Ummm who can resist a really good, moist chocolate cake? I’ve been experimenting with the Australian wedding favourite – mud cake. As many of you may know I am demonstrating at the National Cake Seminar in Sydney in August, so I thought a little background research would be good….. a great excuse to eat lots of chocolate!
I’ve tried three recipes – I’m aware that UK ingredients will be a little different to those available in Australia. All have been yummy, however my family have decided that their favourite is the planet cake recipe, it’s also the easiest to make as its all mixed in a saucepan!
Below is the planet cake recipe, I have however altered the method slightly to suit UK ingredients.
Chocolate Mud Cake
500ml water
600g sugar
250g dark good quality chocolate
375g butter unsalted
320g plain flour
60g self raising flour
40g cocoa powder
3 eggs lightly beaten
- Preheat oven (160°C)
- Grease a 20cm (8in) square or 22.5cm (9in) round cake tin, line the base and sides with baking paper.
- Combine water and sugar in a large saucepan and heat until the sugar has dissolved.
- Remove the saucepan from the heat and add in the chopped chocolate and the butter. Stir until all ingredients are combined and melted. I found that the chocolate although melted is suspended in the syrup rather than being combined into it.
- Allow the mixture to cool to room temperature.
- Sift the flours and cocoa powder together, with a balloon whisk, carefully incorporate into the syrup
- Add the eggs in one at a time and whisk until smooth.
- Poor the mixture into prepared pan.
- Bake in a moderately slow oven for about 2 to 2 1/2 hours. To test, insert a skewer into the cake when it comes out clean the cake is ready. I use a fan oven at 160°C and found that my cake was baked in 2 hours.
These cakes are meant to last, so ideal for wedding cakes, but I’ve not be able to test this yet as my family devour them far too quickly!
I’d love to hear your comments and feedback
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Cindy Robbers says
Hi Lindy Smith
My name is Cindy Robbers, and i have been checking out your web-page and i realy love it, also i have been following you on twitter, to get more updates, I for sure will try out this cake it looks good.I will Let you know how it turns out
Do you give any workshops in Holland, and in America. I live in America, but am dutch, and currently in Holland.
Cindy
Lindy Smith says
Hi Cindy
I’ll be interested to hear how your mud cake turns out as you, like me, will be using different ingredients. Regards workshops, I have taught in the Netherlands quite a number of times but have nothing planned, as yet, for 2010. I do hope to teach in the US some day but student numbers seem to currently be a problem there!!! Why not join me at one of my UK workshop? It’s only a short flight from the Netherlands and our students regularily fly in from far afield.
Lindy
Hilary Jordan says
Wow, this cake sounds good, have used a similar recipe for cupcakes but haven’t tried a full cake yet. Do you think this cake is firm enough to cover using sugarpaste or is it just a slice it up with a cup of coffee cake? Will definitely try it.
On the subject of your DVDs, i got them the day before I went to France on my holidays, only got back 3 days ago and am so busy haven’t had a chance to sit down and watch. Maybe I should make myself a mud cake and a pot of coffee and hide away with my daughters portable DVD player. Can’t wait to watch them.
Hilary
Lindy Smith says
In Australia they cover these cakes with sugarpaste but I must admit that to date I’ve only sliced and enjoyed – they are so morish. Last night I saw a recipe on the internet for a citrus mud cake using white chocolate, I’m planning to try it for this weekend. If its a success I’ll post details.
Enjoy the dvds and the mud cake – I think ideal together with coffee!
Best wishes
Lindy
Rebecca says
Hi Lindy
This recipe looks fab and I’m going to try it for my brother in law’s 40th as a birthday cake. Would I spoil it by filling it with chocolate butter icing or a choc ganache? I would also cover the cake in sugarpaste, so would need some sort of butter icing anyway. Also, would adding a shot of expresso or two (in place of some of the water) spoil things, or would it improve the colour/taste in any way? What do you think? Thank you,
Rebecca
Lindy Smith says
Hi Rebecca
From what I’ve read on the internet, in Australia they seem to use chocolate ganache for everything including the layer between the cake and the sugarpaste. For more details see the very interesting article on the cakes and more blog . Regards adding a shot of expresso, I always add coffee to my chocolate mousses so I guess that this would work equally well – try it and see. I’d be interested to hear what you think, so please let me know.
