If you’re looking for the best ever chocolate mud cake then look no further because you will not find a rich chocolate mud cake recipe better than this one.
It’s the most moist chocolate cake, decadently rich, delicious, not too sweet and easy to make.
You pick up your cake fork and raise it to touch the top of the glossy icing.
As you press gently you meet no resistance from the thick layer of chocolate fudge icing goodness.
You can smell the richness and can’t wait to get it to your mouth.
As you reach the cake layer you press a little harder and the cake crumbles and squishes a little onto the fork.
You raise it to your mouth and get another whiff of intoxicating chocolate.
In case you’re looking for the best ever chocolate mud cake in a gluten-free version, here you go – best ever flourless chocolate cake.
It hits your lips and then the icing coats your teeth and lips like lipstick.
As soon as the flavour hits your tongue you want more of the tender crumb and smooth as silk icing. You’re in chocolate mud cake cake heaven.
Ok back you come. I so wish that there was a way you could smell this cake through the computer because I guarantee you’d be diving into your screen to get a taste.
This is my go-to mudcake recipe! I have used it for years and ALWAYS get rave reviews. I make it with either a white chocolate or dark chocolate ganache. It’s yummmmmmmm!Kate (mud cake recipe lover)
Yesterday, a friend emailed me asking for the best chocolate cake recipe.
‘I know you have a lot on the blog, but which would you say is best?’
Her question couldn’t have come at a better time because this is quite possibly the best ever chocolate mud cake.
I know there are a lot of different recipes out there but this one really is the perfect chocolate mud cake.
It's our go-to for any special occasions.
It’s the best that I’ve made that’s for sure.
I know it’s a big call but I can confidently say that (edit: and if you read the comments you’ll see others agree!).
Ingredients
To make the perfect cake you will need:
- Butter - good quality butter that comes in a foil-wrapped block
- Dark chocolate - the best quality you can get. If dark chocolate is a little too rich you can substitute ¼ of it with milk chocolate.
- Strong coffee - you can use instant espresso powder mixed with boiling water. Don't be put off if you don't like coffee. You can't taste it in the final cake but it adds a lovely depth to it.
- Caster sugar - also called superfine sugar
- Plain flour - or you can use spelt flour
- Baking powder
- Cocoa powder - adds extra chocolate flavor
- Eggs
- Vanilla extract - we like to use homemade vanilla extract
Of course that is just my opinion, feel free to make it just to prove me wrong (or back me up), any excuse to bake it will do.
Like a little mint with your chocolate? Then you might enjoy our choc-peppermint mud cake.
The recipe is quite similar to one I was given by my mum’s friend. It’s a secret recipe that I’m not allowed to blog, but this one, well this one I’m allowed to share and share it I will.
Instructions
- Pre-heat the oven to 180C fan-forced and grease and line a 25cm springform cake tin with parchment paper. Alternatively, line 2 x 20cm round cake pan to make a double layer cake.
- In a small saucepan, melt butter, chocolate and hot coffee over low heat, stirring, until the chocolate has dissolved.
- Add the sugar to the pot and stir it in until it has dissolved too.
- Pour the wet chocolate mixture into a heat-proof bowl.
- Sift the flour, cocoa and baking powder over the top of the wet ingredients and whisk them into the liquid then whisk in the eggs then the vanilla.
- Once everything is combined, pour the cake batter into the tin.
- Bake the cake for 1 hour or until a cake tester inserted in the middle comes out clean.
- Leave the cake to cool completely in the tin on a wire rack.
- Ice the cooled cake with chocolate fudge icing.
The cake is even better the next day.
I often make the cake at least a day in advance and ice on the day of serving.
The rich chocolate icing
I do love ganache but sometimes it can be a bit rich even to me.
I don’t know why.
Maybe it’s made with super duper rich chocolate?
My most favourite chocolate icing is chocolate fudge icing made with real chocolate.
It has no cream but a lot of butter, chocolate and brown sugar instead of icing sugar and it is just so light and fluffy and sweet and chocolatey and smooth and … do you get the picture?
You could also use a chocolate buttercream.
I posted this photo on Facebook the day I made the cake with the caption ‘I may have eaten a great deal of this icing as I iced the cake. Like if you’d have done the same.’
I got a few likes that day.
Sadly I wasn’t lying.
I really did eat quite a lot of icing and since then I’ve made it many many times and every time I end up eating copious amounts of icing from the dish.
The first time there was a bit left over and it would have been a shame to let it go to waste right?
The first time I made the best ever chocolate mud cake I served it for Valentine's Day dessert with some little raspberry hearts in cream (because I forgot to whip the cream and I was too lazy to do it after dinner - bad wife!).
Isn't that cake to icing ratio wonderful?
