When I worked at a restaurant in Toulouse, France, the chef made a vaguely similar cake, but I've tweaked his chocolate cake recipe to my liking, making it softer and spicier. Pimente d’Espelette is a chili pepper that comes from Espelette, France, a Basque enclave near the Spanish border. If you can’t find any pimente d’Espelette, cayenne pepper is a great alternative, although it's a bit spicier. Don’t worry if the center of the cake is still molten after baking - that’s how it’s supposed to be. Vanilla ice cream makes a delicious accompaniment to the cake and helps offset some of the spiciness.
—Lauren Shockey
This is the type of chocolate cake that’s great to have in your arsenal, whether it be for a weeknight chocolate craving or a dinner party. It’s intensely chocolaty with a light, almost airy texture and super easy to prepare. Following Lauren’s advice, I substituted cayenne since I couldn’t locate pimente despelette. Since cayenne has more heat, I found ½ teaspoon to work well. Whether you’re using cayenne or pimente despelette, I recommend starting with a lesser amount -- then tasting the melted chocolate-butter-spice mixture and adding more to your liking. I used a 9” spring form pan with a removable bottom with good results. Be sure to watch the cake closely at about the 20-minute mark--it’s done when it loses its glossy sheen and cracks start to form on top. I love the fact that the batter can be made in advance, refrigerated, and then baked off at the last minute. Warm chocolate cake with a big scoop of vanilla ice cream is never a bad thing. —EmilyC
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