Fiery Chocolate Cake

1 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup butter or stick margarine, softened
1 large egg
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
6 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground red pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup milk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Baking spray with flour
2 tablespoons semisweet chocolate chips

Heat oven to 350 degrees F.

Beat the sugar and the butter at medium speed of a mixer until well-blended (about 5 minutes). Add egg, beating well. Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife.

Combine flour and the next 5 ingredients (flour through salt), stirring well with a whisk.

Combine milk and vanilla extract. Add the flour mixture to the sugar mixture alternately with the milk mixture, beginning and ending with the flour mixture.

Pour batter into a 9-inch round cake pan coated with baking spray. Bake at 350 degrees F for 35 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan 10 minutes on a wire rack, remove from pan. Cool cake completely on wire rack.

Place chips in a small heavy-duty zip-top plastic bag, and seal. Submerge bag in very hot water until chips melt, or microwave on HIGH for 1 minute or until melted. Snip a tiny hole in one corner of bag; drizzle chocolate over cake.

Yield: 10 servings (serving size: 1 wedge)