FAQs
Absolutely not, it's a good thing. The key to a fudgy chocolate cake is a nice runny chocolatey cake batter.
I’m not a fan of coffee and I have to say you can’t taste it at all. It just adds a nice richness to the cake. I will say though, make sure you’re using a good-quality vanilla extract rather than a vanilla essence.
Yes indeed you could make it in two loaf tins. I’d strongly advise lining them as well as greasing them.
I have used this recipe to bake cupcakes and other shapes in smaller sizes. You’ll just need to start checking on them a lot sooner so you don’t burn them.
I have made it up to 3 days in advance but I usually ice it at the earliest the day before serving. You can also make the cake up to 3 months in advance and freeze it.
To freeze wrap in plastic wrap then in aluminium foil. Make sure it is fully thawed to room temperature before icing.
Mississippi mud cake is essentially a mudcake that you top with marshmallows while it is still warm from the oven and then ice with chocolate icing. You could definitely use this classic mud cake recipe to make it.
If I still haven’t convinced you, the year I discovered it I made my own Birthday cake instead of asking for my most favourite cake in the world from Jocelyn’s Provisions.
Actually – funny story about that.
I made my cake and we went out to dinner with some family.
When we arrived we delivered the cake to the kitchen (in a cake box because I was a bit fancy).
It was one of those restaurants with an open kitchen and where I was seated, I could see straight into the kitchen.
We ate a delicious dinner and were having a great time and then I saw them preparing my cake.
I saw the guy take the cake out of the box then… promptly drop it upside down on the bench.
I thought it was pretty hilarious. But it got funnier.
They didn’t say anything to us. Not a word.
They redecorated it and served it to us like we wouldn’t notice (it looked completely different!).
We may have mentioned it when they added a cakeage charge to the bill.
Needless to say they took that charge off!
What about you? Do you make your own Birthday cake?
You might also like our red velvet cake with buttercream icing.
Recipe
Recipe
The best ever chocolate mud cake
Ingredients
- CAKE
- 250 g 2 sticks butter
- 200 g 7oz dark chocolate
- 375 ml 1½ cups strong coffee (ie 375ml water with coffee dissolved - about 1 tablespoon if you use instant coffee granules)
- 450 g 16oz caster sugar
- 175 g 6oz plain flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 3 tablespoon cocoa powder
- 2 free-range eggs
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ICING
- 125 ml ½ cup water
- 30 g 1oz dark brown sugar
- 175 g 6oz unsalted butter, cubed
- 300 g 10oz good-quality dark chocolate, finely chopped
Instructions
Cake
- Pre-heat the oven to 180C fan-forced and grease and line a 25cm springform tin.
- In a small saucepan, melt the butter, chocolate and coffee over low heat, stirring, until the chocolate has dissolved.
- Add the sugar to the pot and stir it in until it has dissolved too.
- Pour the mixture into a heat-proof bowl.
- Sift the flour, cocoa and baking powder over the top and whisk them into the liquid then whisk in the eggs then the vanilla.
- Once everything is combined, pour the batter into the tin.
- Bake the cake for 1 hour or until a cake tester inserted in the middle comes out clean.
- Leave the cake to cool completely in the tin.
Icing
- Put the water, 30g dark sugar and 175g butter in a pan over a low heat to melt.
- When the mixture begins to bubble, take the pan off the heat and add the chopped chocolate, swirling the pan so all the chocolate is heated.
- Leave it for a minute or two and then whisk until the icing turns smooth and glossy.
- Leave it for 1-3 hours and whisk every 20-30 minutes until it is thick.
- When the cake has cooled spread it with the fudge icing.
Shiree says
Hi I'm just wondering if the eggs can be substituted? If so, what with?
Claire says
Hi Shiree. I haven't tried using anything in place of the eggs. I'd probably try a flax egg first?
Hilary says
Hi Claire,
I am going to make this tonight for my husbands birthday on Sunday. He is a mad chocolate fan and also choc pepermint fan so my thought was to make two cakes with a layer of bright green pepermint ganache in the middle do you think this will work or will the mud cake on top be to heavy for the ganache? To decorate im thinking of putting after dinner mints around the sides and break a couple on top and sprinkle with a crushed pepermint crisp. Do you think any of this will work? I have made the mud cake on its own before and by far its the best ever mud cake in the world!!!
Claire says
Hi Hilary,
I might me a bit late replying to this I'm sorry! That would definitely work and sounds amazing.
I have made a layer cake and used peppermint buttercream icing which was also delicious. I hope it turned out well. I'm so glad you like it! x Claire
Cheree Fenemor says
Thanks Claire. Have you ever baked smaller sizes? I am just not used to baking on fan bake and it scares me a bit!! hehe
Claire says
Hi Cheree. I have indeed. I use this to make cupcakes as well and have made it in lots of different tins. It would work in any smaller tin just not a larger one.
