Hispanic-Inspired Mole & Masa Cakes

By AislePrompt Test Kitchen · Reviewed by AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-04-02 · Updated 2026-04-02

A vibrant, chocolate-infused mole sauce with toasted sesame and almond notes, served atop fluffy corn masa cakes to celebrate America's diverse linguistic heritage. This mexican-inspired mexican ready in about 60 minutes layers dried ancho chiles, dried guajillo chiles, sesame seeds into a dessert worth slowing down for — great for weekend baking, holiday tables, or any time you want a sweet payoff at the end of a meal. Each serving lands at about 395 calories and feeds 4, so it slots into a weekend bake or a special-occasion dessert tray. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.

Ingredients

• 2 dried ancho chiles
• 1 dried guajillo chiles
• 1/4 cup sesame seeds
• 1/4 cup almonds
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 large chopped onion
• 3 cloves minced garlic
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/4 cup raisins
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 1/4 tsp ground oregano
• 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 1 cup masa harina
• 1/2 cup warm water
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 tbsp vegetable oil

Instructions

1. Step 1: Toast dried chiles in a dry skillet over medium heat for 1-2 minutes per side until fragrant, then remove stems/seeds and soak in hot water for 15 minutes.
2. Step 2: Toast sesame seeds and almonds in a dry skillet for 2-3 minutes until golden, then grind into fine crumbs.
3. Step 3: Heat 1 tbsp vegetable oil in a saucepan, sauté chopped onion for 5 minutes until golden, then add minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until aromatic.
4. Step 4: Drain chiles, add to saucepan with ground sesame-almond crumbs, cocoa powder, raisins, cumin, oregano, and cinnamon. Stir in 1/2 cup chicken broth and simmer for 10 minutes.
5. Step 5: Blend mixture until smooth using an immersion blender, thinning with remaining broth if too thick. Season with salt.
6. Step 6: Mix masa harina, warm water, salt, and 1/2 tbsp oil to form a soft dough. Divide into 8 portions and shape into 1-inch-thick patties.
7. Step 7: Heat a non-stick skillet over medium heat, cook masa cakes for 2-3 minutes per side until golden brown and slightly crisp.
8. Step 8: Simmer mole sauce for 5 more minutes, then serve over masa cakes.