The Best Chocolate Mudcake (Pam's Chocolate Mudcake)

Let me introduce you to my new favourite chocolate cake. It has a very rich flavour, is extremely moist - almost like a chocolate fudge cake and also dense enough to carve. Not to mention that it is extremely easy to make. Mudcakes are ideal for beginners as slight errors in measurements or over-mixing will not affect the results. They also have a long shelf life and they taste even better with age. The only trouble you would have is having to wait so long to eat it! 

I made mine with dark chocolate ganache and found it a little too rich, but super delicious nonetheless. Next time round, I'll definitely try it with a raspberry or salted caramel filling to balance the taste a little.

The Best Chocolate Mudcake (Pam's Chocolate Mudcake) Yields: 1 6-inch cake, about 4 inches high
INGREDIENTS For the Chocolate Mudcake: 250g unsalted butter 200g dark chocolate (i used a mixture of Valrhona Jivara 40% and Araguani 72%) 1 tablespoon instant coffee 330ml cups warm water 225g self-raising flour 180g caster sugar 31g cocoa powder 2 large eggs, room temperature 1 tsp pure vanilla extract For the Chocolate Ganache: 150g heavy cream 300g dark chocolate couvertures	Print this recipe
METHOD For the Chocolate Mudcake: Preheat oven to 150°C. Grease and line base and sides of 2 cake pans with parchment paper. Combine chopped butter, chopped chocolate, coffee and water in a saucepan. Stir over low heat until chocolate is melted. Set aside to cool for 15 minutes, then transfer mixture to bowl of mixer. Add caster sugar to the mixture and beat well until dissolved. Add sifted flour, cocoa powder, lightly beaten eggs and vanilla extract. Pour mixture into prepared pans. If possible, use a digital kitchen scale and weigh pans for even layers. Bake for 1 to 1-1/2 hours or until a tester inserted in the cake comes out clean. Let the cake cool completely in the pans. For the Chocolate Ganache: Heat the heavy cream over medium heat just until small bubbles begin to form. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate and whisk gently until fully melted and combined. Let cool until it is of spreadable consistency. ASSEMBLY Slice the cake layers in half horizontally, using a cake leveler or a large serrated knife and place flat side down on your cake board, pedestal, or plate. Using a small offset palette knife, spread ganache evenly on the top. Repeat this with remaining cake layers, until you come to the final layer, which you will place with the flat side up. Place cake on a turntable, and using a offset palette knife, cover the cake in a thin layer of ganache to seal in crumbs. Refrigerate for 30 minutes (or more). *This does not need to be perfect, as that will come with the top "coat" of ganache. Repeat the previous step and for best results, use bench scraper held at 90° against the side of the cake, slowly turning the turntable and keeping your hand steady--let the turntable do the work. Clean up edges with your small offset palette knife. Chill the cake. NOTES If baking the recipe in one pan, be sure to bring your parchment paper 5cm above the side of pan. The chocolate looks plain on its own so I toasted some hazelnuts for decoration, no hazelnuts were added into the batter.
(Bake & Bait // Recipe from Pam, CakeCentral)