how much chile (and what kind) to add to a chocolate cake?

I'd like to try making a chocolate cake with chile powder added in. I've googled it and have found some recipes that look interesting, with some calling for ancho chile powder and others calling for cayenne. I'm no expert on combining chile and chocolate and would like some input on which would be better to use and how much to use. I'd like some kick to it, definitely have it noticeable, but I don't want it burning hot.

Although I've been baking for years, I'm no pastry chef. One recipe I found mentioned that the cake was drier than the baker wanted and so the baker was planning on fiddling with proportions of flour/egg and adding more chile powder, as the flavor and heat was barely there. I'm not confident with fiddling with proportions of flour/egg. I'd like to just be able to try adding chile powder to a cake recipe I know and like. Or, if someone has a fantastic recipe, I'd love to try it, if you're willing to share.

Any suggestions for frosting it as well?

Thanks!
-gtgirl

Well this doesn't quite answer your questions, but I have made these Double Chocolate Raspberry Chipotle Shortbread Bars. I found them to be more like a brownie than a shortbread iirc. I would use the Food blog search or maybe epicurious. I'm no pastry expert, but if I were to start experimenting, I would use a chocolate cake recipe that I like and start by adding no more than 1 tsp ancho chile powder. I would definitely use frosting - probably chocolate. Let us know what you end up doing. Good luck.

I've made brownies using chile. My first attempt was with chipotle which was not too bad. For my second batch, I used a combination of chipotle and ancho which gave the brownies a more complex flavor. Incidentally, the brownie recipe I used also included cinnamon powder.

I agree that it may take some experimenting to find the right amount of heat.
Good luck.

Jyoti

I'll third the ancho chili; I used them for "burning lips" spice cookies which were frosted with chocolate and dusted with chili. It isn't burning hot, but adds some heat and flavor that works well with chocolate.

I think Piron chocolates uses a cayenne on their chili truffles; it's really good, but it strikes me that it would be difficult to adjust inside a baked item.

I found this to be the tastiest Chocolate Chili cupcake recipe ever, only I'd divide the chili in half. The cake is moist and fluffy and the frosting is rich and delish. I've replaced the chili with cocoa, too, when I wanted a non-spicy cake, and it was great. I also never made it in the mini pans, but regular cupcake pans. I think it made 24. So I'm sure it will work just as well as a cake.

http://cupcakeblog.com/?p=20

Good luck!

Maybe chili powder in the frosting might be a bit easier to manage than in the cake? You could taste as you go.

If you are melting chocolate for your cake recipe, you could melt it with 1/8t of chili first and give it a taste. Slowly add in more as you go. I'd error slightly on the hotter side because once the chocolate mixes with the rest of the cake ingredients, the heat will be diluted a bit.

I made spicy chocolate truffles (adapting Alton Brown's recipe) a while back and found I liked around 1/2t of cayenne powder per 4oz bar of chocolate for a big kick.

Definitely keep us posted on how it turns out!

I have experimented several times with the addition of chiles to chocolate recipes. In terms of which kinds to add, Ancho is my personal favorite and I think it pairs very well with chocolate. I like the addition of Pasilla and Chipotle, but not as much because I prefer a little less smoky flavor added to the chocolate. But I think this is all a matter of preference. As far as Cayenne goes, I think the only noticeable change will be in terms of spice level, and not flavor.

When I have added Ancho to a chocolate recipe (I've done it with creme brulee, brownies, cake and hot chocolate), I find that cinnamon is also a great addition. As far as the amount to use, that really depends upon how assertive you want the chile flavor to be and this requires a little experimentation. Assuming you're baking two layers, I would suggest anywhere from 1-3 tablespoons of Ancho, a little less than that if using Pasilla and even a little bit less if using Chipotle. Depending upon how much heat you desire, I suggest 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon of Cayenne (a little less if you use Pasilla or Chipotle).