Chocolate Mud Cake
Rich, moist and deeply chocolatey Chocolate Mud Cake made with dark chocolate, cocoa and coffee, finished with a smooth chocolate ganache.
Ingredients
Method
Buttermilk Substitute
If you don’t have buttermilk, mix 103 ml milk with 1 tsp lemon juice and let it sit for 5–10 minutes.
1. Prepare the pan
- Preheat the oven to 160°C / 320°F or 150°C fan-forced. Grease and line a deep 22 cm round cake pan with parchment paper, making sure the paper extends above the sides.
2. Prepare the chocolate-coffee mixture
- Melt the butter and dark chocolate until smooth and glossy. Stir in the cocoa powder. Dissolve the instant coffee in the hot water and let it cool slightly. Add the coffee to the melted chocolate mixture and mix well. Set aside to cool slightly.
3. Mix the wet ingredients
- Whisk together the caster sugar, brown sugar, eggs and vanilla until smooth. Add the oil and buttermilk and mix until combined. Add the cooled chocolate-coffee mixture and mix until smooth.
4. Add the dry ingredients
- In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and gently fold until just combined. Do not overmix.
5. Bake
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake for 55–65 minutes, checking from around 50 minutes. A skewer inserted into the centre should come out with a few moist crumbs but no wet batter. Cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack and cool completely.
6. Make the ganache
- Chop the cooking chocolate and milk chocolate. Heat the heavy cream until hot and just beginning to simmer. Pour over the chocolate and let sit for a few minutes. Stir gently until smooth and glossy.
7. Finish
- Let the ganache thicken for 15–30 minutes, then pour over the completely cooled cake and spread evenly.
For the best texture, do not overmix the batter and avoid overbaking the cake. The centre should remain moist with a few crumbs on the skewer.