Easter is almost here, people! That means it is time to dust off the Easter egg basket and get your fat pants on coz it is chocolate time.
I don’t know about you but as I get older I find myself less attracted to sweet, milk chocolate and more interested in dark, intense choc.
From my chocolate addicted youth, where I ate bars and bars and BARS off the stuff to now, when I rarely indulge, I have done my bit to keeping the chocolate economy afloat.
Now, on the rare occasion that I get a craving for the sweet stuff, it needs to be dark and bitter.
Chilli chocolate is perfect for that kick. Coming into the cooler weather here in Australia – allegedly, it is still stinking hot and humid despite it being almost April – chocolate with a kick is just what I am after.
My one bowl chocolate chilli cake not only provides that bite, but it is super to easy to make AND it is vegan! That’s right – a super delish spicy chocolate cake with no eggs, no butter, no milk. How could you possibly live without this recipe in your repertoire!? I am not vegan but I have been caught short many a time by a lack of eggs or milk in the fridge when I am half way through baking a cake.
The heat in this cake comes from just a quarter of a teaspoon of hot cayenne pepper. It may not seem like a huge amount but trust me, it does its job. If you are a chilli master who can handle the heat feel free to add more.
Making a vegan cake is a super economical way of showing your love through baking. I dare say that friends and family would be more impressed with the gift of a home-made chocolate cake for Ester than any cheap foil-wrapped egg. You don’t even need a mixer for this – just a bowl and a spoon and you are on your way to cake heaven.
I dressed this cake with just a dusting of icing sugar but feel free to tart it up with your icing of choice.
Gather:
1 1/2 cups self-raising flour
1 cup caster sugar
½ cup Dutch cocoa, sifted
1 cup cold water
2 teaspoons cinnamon
¼ teaspoon hot cayenne pepper
One teaspoon vanilla bean paste
¼ canola oil
LET’S GET TO IT:
Preheat oven to 180C and grease and line a round 20cm cake pan with non-stick baking paper.
Put all ingredients into a bowl and mix with a silver spoon until combined.
Scrape batter into pan and bake for 25-30 minutes / until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
Remove from oven and cool completely in tin before removing to a wire rack.
When completely cold dust over icing sugar.
the hungry mum 
Hi mum 😀 Glad you’re still at it. Missed you. Your cake looks amazing. Where did you find the recipe? And what a pretty gold spoon.
HI Liz, Thanks – I got a bit slack with my blogging! This recipe is a riff on another one of my vegan choc cakes: https://thehungrymum.com/2016/10/27/one-bowl-vegan-chocolate-cinnamon-cake/#more-4945
Hi, Mum, it’s true as I age, I am appreciating dark chocolate more, especially when it surrounds some nice Queensland ginger. That said, I could still eat a block of milk chocolate and I’m one of those barbarians who can eat a block of so-called white “chocolate”. I think Cadbury’s Top Deck was made for me 😂🤣
NOOOOO! White choc is the devils’s work! Your sweet tooth knows no bounds 🙂
I grew up this way and even love chewing on sugar cane
Good to hear you’re also on the dark chocolate journey Hungry Mum – we now have access here in Australia to so much handcrafted stuff – I recently tried one from Harris Farms nice big range – from Madagascar I think – it was amazing. Love your cake too 😄
Aww, ta Laura 😉 I live in a part of the world where Harris Farm / Fratelli Fresh etc fear to tread 😦 I have literally begged Harris Farm on Insta to open a store here, to no avail…
Oh no that’s a shame Hungry Mum – I’m sure you have access to great local markets though – something we don’t have enough of in the city!
I love chilli chocolate so much! I keep a pack of chilli buttons in bed side table for good measure, haha. This looks superb 🙂
Thanks! I love the idea of emergency choc stash by the bed – genius!
Looks so delicious!!!! I wish I could eat i right through the screen 😀 Pinning it.
Do you think this would work gluten free?
hi Julie, I have not tried making it GF so I really don`t know. Let me know f you try it. Cheers.
I love hot cocoa with Chili – I know I’d love this! 🙂