Mexican Hot Chocolate Cake

Serves its purpose and 12 people

Ingredients:
CAKE
1 ½ sticks of butter, plus extra for greasing the pans
1 ½ cups all purpose flour, plus more for dusting
1 cup cake flour
1 tsp each: baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1 ½ cups baker’s sugar
3 large eggs, separated
2 tsp good quality vanilla extract
1 cup sour cream

BUTTERCREAM
4 sticks butter, softened
1 lb box of powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp cinnamon
scant ¾ tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp salt
5 oz bittersweet chocolate, melted and cooled
5 oz white chocolate, melted and cooled

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350˚. Allow butter, eggs, and sour cream to come to room temp. Grease and flour two 9” rounds and cut parchment paper for bottoms. In bowl, stir together all dry ingredients.
2. Beat butter on medium-high speed in a mixer for 30 seconds. Beat in sugar until well combined. Beat in yolks one at a time.
3. Add flour mixture, vanilla, and sour cream to butter mixture. Beat on low speed until just combined.
4. In a clean bowl, whisk egg whites on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form. Fold half of the whites into the batter. Then fold the rest in.
5. Pour batter into pans. Bake for about 25 minutes – cake should spring back to the touch. Cool cakes in pans on wire racks for about 10 minutes. Then remove carefully from pans and cool completely before frosting.

For buttercream: Beat 5 sticks of butter on medium-high until softened. Slowly, add the powdered sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, cayenne pepper, and salt. Gradually beat in the melted and cooled chocolates. Continue mixing on high speed until the frosting has a smooth consistency.
This cake can be frosted and will retain its moist texture and flavor for up to two days if covered at room temperature.

••••Inspired by Oaxacan hot chocolate, Rufino Tamayo, and my abuelitos' posadas

Recipe by Cristina Paul