Chili Chocolate Cinnamon Cake

Ingredients

• Servings: 10
• 1 1/2 cups buttermilk
• 1 cup butter
• 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 tablespoon dried ancho chile powder
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 eggs
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
• 1/2 cup finely chopped hazelnuts
• 1 1/2 cups chilled heavy cream
• 1/3 cup confectioners' sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 (10 ounce) package frozen raspberries in light syrup, thawed (optional)

Recipe

• 1 ---forthe cake---.
• 2 preheat oven to 350°f, grease, flour and line, with parchment paper, the bottom of 2 nine inch round cake pans.
• 3 in a heavy saucepan, whisk buttermilk, butter, cocoa and chili powder over medium heat until all the butter has melted.
• 4 in a large mixing bowl, whisk together sugar, flour, cinnamon, baking soda and salt.
• 5 in a small bowl, whisk eggs and vanilla.
• 6 pour chocolate mixture over flour mixture and whisk until blended, add egg mixture and whisk again, then stir in hazelnuts.
• 7 pour batter into prepared pans and bake 30- 35 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
• 8 transfer to to baking racks, cool 10 minutes, remove from pans, return to racks and cool completely.
• 9 ---forthe whipped cream---.
• 10 chill bowl and beaters in the refrigerator until cold.
• 11 beat cream until it starts to thicken, add sugar and cream of tartar, continue beating until soft peaks form, add vanilla and beat until stiff peaks form.
• 12 ---forthe raspberry squeeze sauce---.
• 13 puree raspberries and liquid in a blender or processor, strain in a sieve and store in squeeze bottle in the refrigerator (can be made 4-5 days ahead of time).
• 14 ---toassemble and serve---.
• 15 place one cake layer on a serving dish and top with 1/2 the whipped cream, add second layer and the remaining whipped cream.
• 16 chill at least 2 hours.
• 17 place cake slices on desert dishes and drizzle raspberry sauce in a decorative pattern around the edges.