It's was an exciting task when LuLu asked me to make a chocolate mud cake for her birthday this year instead of the usual carrot cake request year after year.
I cannot even remember the last time I had mud cake and actually don’t think I had even baked it before, so it was an exciting challenge. I was sure I would find a recipe in at least one of my recipes books, however without any success, I turned to the internet. Interestingly I found that the mud cake is an Australian recipe and possibly an ancestor of the Mississippi Mud Pie, adapted into a cake without the signature marshmallows on top (though I think they would be a great topping for next time). I finally came across this UK recipe that would do the trick.
Chocolate Mud Cake
adapted from Delicious Magazine
250g unsalted butter
200g dark chocolate
1 tsp instant coffee
100ml whole milk
250g self-raising flour
40g cocoa powder
250g caster sugar
4 large free-range eggs, lightly beaten
1 tsp vanilla extract
150ml soured cream
For the ganache
150g milk chocolate
150g dark chocolate
100ml double cream
50g unsalted butter
Preheat the oven to 160°C/fan140°C/gas 3. Grease and line a deep, 23cm round loose-bottomed cake tin.
Melt the chocolate, butter, instant coffee and milk in a heatproof bowl over a pan of barely simmering water and stir until smooth. Remove from the heat and set aside.
I cannot even remember the last time I had mud cake and actually don’t think I had even baked it before, so it was an exciting challenge. I was sure I would find a recipe in at least one of my recipes books, however without any success, I turned to the internet. Interestingly I found that the mud cake is an Australian recipe and possibly an ancestor of the Mississippi Mud Pie, adapted into a cake without the signature marshmallows on top (though I think they would be a great topping for next time). I finally came across this UK recipe that would do the trick.
Chocolate Mud Cake
adapted from Delicious Magazine
250g unsalted butter
200g dark chocolate
1 tsp instant coffee
100ml whole milk
250g self-raising flour
40g cocoa powder
250g caster sugar
4 large free-range eggs, lightly beaten
1 tsp vanilla extract
150ml soured cream
For the ganache
150g milk chocolate
150g dark chocolate
100ml double cream
50g unsalted butter
Preheat the oven to 160°C/fan140°C/gas 3. Grease and line a deep, 23cm round loose-bottomed cake tin.
Melt the chocolate, butter, instant coffee and milk in a heatproof bowl over a pan of barely simmering water and stir until smooth. Remove from the heat and set aside.
Sift the flour and cocoa powder into a bowl and then add the caster sugar.
Fold into the chocolate mixture along with the eggs, vanilla extract and soured cream.
Pour into the prepared cake tin and bake in the oven for 1 hour to 1 hour 10 minutes. The cake is ready when a skewer inserted into the centre comes out with some moist crumbs sticking to it but not any raw cake batter. Set aside to cool completely in the tin.
To make the ganache, melt the ingredients together, stirring occasionally, in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water. Set aside to cool at room temperature for 30 minutes.
Remove the cake from the tin and leave to cool.
Spread evenly all over with the ganache, at this point you can swirl or make any patters you like before it sets... or let it dribble (unintentionally down the side)
You can serve also with ice cream – or SPARKLERS!!!
Happy Birthday Lulu x
Kate in on the chocolate action, and she doesn't even like chocolate.
I love a good mud cake. I'm not sure that this is an Australian recipe, but it's perfect for the chocoholics out there :-) x
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