Spice up Valentine’s Day with a luscious cake

It’s never a bad idea to spice things up on Valentine’s Day. After all, in many successful relationships, a little intrigue and an element

of surprise keep things exciting. Now, before you jump to any conclusions (after all, this is a food column), I am talking about cake.

In this recipe, chocolate is teased with a little spice, resulting in a luscious flourless cake, perfect for Valentine’s Day or any day when you crave a rich chocolate dessert. Don’t be deterred by the spices. Laced with chile powder, cayenne and cinnamon, this dense fudgy cake has a naughty kick of smoke and heat cloaked in chocolate.

While the spices may sound, well, savory, and yes, spicy, they are restrained and add just enough complexity to thoroughly complement the intensity of the chocolate and seductively round out its flavor, providing a playful je ne sais quoi moment for the happy recipients. Now that’s an exciting cake.