This is a recipe for Pepita Mexican Chocolate Cake. Everyone went wild over this Mexican dessert at our Wine Night gathering last week. Wild! I was hearing things like “best thing I’ve had in my mouth,” to “omg,” to “give me the recipe”… a demand rather than a request.
I watched Rick Bayless make this on television last Saturday. The flavor combinations and the fact that the batter was made in a food processor had me intrigued. Which made this recipe sound very manageable. Plus I had a package of Mexican Chocolate in the pantry from my last jaunt to the Mexican Grocery on Federal. All I needed was some pumpkin seeds and I was ready to go.
What makes this cake special is the caramelized topping that is created by dotting butter on the bottom of the cake pan and then sprinkling pumpkin seeds evenly over the butter. Pour in the batter that’s been pulsed in your food processor and then bake. Sprinkle with some powdered sugar and enjoy the accolades.
And if you’re loving the combination of flavors that make up a category for Mexican Chocolate, you’ll be interested in this Mexican Chocolate Sauce to drizzle over Vanilla Ice Cream. Another reason to grab that bottle of Kahlua.
Teri brought these wonderful blue cheese filled pastries, from Food and Wine Magazine. Finger food at it’s best, and exciting in flavor. Cabrales Phyllo Rolls with Sherry Dipping Sauce were a perfect pairing for our Spanish Pago de Los Capellanes, a Ribera del Deuro.
Recipe for Pepita Mexican Chocolate Cake
I hope you give this Mexican dessert recipe a try. And if you do, please come back and let me know how you liked it and give the recipe a star rating. Your feedback is valuable to me for developing future recipes. And if you have a favorite Mexican Chocolate recipe, let me know, I’d love to give it a try.
- 4 ounces unsalted butter slightly softened and cut into ½ -inch pieces plus another tablespoon or two greasing the pan, 1 stick; 8 tablespoons
- 1 3/4 cups pepitas hulled toasted, salted (divided use), about 8 ounces, pumpkinseeds
- 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar divided use
- 3 large eggs room temperature
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 tablespoon tequila or Vanilla
- 1/2 cup Mexican chocolate about 3 ounces
- Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and turn it on to 350 degrees.
- Butter the bottom and sides of a 9-inch cake pan, then line the bottom with a round of parchment paper cut to fit the bottom and slather it with more butter (about a tablespoon). Sprinkle ½ cup of the pumpkin seeds in an even layer on the bottom of the pan, then sprinkle with 2 tablespoons of the sugar. Set aside.
- Measure the remaining 1 ¼ cups of the pumpkin seeds and 1 cup of the sugar into a food processor. Pulse the machine until the seeds are pulverized and resemble damp sand. Add the eggs and the 4 ounces of butter and pulse until everything is incorporated. Add the flour, baking powder and tequila and pulse again, just until everything is combined.
- Chop the chocolate into pea-sized pieces and add it to the batter. Pulse until the chocolate is mixed in. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes.
- Let the cake cool for ten minutes, then unmold it onto a platter, remove the parchment paper and serve.
Looking for more Mexican Dessert Recipe ideas? How about these crowd pleasing:
Churros Cheesecake Bars
Pepita Mexican Chocolate Cake …It’s what’s for Dessert.
Larry says
April 28, 2015 at 5:53 pmWith raves like that it had to be good and it looks delicious.
Karen Harris says
April 28, 2015 at 9:32 pmWith your endorsement, and of course RB’s, I’ll have to make this soon. Looks delicious!
John@Kitchen Riffs says
April 29, 2015 at 10:12 amThis looks so interesting! I rarely use pumpkin seeds, but that’s going to have to change — this looks fabulous! Thanks so much.
Penny says
April 29, 2015 at 3:00 pmWhat a beautiful cake Lea Ann. The raves won out. Will have to try.
Rocky Mountain Woman says
April 30, 2015 at 9:13 amI love Rick Bayless recipes. I’ve never seen this one, but I’m sure going to try it soon.
Lea Ann Brown says
May 9, 2015 at 12:09 pmI’m with you on those Rick Bayless Recipes.
Jean | DelightfulRepast.com says
May 1, 2015 at 10:22 amSounds great, Lea Ann! I do love a small single-layer cake.
Lea Ann Brown says
May 9, 2015 at 12:09 pmMe too! Simply because with my baking skills, I can handle that!
Debra says
May 5, 2015 at 9:16 amHow perfect that I am reading this on Cinco de Mayo????? I love the idea of the caramelized pepitas! Pinning! Wish I had time to make it today….
Lea Ann Brown says
May 9, 2015 at 12:08 pmCarmelized pepitas = amazing.
Carol at Wild Goose Mama says
May 6, 2015 at 4:08 pmWine Night???? How do I get invited to that? Laughing. Might be worth a plane trip from Washington State.
What an interesting cake! I have never used pepitas/pumpkin seeds—ever. I can hardly imagine this cake and that’s good. All the more intriguing.
Lea Ann Brown says
May 9, 2015 at 12:07 pmThanks Carol. If you made a plane trip from Washington State, you’d most certainly be invited to wine night.
lisaiscooking says
May 7, 2015 at 9:21 amThis sounds so good! I can see why it was a hit. The caramelized, pepita topping is calling my name!
Lea Ann Brown says
May 9, 2015 at 12:06 pmLet me know if you give it a try Lisa. Always good to hear from you.
Barbara says
May 7, 2015 at 2:42 pmLove Rick Bayless! What a fabulous cake, Lea Ann. A super idea to have caramelized pepitas on top when you inverted it. No wonder everyone raved. At first glance I thought it was going to have fruit in it! (It was the chocolate!)
Lea Ann Brown says
May 9, 2015 at 12:06 pmThanks so much Barbara.
Heather says
May 8, 2015 at 1:35 pmYUM! I love pumpkin seeds- this looks so decadent.
Lea Ann Brown says
May 9, 2015 at 12:05 pmEveryone raved. Thanks Heather
Barb says
May 13, 2015 at 2:28 pmOh, wow – does that look spectacular! I might have to move closer to you. Ate way too much in celebration mode while in Denver. However, did manage to pass Little Man Ice Cream several times without stopping. Now back in Breck – raining (at least not snow).
Lea Ann Brown says
May 19, 2015 at 6:24 amI wanted to go to Little Man a few weeks ago and the line was a block long.
Brian D. says
November 11, 2018 at 8:50 pmSo unique! I’ve made it twice this fall. Thanks!
Lea Ann Brown says
November 12, 2018 at 9:31 amThank so much for letting me know Brian. Every time I make it, it gets unsolicited raving compliments. So glad you enjoyed it.