How To Make A Perfect Mexican Chocolate Cake

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Why You’ll Make This Mexican Chocolate Cake Again and Again

This Mexican Chocolate Cake is rich, ultra-moist, and just a little bit different—in the best possible way.
Cinnamon melts right into the chocolate, and the fudgy icing soaks into the cake while it’s still warm.

• Bakes in a sheet pan (feeds a crowd)
• Simple pantry ingredients
• One of those “everyone asks for the recipe” cakes
• Perfect for Cinco de Mayo, potlucks, and graduation parties!

Do you have a card-carrying chocolate lover at your house? You might enjoy these recipes, too. Chocolate Lush Dessert, Triple Dark Chocolate Bundt Cake, and Easy Chocolate Chex Caramel Crunch

This cake is baked in a big sheet pan, which means it feeds a crowd without any fuss. It’s the kind of simple, dependable dessert you can take to a party, a potluck, or a busy weeknight when you just need something good

This simple but decadent cinnamon-infused chocolate cake is loaded with butter and sugar, making it extra rich and moist. Ignore the indulgent recipe this time and go for it; it’s worth every calorie!

How To Make Mexican Chocolate Cake

😉 The real magic of this cake begins on the stovetop. **

1. Mix the dry ingredients
Whisk everything together in a large bowl.

2. ** Make the chocolate base (this is the secret)
Melt butter and cocoa together on the stovetop until smooth and glossy.

3. Combine and mix
Pour the warm chocolate mixture into the dry ingredients and stir until smooth.

4. Add eggs and buttermilk
Mix until you have a thin, silky batter.

5. Bake
350°F for 18–20 minutes, until it is set. A cake tester will come out clean, and the top of the cake will spring back when you touch it.

When the Mexican chocolate cake is done baking, it should pull back slightly from the edges of the pan. Let the cake cool for only about 10 minutes.

The Warm Chocolate Icing That Soaks Into the Cake

Get busy making the icing while the cake bakes, so both the cake and the icing are nice and warm when they meet! The icing is poured over the cake while it’s still warm, so it melts right in and creates that rich, fudgy top layer. Don’t skip this step—this is what makes this cake unforgettable.

Use the same saucepan (just rinse it out) to melt the butter, milk, cocoa, and salt. Cook it over medium heat, just to the point of simmering. Remove the pan from the stove and stir in the powdered sugar and pecans. Keep the icing warm and stir it occasionally to keep a crust from forming on top.

Let the iced cake cool for about twenty minutes before serving. I highly recommend ice cream on top. Vanilla is awesome, but it’s even more fantastic if you can find cinnamon ice cream!

Make It Into Part of a Party!

If you’re planning a Cinco de Mayo get-together, graduation party, or casual potluck, this cake fits right in with these easy, crowd-friendly favorites that are all DO-AHEAD recipes! That's right! Everything here can be made ahead, so you can enjoy your own party!

Easy Crockpot Cranberry Meatballs - A quick and easy meatball recipe you make in a slow cooker. Serve the tasty meatballs as an appetizer, an entree, or in a sandwich.

Cowboy Caviar - A fresh and healthy appetizer often served with tortilla chips, it's loaded with vegetables in a tangy marinade.

Colorful Mexican Coleslaw - A delicious mash-up of taco salad and coleslaw that captures the best of both classic recipes.

Mexican Pasta Salad- Here is a recipe for a wonderful and simple pasta salad that captures all the flavors of elote, Mexican street corn.

Mexican Corn Dip - This corn dip is cool and refreshing. Inspired by elote, it's a little sweet, a little creamy, a little spicy, and so cheesy!

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Yield: 24 servings

Mexican Chocolate Cake

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This is a recipe for a super moist half-sheet Mexican sheet cake that's spiced with cinnamon and topped with pecan-studded pour-on chocolate icing.

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Additional Time 1 hour

Total Time 1 hour 40 minutes

Ingredients

• CAKE
• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp Mexican vanilla (can substitute regular vanilla)
• 1 tsp cinnamon or more to taste
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 cup water
• 1 cup butter
• 6 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 2 large eggs
• ICING
• 6 Tbsp milk
• 4 Tbsp unsweeteed cocoa powder
• 1/2 cup butter
• 3 1/2 cups powdered sugar
• 1/2 tsp Mexican vanilla (can substitute regular vanilla)
• pinch of salt
• 3/4 cup finely chopped pecans

Instructions

1. CAKE
2. Grease a 12" by 18" half-sheet pan
3. Whisk the dry ingredients in a large bowl and set aside.
4. Combine the cocoa powder, water, and butter in a saucepan and cook and whisk over medium heat until the butter melts and the ingredients form a sauce
5. Pour the chocolate mixture over the dry ingredients and stir until smooth
6. Add buttermilk, eggs, and vanilla. Beat until smooth. You can use a mixer to be sure there are no lumps.
7. Pour the batter into the greased baking pan and spread out to the edges of the pan if necessary.
8. Bake at 350 degrees for 18 to 20 minutes, or until a cake tester comes out clean and the top of the cake springs back when touched.
9. Allow the cake to cool for 10 minutes before pouring icing on top.
10. ICING
11. Combine butter, milk, vanilla, cocoa powder, and salt in a saucepan and cook over medium heat to a simmer, stirring constantly.
12. Beat in powdered sugar, then stir in the pecans.
13. Keep warm, occasionally stirring until you pour it over the cake.
14. Pour icing over the warm cake, gently coaxing icing to the edges of the cake as needed.
15. Allow the iced cake to cool for 20 minutes before serving.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

24

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 327Total Fat: 16gSaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 49mgSodium: 227mgCarbohydrates: 46gFiber: 1gSugar: 35gProtein: 3g

If you make this Mexican Chocolate Cake, I’d love to hear how it turned out.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ratings and comments help more people find these recipes—and I truly appreciate it.

Love GB (Betty Streff)

Real kitchen. Real food. Real easy.

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