Hispanic-Inspired Mole & Masa Cakes

By Lauren Mitchell, Test Kitchen Director · 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 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.