Chocolate Mud Cake
350g dark chocolate pieces
225g butter
600ml water
3 eggs
400g castor sugar
400g self raising flour
# Grease and line a 23cm/9″ round cake tin. Preheat oven to 170C/325F.
# In a saucepan over low heat, heat chocolate, butter and water. Stir frequently until melted and smooth. Remove from the heat and cool slightly.
# In a large bowl, lightly beat eggs. Gradually beat cooled chocolate mixture into eggs.
# Whisk sugar and flour into chocolate mixture, continue beating until smooth and well blended.
# Pour mixture into cake tin. Bake for 45 minutes or until skewer inserted into centre of cake comes out clean.
# Turn cake onto wire rack to cool.
Please Note:
* This mixture is quite runny, use a solid cake tin not a springform tin.
Tip:
* Line tin with baking paper, this will make the cake easier to remove from the tin, no sticking to the sides.
Truffle Mixture:
120g dark chocolate pieces
100g butter
300g sifted icing sugar
4 Tbsp double or whipping cream
# In a bowl over a pan of simmering water melt chocolate, stirring frequently.
# Cool slightly, then stir icing sugar, butter and cream until well blended.
Chocolate Glaze:
225g dark chocolate pieces
165ml double or whipping cream
# In a saucepan over low heat, heat chocolate and cream, stirring frequently until melted and smooth. Keep warm.
Assembling the Cake:
# Cut cooled mud cake into layers.
# Spread truffle mixture between layers with a palette knife. Reserve some mixture to finish round the edges of the cake.
# Position cake on wire cake rack and pour warm glaze over the top.With a palette knife to spread glaze to cover top and side evenly.
# Put remaining truffle mixture into a piping bag with a star nozzle. Pipe a decorative border around the edge of the cake.
Tips:
* This cake is firm enough to cover with rolled fondant if using as a wedding or special occasion cake.
* To appreciate the full, rich flavour that this cake offers it is best eaten at room temperature.
* This cake is suitable for freezing.
ALTERNATIVES
White Chocolate Mud Cake:
~ Replace dark chocolate with white chocolate
Orange Mud Cake:
~ Can be made using either white or dark chocolate
~ Replace water with freshly squeezed orange juice
Hazelnut Mud Cake:
~ Omit 50-100 grams flour and replace with ground hazelnuts
~ Also add in 1/2 cup chopped hazelnuts
Lemon Poppy Seed Mud Cake:
~ Replace dark chocolate with white chocolate
~ Use 400 ml water and 200 ml freshly squeezed lemon juice
~ Add a few drops of lemon essence and 1/4 cup poppy seeds
~ You may add some grated lemon zest if you like a bit of extra tang
Caramel Mud Cake:
~ Replace dark chocolate with white chocolate
~ Replace castor sugar with brown sugar