Categories: Cakes 
      Yield: 9 servings 
  
--------------------------------FOR THE CAKE-------------------------------- 
  1 1/4 c  Cake Flour 
    1/2 c  Unsweetened Cocoa Powder 
      3 tb Ancho chili powder 
      1 ts Baking soda 
    1/4 ts Baking powder 
    1/4 ts Cayenne pepper 
    1/2 ts Salt 
     10 tb Unsalted butter at room temp 
  1 1/2 c  Sugar 
      3    Large eggs 
    1/2 c  Buttermilk 
    1/2 c  Hot dark coffee 
      1 ts Pure vanilla extract 
 
------------------------------FOR THE TOPPING------------------------------ 
    1/2 c  Lightly rosasted Macadamias 
           - whole or chopped (about 
           - 2 oz.) 
      4 oz Semisweet chocolate, chopped 
    1/2 c  Whipping cream 
  
  [Note:  Bobby Flay, chef of NYC's Mesa Grill, prepared this dessert 
  for a Meals on Wheels benefit meal at the Frontera Grill in Chicago. 
  Blended with the cocoa and coffee, the chili powder is only mildly 
  hot and adds something approximating a fruit flavor.] 
   
  1.  Heat oven to 375 degrees.  Butter a 9" square cake pan, line the 
  bottom with parchment or waxed paper and butter the paper.  Measure 
  out cake flour, cocoa, chili powder, baking soda, salt, baking 
  powder, and cayenne. 
   Sift them together 3 times. 2. Using an electric mixer with a large 
  bowl, beat the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Beat 
  in the eggs, one at a time, and continue beating until mixture is 
  light, fluffy and almost tripled in volume. 3. Fold 1/3 dry mixture 
  into the butter-egg mixture, then add 1/2 the buttermilk and 1/2 the 
  coffee. Fold in another 1/3 of the dry mixture then the remaining 
  buttermilk and coffee. Finish with the remaining dry dry mixture and 
  the vanilla extract. 4. Spread the batter in the prepared pan.  Bake 
  until cake springs back when touched lightly (30 - 35 min.).  Then 
  turn out of pan and leave on the rack until completely cool. 5. Use a 
  2-1/2 inch cookie cutter to cut rounds from the cake.  Place the 
  rounds in paper cupcake liners. 6. Make the topping: If the 
  macadamias are raw, roast them in a 350 degree oven, turning once, 
  until they just begin to color.  Place the chopped chocolate in a 
  bowl, heat the whipping cream tii the point of a bowl and pour it 
  over the chocolate.  Let cool to warm then drizzle it over the 
  cupcakes. Top with macadamia nuts. 
   
  [Note: Ancho chili powder can be made by stemming and seeding whole 
  ancho chilies and pulverizing them in an electric spice mill or 
  coffee grinder. The poweder should be available at markets featuring 
  Soutwestern ingredients or may be ordered by mail from G.B. Ratto & 
  Co., 800-325-3483.] 
   
  From Chicago Tribune Magazine 3/23/93. Posted by Bud Cloyd