Best wishes
Lindy
Jane Dolder says
Hi Lindy,
just to let you know I made the Chocolate Mud Cake last nightalf – half left today. I was planning to bring some into work next week, but don’t think there will be any left!! It may only last ’til bedtime tonight but the children are hovering, so no promises. The problem is it’s so easy to make and so scrummy I know it is going to be a favourite!
See you Tuesday.
Paulette Graham says
Hi Lindy,
I’ve found this at the just the right time, I’m making my brothers wedding cake in October and two tiers are going to be vanilla and two tiers chocolate. A friend recommended using a mud cake because they last for longer. I’m planning on doing a 10″ and 6″ cake in chocolate could you give me an idea of how to increase the recipe? I’m confident about the vanilla one as it’s a recipe I use all the time. I’m planning on doing a trial this weekend of the mud cake and the decor, they want hand made chocolate plaques! Which I’ve never done before but will have plenty of time to practice. Sorry I’ve rambled hope you can help.
Lindy Smith says
Hi Paulette
If you have either my “cakes to inspire and desire” or “Celebrate with a cake” books they both have charts telling you how to adapt recipes. In case you haven’t:- To make a 6in round you will need to halve the recipe and to make a 10in round you will need to times everything by 1 1/2
Hope this helps
Lindy
Paulette Graham says
Thank you so much, that’s very helpful.
Pam says
Hi Lindy,
I’m an Aussie who has been baking mudcakes for close to 20years now – I’m certain they will take off in the UK – they will become the ‘new’ fruitcake!! now you just have to work on getting them to fall in love with ganache!!
Nah!! maybe not – leave all the chocolate for us gals downunder!
Looking forward to seeing you at Seminar!
Pam says
Oh meant to mention – that I am not gentle folding in the flour/cocoa with a whisk – I use a hand held mixer – just don’t put it on HIGH to start or you will be cleaning flour & chocolate from every surface of your kitchen.
Lindy Smith says
Hi Pam
You are obviously a mud cake expert! I think they are fab. I am going to have a go at the ganache as well as I like the idea – great for chocoholics.
Paulette Graham says
Another question I’m afraid, the wedding cake that I’m making for my brother is going to be 12″, 10″, 8″ & 6″. I will of course be doing dowls (ahhhhh) but will the mud cake be able to take the weight of the maderia/buttermilk cakes? Sorry if it’s a silly question, I bake all the time but this is such an important cake that i’m beginning to have sleepless nights over it.
Lindy Smith says
Hi Paulette
It’s the dowels that support the cake layers above, not the cake itself, so as long as you dowel correctly you’ll be fine. Mud cake is by its very nature a very solid heavy cake so dowelling shouldn’t be a problem for you.
Good luck and please let us all know how you get on.
Lindy
Laura says
I would love to make this as part of the wedding cake I am making in September. It would be for a 12″ round tier. Unfortunately I am hopeless at working out how to scale ingredients right for different sizes. Could you please if possible tell me how much I would need to increase the recipe by to make a 12″ round cake?
Many thanks in anticipation
Laura x
claire says
After looking for a lovely chocolate cake recipe ideal for icing I found this recipe and I would love to make this cake for my birthday cake next week but unsure What sort of sugar is best to use? Hoping it turns out well as I could just about eat the picture it looks that yummy!
Lindy Smith says
You’ll need to times the recipe by 2 1/2 – that’s a lot of chocolate!!!
Lindy Smith says
It’s a great recipe, I’m sure you’ll love it! The sugar is disolved so I guess it doesn’t matter which type you use, I’ve been using granulated but if you’ve only got caster sugar that will be fine. You could experiment by using a soft brown sugar to give the cake a slightly different flavour -might experiment with that idea myself.