Cheree Fenemor says
Hi Claire.
This cake sounds delicious. I am wondering how I go about making it in 6 and 7 inch tins. do i just need to make sure the mixture is half way in the pan and how much shorter would i bake it for. Thank you so much!!!
Claire says
It's a bit of a guessing game from what I've found Cheree. I would start checking on them at about 45 minutes and every 5 minutes after that. Good luck!
Fernanda says
OMG!!! This cake is amazing!!! I had never baked a mud cake before, this was my first and it turned out perfectly!!! Now I want to bake it for my daughters 4th birthday! But as she wants a little pony cake I will cover it with fondant... do you know if it can be done on top of the icing?? Because this icing is sooooo delicious!!! I thoght that the icing, since its not too firm could ruin the fondant... what do you think? But also, if I put just the fondant won't it be too dry??? I'm so lost... I tried to read the comments but did't find any commenting if they did do the fondant and this icing together....
Claire says
Hi Fernanda. Yay I'm so glad you liked it! Yes you can put fondant on top of the icing although I haven't tried it. You would have to use a very thin layer of icing though. Another option would be to spread the cake with a layer of buttercream or chocolate buttercream icing before you put the fondant on. I think that's what is usually recommended.
fernanda says
Thanks for your reply! I think I am going to try with a thiner layer of your icing, because it is so good! I'll let you know how it went!
I am loving your blog, I found it for the mud cake and there's lots of other recipes here I want to try!
I am kind of new in Australia and reading your recipes and point of view makes me feel more familiar with your culture! Which is so nice!
Claire says
You're welcome Fernanda. Good luck! Welcome to Australia!
Fernanda says
Hi Claire! It worked! I baked the cakes and used half the amount of icing, and than covered with the fondant! Huge success! I don't know how to post a pic here though but it looked beautiful! Just one thing... It did burn a little on top and on the sides, nothing major as I was able to cut it off and it didn't really affect the final result, but does it happen to you too? Or do you think maybe my oven was too hot? It's funny, because I baked it at 160, not even 180, like on the recipe...
Claire says
It's tricky Fernanda, ovens can vary so much so it does take a bit of trial and error. I always recommend testing it about 10 mins before the suggested time just to make sure. I'm so glad you liked it!
Martin says
My siblings made this cake for me for my birthday. After baking it, they cut it and rearranged to make it shaped like a dog. The frosting lent itself well to sculpting and texturing it. It looked cute and tasted great as well.
However, the color and texture (including firmness) of the cake and icing were nearly identical. I had trouble knowing where one ended and the other began. Yet the pictures and comments on this page seem to indicate that the icing should be much fluffier and lighter colored than the cake. My siblings say they followed the recipe exactly. Do you have any idea of why there is this discrepancy?
Claire says
That sounds wonderful Martin! Hmm could it have been refrigerated? That would be my only theory. If it gets cold the icing does set.
Rebecca says
This is my favourite choc cake recipe hands down- I've made it so many times now.
I'm thinking of making it for my 40th birthday party next month instead of buying one (yours is way better than the one we usually order from the cake shop).
I need it to feed 40 people so was thinking I'll do two layers (cook two cakes) but wondering how to stick them together. Do I just use some of the icing?
Thanks and sorry for another question, there are soooo many already on this recipe!!
Claire says
Yay Rebecca! It's so good isn't it? Yep I just use icing and pop a few skewers through it to make sure it doesn't slide. No problem asking questions!
Sharon says
Brilliant!
Some of my cake batter leaked out of my springform tin so if your tin doesn't seal really well, you might want to put your tin on a baking tray lined with foil or baking paper or wrap your springform tin in foil. Or use a regular cake tin.
I replaced some of the dark chocolate in the icing for milk chocolate (maybe about 60grams as that's all I had) because I'm a sweet tooth. The icing was beautiful and melts in your mouth and just the right amount of sweetness for me. You could probably do 200g dark, 100g milk.
I used about a heaped tablespoon of Nescafe Espresso (I only have this for cooking as I'm not a coffee drinker). I reckon you could use decaf instant coffee if you are making this cake for children and are worried about the caffeine.
I find the Coles brand chocolate has a good flavour, is easy to work with and is economical (even though I normally try not to buy Coles branded products).
I never normally bother to comment on recipes but this cake was so super simple and delicious! It is even low on dishes and doesn't require any electric mixing equipment etc. so would be perfect for a novice. I've tried to make mudcakes before and there always seems to be too finer line between under-cooked and dry, and then you have to age them! This cake was super moist and chocolatey. A few people thought it was a bit too rich and chocolatey but I don't think that is ever possible and I just took that as a compliment! I cooked it the cake 2 days before eating it. I iced it the night before and put it in the fridge but served it at room temperature.
