Mud cake

The mud cake is a highly appreciated dessert for its richness and density. Here is the recipe with a slight Italian twist.

Ingredients

• 250g of butter
• 200g of dark chocolate
• 2 teaspoons of instant coffee, dissolved in 125ml of hot water
• 220g of brown sugar
• 150g of almond flour (alternatively to almond flour, you can use the same amount of finely chopped hazelnuts for a more Italian touch)
• 150g of type 00 flour
• 35g of cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon of baking powder
• 2 large eggs
• 125ml of milk

Preparation

1. Preheat the oven to 160°C and line a round baking pan with parchment paper.
2. Melt the butter, chocolate, and instant coffee together in a pan over low heat, stirring until smooth.
3. Remove from heat and add the brown sugar, mixing well.
4. Add the almond flour (or hazelnuts), type 00 flour, and cocoa powder sifted together, and the baking powder, and mix until there are no lumps.
5. In a separate bowl, beat the eggs with the milk and then incorporate them into the rest of the batter.
6. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake in the oven for about 1 hour 30 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean.
7. Let it cool completely in the pan before unmolding.

The mud cake can be served as it is or it can be covered with a chocolate ganache to make it even more irresistible.

Curiosity

The main characteristic of the mud cake is its internal moisture, which comes from the use of sugar that retains moisture, as well as from butter and chocolate that give density to the dessert. It’s a rich batter that originated in America but has spread all over the world with various local interpretations. The Italian version often plays with the addition of liqueurs or dried fruit to further enrich the flavor.