Mexican Chocolate Fudge-Pecan Cake

Mexican Chocolate Fudge-Pecan Cake is rich and satisfying to your taste buds.  You family will love licking the fudge rich chocolate sauce off the bottom of the plate.  We tried this cake right after it was done baking and the next day.  My family is split on which is better.  The fudge sauce is warm and delicious eaten right away.  If you leave the cake over night and try it the next day the sauce has had a chance to soak into the cake and make a harder glaze on top.   This cake works well in a bundt, tube or individual muffin cups that are sprayed with joy cooking spray with flour.  This cake recipe comes from Rebecca Rather's book The Pastry Queen.  I did alter the original recipe by using whole wheat pastry flour, cut the butter in half  and reduced the sugar in the cake. Don't worry there is still plenty of butter in this cake and frosting to satisfy you.

Mexican Chocolate Fudge-Pecan Cake
Pre-Heat Oven:  350 degrees
Serves:  12

1/2 cup butter (1 stick)
1/2 cup canola oil
1/2 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
3/4 cup water
1 3/4 cups organic cane sugar
2 large eggs
1 cup buttermilk, 1% buttermilk fat
2 tablespoons vanilla extract
2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt

Melt the butter in a microwaveable bowl for 1 minute on high.  Whisk in the cocoa powder into the melted butter. Add the water to the chocolate mixture and whisk until smooth.  In a mixer or by hand, cream the butter, oil and sugar together until creamy.  Add the eggs one at a time whisking after each addition.  Add the buttermilk, chocolate mixture and vanilla extract to the batter.  Add the flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt and mix well until all the ingredients are incorporated.  Pour the batter into a well greased bundt pan, tube pan or muffin tins.  Make sure the pans are grease well or the cake will stick.  If you are using muffin tins fill them 2/3 of the way and bake them at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.  If you are using a bundt or tube pan bake the cake at 350 degrees for 40-45 minutes.  The cakes are done when the cake pulls away from the sides of the pan or a toothpick comes out clean. Cool the cakes on a wire rack for 20 minutes and then overturn the cake on a plate to finish cooling.

Mexican Chocolate Fudge-Pecan Batter

Chocolate -Pecan Glaze:
1 cup pecans, browned and chopped
6 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup none-fat milk
1/2 cup high-quality dark cocoa powder
2 cups sifted powdered sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt


On a cookie sheet bake the pecans in a single layer at 350 degrees for 7-9 minutes or until golden brown.  Allow the pecans to cool and then chop the pecans into small pieces.

Chopped Toasted Pecans

In a small pan on medium high heat, melt the butter.  Add the milk, cocoa and powder sugar and whisk until glossy.  Remove the pan from the heat and add the vanilla extract, salt and toasted chopped pecans.  Spoon the glaze over the cake and cover it completely with the glaze.

Whisking The Fudge-Pecan Glaze

Fudge-Pecan Glaze and Cooling Cake

This cake will keep for 3 days, covered at room temperature.  This cake will keep unglazed for 3 weeks in the freezer if it is well wrapped.  Allow the cake to thaw at room temperature then glaze the cake just before serving.

Mexican Chocolate Fudge-Pecan Cake Glazed And Ready To Serve