Even though I switched ovens as the leaked batter was burning onto the bottom of my oven and making the oven smoky, and the second oven I put the cake into probably wasn't quite up to temperature, the cake still turned out perfectly! The top cracked but the cake was still delicious and moist while not being under-cooked. I just served the cake upside down so the crunchy top was on the bottom and the icing blended well into the cake. People liked the crunchy bits too.
I've made quite a few chocolate cakes but they are always too boring when compared to the cheesecakes etc. that I make. But I will definitely be making this cake over and over again! And this will now be my go to recipe for a chocolate cake.
Highly recommended!
Claire says
I'm so glad you liked it! I am a bit like you - no such thing as too rich and chocolatey for me. I hope the oven wasn't too hard to clean!
Maddie Blaikie says
Oh my goodness me, this cake was positively DIVINE.
I've made it twice so far, the first was delicious, but I like my cakes to be even more moist than this one was by the recipe, so I added an extra two egg yolks and took it out of the oven when it was just slightly underdone so it was really gooey and fudgey.
I couldn't go into the fridge without sneaking a few forkfuls of this scrumptious cake - I know I'll be making it again and again.
Thank you so much Claire!
Claire says
Oh making it even more fudgey sounds amazing Maddie. What a great idea!
Peter canning says
I made your mudcake and it came out perfect.
The taste of the cake itself is very nice, chocolaty, dense but still somehow fluffy.
The ganache is a bit too much and too rich for my taste, you might try using a normal milk chocolate maybe and maybe only making half of the recipe ( ganache)
Thank you !
Claire says
Good tip Peter. I am a chocolate nut though and can (and have oops) eaten the icing straight from a spoon!
Erica says
I've no idea who you are Claire K but I stumbled upon your blog, made your cake and it was unbelievable! Thank you. I'm so fussy - so many of these blogged recipes fall short of the mark (even Nigella's own recipes) but yours delivered beautifully! I'll be checking back frequently!
Claire says
Oh what a compliment Erica! Thanks so much!
Maria says
Will certainly be trying a piece with the next batch. Im afraid i didnt take photos but will do next time.
Happy baking
Claire says
Thanks Maria. Enjoy!
Maria says
Hi claire well ive never made a mud cake before and my brother in law decided to sell one to a client at his cafe and guess who got the job of making it???
So i started researching and found your recipe with wonderful reviews.
Seemed simple enough to make but at the same time i was nervous about some of the comments recieved.
Let me tell you it was perfection!!!
I quadripled the recipe and used 4 x 23 cm pans everything worked out beautifully as per your recipe. The cakes were cooked perfectly after approx 1hr 20 mins they didnt sink nor did they burn or crack.
My advise to everyone that hadnt had success with this recipe is to try again but its important to read the recipe carefully first and to follow it to the letter as with any baking.
There is a high sugar content so that may explain why it can burn with the longer cooking time. i reduced the sugar to 350g per quantity but next time ill reduce it to 300g.
Whisking the eggs not too vigorously at the end will minimise it puffing up and sinking.
I made a raspberry coulis to sandwich the two cakes together then smothered that luxurious thick frosting all over.
Im yet to try a piece but it looked dense and so so moist.
A beautiful recipe thankyou claire for sharing with us.
Claire says
You are very welcome Maria. Thanks so much for all the extra tips. Raspberry coulis between layers? That would have been amazing! I hope you at least got a commission?
maria says
LOL no commission all for love. The feedback from customers has been excellent and all sold out. This cake will now be a permanent cake in the cafe as its so easy to make. NB i still haven't tried a piece
thankyou again and happy baking
Maria
Claire says
Well make sure you sample a piece of the next batch! I'd love to see a photo of it in the cafe if that's at all possible.
Nana says
Hi Claire,
Could you make this with self raising flour to get the depth? Or do you think it would change the cake ?
Claire says
Hi Nana. I probably wouldn't just in case it changes it too much. A better idea would be to make two and stack them on top of each other.
Nana says
Hi Claire,
I made this cake and it was delicious! Desserts are not my thing, and for
some reason mud cakes have always been a challenge, so thank you, because for once got it right :-)
I am planning on making this cake for my daughters birthday, although nice and moist, my cake didn't rise much at all (almost like a slab cake). Is that normal? I need the rise because I need to cover the cake in fondant, and feel it would look better on a thicker cake. Do you recommend using self raising flour instead of normal flour, or should I bake two and stack them? Thanks Nama
Claire says
Sorry read this after your other comment! Yep I'd stack two on top. That's what I do when I need the height. So glad you like it!