Here in Rawmona’s Artisan Kitchen, dessert is more than a sweet treat. From her shop near downtown Bend, founder Karla Diaz Cano shares tamales, paleta, Mexican popsicle, Mexican hot chocolate and cakes, among other delicacies. Every creation is a way to honor heritage, health and the Earth. Unlike most chocolate cakes made with processed cocoa, this one begins with genuine Mexican cacao. Diaz Cano makes all of her cakes with minimally processed flours, such as almond for this one (other times coconut or cassava flours) and utilizes coconut oil, a natural sweetener like maple syrup, and eggs—whole ingredients that are gluten-free, low glycemic, nutrient-dense and organic. What emerges from the oven is indulgent for certain, but balanced.

Between the tiers, a silky ganache shines with cacao, coconut cream, piloncillo and Mexican vanilla bean. On top, a crumble of traditional Mexican chocolate made with cacao, almonds and rosita de cacao, a blossom that is separate from, but shades, the cacao tree—adds a layer of texture
and flavor. Diaz Cano brings cinnamon, vanilla bean and cacao from Mexico into her kitchen so that each bite celebrates the flavorscape of her native culture.

In Mexico, Diaz Cano explained, food is inseparable from community and spirituality. Every ingredient in her kitchen is chosen with intention, heralding ancestral wisdom and time-honored practices. “I work a very different palate than most,” she said. “My hope is that people are positively surprised and intrigued.”

Learn more about Rawmona’s Artisan Kitchen. | Keep reading more about our local food and drink scene.