The Fairest Mud Cake of Them All

Although I get asked all the time, this here is not much of a secret (I actually found this recipe online a few years ago 'hehe), but I've sensitively altered a few things. This cake recipe is perfect for birthday cakes, wedding cakes, smash cakes or just to take to dinner. Buttercream or covered in fondant, it sets really well. If you're planning on covering it with fondant, here's a tip I actually got off a good friend; bake it 2-4 days earlier, it keeps really well in an airtight container and even days later is a few times more moist, I can guarantee that!

The original recipe suggests one cup of hot boiling espresso (very strong black coffee), however most of the time children will demolish majority of the cake, from experience....so I opted to minus the coffee/caffeine and keep it strictly water only. Another awesome thing about this cake is that it can be made egg-less. Yup. Besides the finish of the cake being not as glossy as one with eggs, just a little more crumbly - otherwise, perf!! We've eaten this cake on numerous occasions, hot and cold and so far so good, no upset tummy's. Thank goodness.

The recipe for this mysterious Chocolate Mud Cake

Now following, I will take you through a simple tutorial on how to put these golden ingredients to a method... But before anything, preheat your oven to 180 degrees celsius. 

Flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda

Dark chocolate chips, hot boiling water, oil

In a large bowl, sift in the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder and baking soda. Once all dry ingredients are sifted, set aside. In a separate bowl, not as big, add the dark chocolate chips (you can also use buttons, a block, as long as it is specifically for cooking and is dark), the boiling water and oil. Mix this mixture using a fork (best), until smooth and silky. Set this also aside to cool a little.

Whole milk and lemon juice

Take the lemon and add it to the whole milk. Try not to add the seeds...you wouldn't want to surprise anyone with lemon seed mud cake. A small strainer is ideal, but if you've done it as many times as I have you could eventually be doing it with your eyes closed. Let this mixture sit for at least 5 minutes. This then actualy becomes something called buttermilk. My local supermarket doesn't stock buttermilk, so this is it for me.

Right!

And so the real mixing begins!

After both the milk and chocolate mixtures have sat to set, combine all mixes into the bowl of dry ingredients.

Last step before whisking it away

Before any whisking occurs though, crack your eggs in, both at the same time. And whisk away. You want to whisk until the mixture is as smooth as you can get it but be sure not to over mix. 

This is what it should look like, or close to...

Now just pour and bake!

This recipe is awesome for an 8" cake pan, a 10" too if a low cake is fine. The flexibility of this recipe is also perfect for cupcakes, follow the same method except spoon into cupcake papers, bake at the same temp' for 7-12 minutes.

This is  necessarily what you'll be left with, hmmm. Otherwise you also have a yum yum yum cake to look forward to. So do those dishes!