Chipotle Chocolate & Walnut Cake

Jalapenos are great in beans or salsa, ever tried to bake a cake with it? Weird! Nope not at all! You have to taste it to believe how wonderful it is!

I used chipotles for this cake because I love their color and flavor. Chipotles or smoke dried jalapenos are coffee colored and have a rich smoky flavor. Though grown widely in Mexico, these chilies are available in regular and specialty stores as is or canned in seasoned Adobo sauces.

Ingredients

¼ cup sifted unbleached organic white flour

¼ cup sifted organic whole wheat pastry flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

½ cup sifted unsweetened cocoa powder

2 tablespoons milled flax seed powder

1-1 ½ cup organic soy or rice milk (Could be substituted with water instead)

3 teaspoons dried chipotle chili paste (Grind 3-5 chilies using very little water, to a fine paste)

¼ cup crushed walnuts or pecans

¼ teaspoon salt (I use sea salt)

Method

- Preheat oven to 350F. Spray a cookie sheet and set aside.

- Mix white flour, whole wheat pastry flour, salt, baking powder and cocoa powder. Add milled flax seed powder, mix well.

- Add in the soy milk and chipotle chili paste. Mix well to a consistency of a thick batter. Set aside for 5 mins.

- Pour the batter into the previously prepared cookie sheet. Sprinkle crushed walnuts on top and bake for 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the cake’s center comes out clean.

The fusion of the flavors from the chocolate, chipotle and walnuts came together so perfect ...it couldn’t have been any better. It was a true feast to the palate. The flax seed made the cake really moist and chili paste added the right amount of spice to balance the bitterness from the chocolate. What best its totally egg, milk and oil free! I have tried this cake with honey and agave nectar to add some sweetness; however the sugarless one is my favorite.