Pepita Mexican Chocolate Cake

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.

Course Dessert

Cuisine Mexican

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 40 minutes

Total Time 55 minutes

Servings

Calories 379kcal

Author Lea Ann Brown

Ingredients

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

Instructions

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.

Nutrition