Chocolate Chinese Five-Spice Cake is a delicious and unique dessert that combines the richness of chocolate with the complex flavors of Chinese Five-Spice powder. This cake is perfect for those who love to experiment with flavors and want to try something new.
How To Make:
To make this cake, you will need traditional baking ingredients like flour, sugar, eggs, and butter, as well as cocoa powder and Chinese Five-Spice powder. The Five-Spice powder is a blend of spices that typically includes cinnamon, cloves, fennel seeds, star anise, and Szechuan peppercorns. This spice blend is commonly used in Chinese cuisine and adds a warm and aromatic flavor to the cake.
The cake batter is prepared by creaming butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, then add in the eggs, flour, cocoa powder, and Five-Spice powder. The batter is then baked in a preheated oven until it's fully cooked and springy to the touch.
The end result is a decadent chocolate cake with a unique and aromatic flavor. The Five-Spice powder adds a subtle layer of complexity to the cake, making it stand out from traditional chocolate cakes. This cake can be served on its own or with a scoop of vanilla ice cream for an extra indulgent dessert.
Tips and Variations:
Tips:
Be sure to measure your ingredients accurately, especially the flour and cocoa powder, as too much can make the cake dense.
Use room-temperature butter and eggs for a smooth and evenly textured batter.
To keep your cake from sticking, grease and flour your pan.
Before slicing and serving, let the cake cool completely.
Variations:
Add a teaspoon of instant coffee granules to the batter for a mocha twist on the cake.
Swap out the cocoa powder for melted chocolate for an even richer chocolate flavor.
Experiment with different types of chocolate, such as dark or milk, for a slightly different taste.
Serve the cake with a dollop of whipped cream and a sprinkle of Five-Spice powder on top for a fancy presentation.
Bake the batter in cupcake liners for individual-sized servings.
For a gluten-free version, swap out the all-purpose flour for a gluten-free flour blend.
Use a different spice blend in place of Five-Spice powder, such as pumpkin spice or chai spice, for a different twist on the cake.
Ingredients:
- 1 and 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 and 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 teaspoons Chinese Five-Spice powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1 cup hot water
Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Grease a 9-inch cake pan with cooking spray or butter, and dust it with flour.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, Chinese Five-Spice powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt until well combined.
In a separate large mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar together with an electric mixer until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.
One at a time, beat in the eggs, making sure they are all thoroughly combined before adding the next.
Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, alternating with the hot water, starting and ending with the dry ingredients. Beat until well combined.
Pouring the batter into the ready cake pan and smoothing the top with a spatula are the next steps. A toothpick inserted in the center of the cake should come out clean after 35 to 40 minutes of baking. Ten minutes after the cake has finished cooling in the pan, remove it and set it on a wire rack to finish cooling.
Once the cake has cooled, slice and serve. Enjoy your delicious Chocolate Chinese Five-Spice Cake!
Note: You can adjust the amount of Five-Spice powder to your liking, depending on how strong you want the flavor to be.