This chocolate mud cake recipe is a perfect showstopper and will ensure your guests have plenty of time to savor every bite. Best of all, it's super easy to make! If you love chocolate and cooking together, this cake is a hard labor of love. Most importantly, this dessert goes with absolutely everything: ice cream, cake mix cakes...you name it! Go ahead and whip up this decadent dessert for company tonight and enjoy the compliments.
Ingredients
For the Mud Cake
250 g (9 oz / 1 cup) unsalted butter, roughly chopped
200 g (8 oz) dark chocolate block, roughly chopped
1 cup (240 g) caster sugar
1 cup (220 g) brown sugar, lightly packed
1 tsp (3 g) instant coffee granules, optional
1 ½ cups (375 mL) milk
3 large eggs (approx. 55 g / 2 oz each)
1 tbsp (20 g) vanilla essence
1 ½ cups (225 g) plain flour
½ cup (50 g) unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tbsp (16 g) baking powder
1 tsp (5 g) salt
For the Chocolate Ganache
¼ cup (63 mL) thickened (pouring) cream
¼ cup (63 mL) milk
200 g (8 oz) dark chocolate block, finely chopped
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place chocolate in a medium bowl and set aside. Heat butter and sugar over low heat until the butter is melted and the mixture is smooth. Stir in eggs one at a time until fully incorporated.
Stir in vanilla and salt. Add chocolate and mix until it's completely melted. In a large mixing bowl, stir together flour and cocoa powder. Slowly add the wet ingredients to the flour mixture, stirring just enough to moisten everything together.
Pour into a greased 9x13" baking pan (I used a brownie pan so it could be cut into smaller pieces later) or 3-4 9x13" cake pans/casseroles. Bake at 350 degrees F for 25-30 minutes until the top is golden brown and a toothpick comes out almost clean when inserted in the middle of the cake (not sticky).
Let cool in pan for 5 minutes then remove to cool completely on wire rack.
To make the ganache, place chopped chocolate in a medium bowl. Heat cream over medium heat in a small saucepan until just boiling and steaming. Pour hot cream over chocolate. Let sit for 2-3 minutes without stirring then stir until smooth and combined.
The ganache will be used to ice the top of the cake like frosting but it's much richer so it should cover most of the cake instead of being put on in swirls or dollops like regular frosting.
The cake will also keep in the fridge for up to 1 week (wrapped well) and can be frozen for up to 1 month if desired.