Enjoy!
Laura says
Thanks Lindy for getting back to me so quickly. I’ve just put a 9″ version of this cake in the oven so will let you know how it turns out.
Laura x
Lesley says
Hi, Lindy
If you were going to make a 12″ cake would you bake it in two halves?
Thank you.
Lesley
claire says
Thank you for the reply, I have just put the cake in the oven to cook now and I am hoping it comes out well! Will let you know!
Claire
claire says
This is a fantastic recipe, the cake is so moist and very chocolatey. I shall be using this for all birthday cakes from now on as it was so easy to make and so yummy to eat!
Thank you for a fantastic recipe
Claire
Maggie says
Hello from So. Cal. USA. I can’t imagine baking a cake for 2- 2 1/2 hrs. We usually bake cakes for 30-45 minutes. Why do you have to back the Mud Cake for such a long time? Would like to try this cake but fear for the long baking time.
Paulette Graham says
Hi I did a trial of the wedding cake this weekend using the mud cake and my brother loved it. The wedding cake is going to be covered with white chocolate plaques and they both loved the contrast between both. Thanks Lindy you have taken a great weight of my shoulders. Great recipe
Lindy Smith says
Hi Maggie
Many of the cakes we bake in the UK need ‘long’ baking times – we like to bake our cakes slowly e.g. a 8in round fruit cakes bakes for around 4 hours!!! Cakes in the UK are also baked a lot deeper (standard is 3 inches/ 7.5cm) and tend to be denser than the ones you will be used to in the US. We also tend to bake our cakes from scratch rather than out of a packet. Don’t be afraid to try something new – why not give this recipe a go and if you do let me know how you get on.
rebekah says
hi lindy
i live in australia now but come from the uk i love the mud cake from planets cake i use it all the time but can you help need to make a 14inch one can you tell me the quantities please thanks becky .
Lindy Smith says
Hi Rebekah
I’ve just added a chart to the FAQ category of this blog to help answer your question, as its one I keep being asked! Click here for the link
Hope this helps
Lindy
lindsey says
Hi Lindy,
Thank you for this recipe, I love chocolate mud cake but can’t seem to stop it developing a really hard crust which is hard to remove without the cake falling apart! I’m looking forward to trying this version, did you have any of these problems with it?
Just to say I love your work & you’ve really inspired me to try cake jewelry. Also I’d love to know if you’re planning on running a bride & groom topper course anywhen?
Thank you,
Lindsey
Lindy Smith says
Hi Lindsey
I didn’t have any problems with it but all I’ve done is eat it, I’ve not as yet tried to decorate it but others have sucessfully. Regards a bride and groom course we will be running one in the new year, watch the website or blog for details.
Lindy
Naomi Fisher says
Just wanted to say thank you. Have been trying to make little choclate sponges for a wedding cake (2″ diameter) and none of the receipes I was using were working quite right. Have just made this mud cake and it is perfect. Only took an hour in the little tins and will have to make more as I didn’t quite put enough mixture in, thought it might rise a little more than it did.
BUT they are so nice I doubt anyone will complain that they have to eat the rejects!!
Thank you too for the ganache info. I have been trying to explian to friends what I wanted and kept getting blank looks now not only o I know what I want but I have a recipe and method.
Thank you, thank you, thank you
Naomi
Cat says
Hello – made the chocolate mud cake yesterday but as I have an aga, timings are always a bit of a finger in the air job. I baked it for 3 hours 40 mins in the simmering oven and it seemed cooked (top firm, skewer clean, coming away from sides of tin etc.) but it is extremely dense and damp – when I slice it, it looks almost like fudge not cake!! Do I need to cook it a bit longer or is this the right consistency? (My 8 year old daughter commented that it tasted delicious but if it was any thicker she didn’t think she would be able to swallow it which has kept me chuckling all day!!) Thanks, Cat
Lindy Smith says
Hi Cat
Having grown up cooking on an AGA I know that cakes can be a little tricky. I think from what you say that perhaps the oven wasn’t hot enough. Do you have an oven thermometer? I think it may help! Mud cake is a dense moist cake but perhaps not quite fudge like. Any AGA users got any useful tips for Cat?
