Donna Hay's Chocolate Mud Cake

I'm blogging from McDonald's now. I'm gonna be back in Adelaide real soon!!! Just waiting for the time to go to the airport. The budget hotel kicked us out at 10am sharp because that's the usual check out time for budget hotels apparently. This chocolate mud cake by Donna Hay is what I?ve made for Christmas. Nothing but good shout outs! You probably gotta make this on the day you will be serving it because mine was a little on the dry side and required microwaving for a minute.



This is so rich I?d say it serves more than 10. I served 15 with this for a 4 course meals, where this came out last. So, everyone had a small slice and not feel bloated. And I make the cake as it is but I added the zest of 2 tangerines. And a small opppsie, I ran out of baking powder. I use double-action baling powder and proceed with fingers crossed. It?s Christmas, I can?t possible buy baking powder anywhere now!



Also, instead of 9?? round tin, I used a 10?? springform pan so I get a real flat cake and I wasn?t particular with the height of the cake. It came out really flat, just how I like it with just a tiny small crack. That didn?t bother me much really. I was happy! Dusted it with a layer of thick good quality cocoa powder followed by a layer of snow powder. It?s Christmas and it?s hot in Australia so let it snow all over the mud cake!



In my next post, I?ll show how I plated up this dessert. This is so good; it is tangy, zesty, chocolaty, rich, dense, fudgy, tangerine-y and muddy! I hope everyone had a great Christmas and great shopping day on Boxing Day and of course a great new year to come!



Chocolate Mud Cake

(Adapted and modified from Ellie of Almost Bourdain and she in return adapted it from Donna Hay Chocolate Cookbook)



375g butter, softened

1 1/3 cup brown sugar (I us dark muscovado sugar)

3 large eggs

Zest of 2 tangerines

300g plain flour, sifted once

1/2 tsp baking powder (I substituted with double-action baking powder)

80g cocoa powder, pass through a tea strainer

200g good quality bitter dark chocolate, melted over a double boiler

3/4 cup (180 ml / 6 fl oz) milk



Method

Preheat the oven to 160°C. Grease a 10'' springform pan and line the bottom and sides with baking paper. Place the butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer and beat for 8-10 minutes, or until the mixture is light and creamy. Gradually add the eggs and beat well. Add in the zest and beat again.



Fold through the flour, baking powder, cocoa and melted chocolate and stir in the milk. Pour the mixture into the prepared tin and bake for 75 minutes or until cooked when tested with a skewer. Cool in tin completely.



To serve, see here.



Serves 10-15 as dessert