Mud cake is a rich, dense chocolate cake recipe everyone will love. Unlike a classic chocolate cake, it is characterized by a compact yet moist, melting texture with a tight crumb, hence the term "mud" which refers to brown water of the Mississippi river. Impressive and easy to make even without any equipment, the mud cake is made with a mixture of eggs, sugar, butter, flour, bitter cocoa powder and dark chocolate. The combination of the latter two ingredients will give the cake an intense taste, as well as a characteristic internal creaminess.
You can serve this delicious mud cake as it is, or simply sprinkled with powdered sugar, or stuffed in layers. Its compactness will allow it to perfectly support any type of garnish or cream, without the risk of breaking. The secret for making a super decadent dessert lies in the silky chocolate ganache with which the different levels are filled and with which the cake is completely covered. Mud cake is perfect for a birthday party, an anniversary or to be served at the end of a meal for a special dinner.
So let’s find out how to make the chocolate mud cake by following our step-by-step recipe and tips.
Tips
For making the best mud cake, we recommend using a high quality dark chocolate that has at least 70% cocoa.
Make sure eggs and milk are at room temperature to prevent the batter from separating and going lumpy.
How to store Chocolate Mud Cake
Once filled with the chocolate ganache, the mud cake can be stored at room temperature, in a cool place, for a day, otherwise in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. Once taken out, wait a few minutes before eating it so that the glaze softens.
Ingredients
FOR THE DOUGH
EGGS 3
UNSALTED BUTTER 200 g
FRESH WHOLE MILK 200 ml
GRANULATED SUGAR 250 g
70 % DARK CHOCOLATE 150 g
UNSWEETENED COCOA POWDER 80 g
ALL-PURPOSE FLOUR 180 g
BAKING POWDER FOR CAKES 16 g (1 sachet) FOR THE GANACHE
55% DARK CHOCOLATE 300 g
VEGETABLE CREAM OR LIQUID FRESH CREAM 300 ml
How to make Chocolate Mud Cake
Step 1
Chop the dark chocolate with a sharp knife.
Step 2
Transfer the chocolate to a high-sided saucepan.
Step 3
Pour in the milk.
Step 4
Add the butter, cut into chunks.
Step 5
Finally add the sugar.
Step 6
Put the saucepan over medium heat and let the mixture melt, stirring until it becomes a cream without lumps. Then let it cool in a cool place.
Step 7
Beat the eggs with a hand whisk.
Step 8
Pour in the chocolate mixture in the beaten eggs.
Step 9
Add the baking powder to the flour that you have already put in a sieve.
Step 10
Add the unsweetened cocoa powder.
Step 11
Sift the powders directly into the mud cake dough.
Step 12
Blend the mixture so that no lumps form.
Step 13
Grease a round cake pan with a diameter of 22 centimeters.
Step 14
Flour the round pan making the flour adhere also along the edges. Turn the mold over to drop the excess flour.
Step 15
Pour in the mixture of the mud cake.
Step 16
Using a spatula, distribute it well. Bake the mud cake at 320°F/160°C for about 50 minutes. To check the baking, do the test of the toothpick that must come out without residual dough, but do not worry if it is wet as it is a characteristic of the cake. Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool on a wire rack.
Step 17
Once cooled, cut the mud cake into 3 equal discs. If cracks have been created in the upper part during cooking, don't worry; just sharpen it a little and use it as a base by inverting it with the bottom of the cake.
Step 18
Prepare the chocolate ganache; pour the cream into a saucepan and bring to a boil.
Step 19
Once the cream reaches a boil, remove from the heat and pour the cream over the chopped chocolate that you have placed in a bowl.
Step 20
Mix with a whisk until you have obtained a thick and spreadable consistency.
Step 21
Pour the chocolate ganache on the first disc which will be the base of the mud cake.
Step 22
Cover with the second disc.
Step 23
Make the second layer of the mud cake with the chocolate ganache.
Step 24
Finally cover with the last disc.
Step 25
Pour the chocolate ganache left over on the last layer, covering the edges evenly, but leaving a greater quantity of it on the top.
Step 26
Decorate with dark chocolate curls and let rest for a few moments.
Step 27
Slice and serve the chocolate mud cake.