, sugar and corn syrup and simmer, stirring, for 10-minutes.
- Remove from the stove and whisk in the butter.
- Slowly pour this glaze over the cake or cupcakes and allow to set in the fridge for 30-minutes.
- Optional Whipping Cream
- In a stand mixer or hand mixer, whip the heavy cream with confectioners sugar until light and firm.
- Add the remaining ingredients and whip until firm.
- A dollop of this sweetened whipped cream can be added when the cake is served.
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I believe the table... that place that draws people to gather, is the most powerful symbol of togetherness. All that happens before the table is set, the planning, the gathering, the preparing, are all an intricate part of the dance that create the mood of celebration to share with friends and loved ones.