CHOCOLATE MUD CAKE
INGREDIENTS
1 ½ cups self raising flour
½ cup plain flour
1/3 cup cocoa powder
250g (8 oz) butter, chopped
1 tablespoon oil
200g (6 ½ oz) dark chocolate, chopped
1 ½ cups caster sugar
1 tablespoon instant coffee powder
2 eggs, lightly beaten
METHOD
Preheat the oven to warm 160°C (315°F). Grease a deep 20 cm (8 inch) round cake tin and line with baking paper. Sift the flours and cocoa powder into a large mixing bowl and make a well in the centre.
Combine the butter, oil, chocolate, sugar and coffee powder with 1 cup water in a pan. Stir over low heat until the chocolate and butter are melted and the sugar has dissolved. Pour into the well in the dry ingredients. Whisk until just combined. Add the eggs and mix well, but do not overbeat.
Pour the mixture into the tin and bake for 2 hours, or until a skewer comes out clean when inserted into the centre of the cake. Leave in the tin to cool completely, then turn out onto a wire rack.
CHOCOLATE GANACHE
1/3 cup thickened cream
150g (5 oz) dark chocolate, chopped
Combine cream and chocolate in a small pan. Stir over a low heat until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth. Stand for 15 minutes before spreading over top and side of cake.
TIP
To prepare cake for covering with ganache spread cake with apricot jam that has been sieved - this stops ganache from seeping through into the cake, seals crumbs and helps chocolate adhere to the cake.
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TRIPLE-CHOC MARBLED MUD CAKE
INGREDIENTS
250g (8 oz) butter, chopped
1 cup hot water
2 cups caster sugar
1 cup self raising flour
1 ½ cups plain flour
2 eggs, lightly beaten
150g (5 oz) white chocolate, melted
1 tsp vanilla extract
150g (5 oz) dark chocolate, melted
METHOD
Grease a deep 19cm square cake pan and line base and sides with baking paper. Combine butter, hot water and sugar in a medium pan. Stir over heat, without boiling, until sugar is dissolved. Transfer mixture to a large bowl. Cool for 15 minutes.
Whisk flours into butter mixture. Whisk in egg. Divide mixture in half and then stir white chocolate and extract into 1 portion and dark chocolate into remaining portion.
Drop alternate spoonfuls of white chocolate mixture and dark chocolate mixture into prepared pan. Pull a skewer backwards and forwards through mixture several times to create a marbled effect.
Cook in a slow oven (150°C/300°F) for about 1 ¾ hours, or until cooked when tested. Stand cake in pan for 4 minutes. Turn out onto a wire rack to cool.
CHOCOLATE GANACHE
300g (10 oz) milk chocolate, chopped
¾ cup thickened cream
Combine chocolate and cream in a small saucepan. Stir over a low heat until smooth. Stand at room temperature until mixture is a spreadable consistency. Trim top of cake using a serrated knife. Spread ganache over top and sides.
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BUTTER CAKE
INGREDIENTS
125g (4 oz) butter
¾ cup caster sugar
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
2 cups self raising flour
½ cup milk
METHOD
Preheat the oven to moderate 180°C (350°F). Grease a 20 cm (8 inch) round cake tin and line the base with baking paper. Using electric beaters, beat the butter and sugar in a small mixing bowl until light and creamy. Add the eggs gradually, beating well after each addition. Add the vanilla essence and beat until combined.
Transfer the mixture to a large bowl. Using a metal spoon, fold in the sifted flour alternately with the milk. Stir until the mixture is just combined and almost smooth.
Spoon the mixture into the tin and smooth the surface. Bake for 45 minutes, or until a skewer comes out clean when inserted into the centre of the cake. Leave in the tin for 10 minutes, then cool on a wire rack.
BUTTERCREAM
60g (2 oz) butter
1/3 cup icing sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
Beat the butter and sifted icing sugar with electric beaters until light and creamy. Add the vanilla essence and beat for another 2 minutes, or until the mixture is quite smooth and fluffy. Spread over the top of the cake with a flat-bladed knife.
VARIATIONS
For LEMON CAKE, add 1 tablespoons grated lemon rind to the basic butter cake mixture.
For COFFEE CAKE, dissolve a tablespoon of instant coffee in the milk before adding to the dry ingredients.
For CHOCOLATE CAKE, add 3 tablespoons cocoa to the dry ingredients and an extra tablespoon of milk at the end.
For GINGER CAKE, add a teaspoon of ground ginger to the dry ingredients.
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PINK MARBLE CAKE
INGREDIENTS
125g (4 oz) butter, at room temperature, chopped
¾ cup caster sugar
1 tsp vanilla essence
2 eggs, at room temperature
2 cups self raising flour
½ cup milk
1 tbs milk, extra
Pink liquid food colouring
METHOD
Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F) Grease a 20 cm (8 inch) round cake tin and line the base with baking paper. Use an electric beater to beat the butter and sugar in a small mixing bowl until light and creamy Add the eggs gradually, beating well after each addition. Add the vanilla essence and beat until combined.
Transfer the mixture to a large bowl. Using a metal spoon, fold in the sifted flour alternately with the milk. Stir until the mixture is just combined.
Divide the mixture between 2 bowls. Stir the extra milk into 1 bowl. Add a few drops of food colouring to the remaining bowl.
Spoon the white and pink cake mixtures alternately into the prepared pan. Use a skewer to swirl. Bake for 45 minutes, or until a skewer comes out clean when inserted into the centre of the cake Leave in the tin for 10 minutes, then cool on a wire rack to cool completely.
FROSTING
1 egg white, at room temperature
1 ½ cups sifted pure icing sugar
2-3 tsp fresh lemon juice
Whisk the egg white in a bowl until frothy. Stir in the icing sugar. Gradually add lemon juice, stirring until spreadable. Add a few drops of pink food colouring if desired. Spread icing over cake.
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