Lindy
Helen Taylor says
Hi Lindy, or anyone else!
I’ve just done the most stupid thing! I am half way through making ‘The Whale of a Time’ Cake for my son’s 4th birthday. I went to an icing shop, with my party animal cakes book to buy a few bits and bobs and went and left it in the shop!!!! I am sooooo mad with myself.
I had this evening earmarked to finish the cake off and now I don’t have the recipe.
Can anyone let me have the recipe. It’s the chocolate cake. I’m following the 9″ round tin recipe (and making 2 8″ square cakes) as I don’t have a 8 x 12 tin.
So I now have one 8″ cake ready in the freezer but I need to make another tonight!!! I’m such an idiot…..
Can anyone tell me the 9″ round chocolate cake recipe. I can remember 425g chocolate, 10 eggs, and I know what to do, but can’t remember the quantities for butter, sugar, flour, there’s a bit of icing sugar too I think.
Helen x
Lindy Smith says
Hi Helen
I’m too late, sorry! I’m currently in Sydney demonstrating at the Australian cake seminar so have only just picked up your comment. I hope you managed and that your sons birthday was a great success.
Lindy
HelenS says
Hi Lindy
I have recently bought the Planet Cake book as I wanted to try the chocolate mud cake and ganache combination as I love the really sharp edges on their cakes. However I saw this post and the recipe is very different to the one in the book – different proportions of flours, chocolate, sugar and butter, not to mention no oil, buttermilk or coffee, a different method and cooking time! Looking at the two photos your version looks much paler, but that could just be my screen. Now I’m not sure whether to risk trying their recipe (bearing in mind what you’ve said about flours being different in different countries etc).
Did you actually make the one from the book without mods and if so, did it work OK? Or did you start from a different planet cake recipe to the one in the book?
Also just wanted to say thank you for all your books/tips/dvds etc – I’m strictly amateur (mainly my own kids birthday cakes) but my cakes aren’t bad and a lot of that is thanks to you.
Helen
Sara says
Hello Lindy
I am English and recently moved to the States, I am about to do my first Wedding cake since being here and decided to do a trial run of your Mud Cake recipe. Let me say this is the nicest chocolate cake I and my family have ever tasted!! I filled with a whipped white chocolate ganache and then covered in a dark chocolate ganache, let it sit for 24 hours as advised by planet cake and then covered in fondant. The fondant laid perfectly over it. Thank you so much for sharing this recipe, I certainly feel confident serving this cake to my customer.
Sara
Lindy Smith says
Hi Helen
Yes I noticed the recipe was different, I tried 3 recipes before chosing the one I posted above and this was before I’d seen the book. I find buttermilk hard to find in the UK so I prefer to recommend cakes that don’t have ingredients that aren’t in everyone cupboards. Whilst here in Australia I’ve tasted many different mud cakes, with added this and that and plan to write a post once I return on what I’ve found out. By the way, you can ganache many cakes they don’t have to be mud cakes
Lindy
HelenS says
Hi Lindy
Thank you so much for your reply – I found the recipe on PC’s website that was obviously the starting point for yor version. I decided to try yours and it has gone down very well. I made a smaller cake and used the excess mixture as cupcakes for the children to try. I’m just not positive if I’ve cooked it enough or not! I always have trouble with my cakes ‘doming’ and I read that tying wet newspaper round the tin would help. I tried and I have a lovely level cake, but although I increased the cooking time I’m not sure if the cake is cooked properly, never have made it before. It feels very dense but not totally stable if you see what I mean. The sides haven’t crisped up at all, only the top – maybe I used too much paper. Any suggestions please (difficult I know when you haven’t seen it!)?
Look forward to your mud cake post and thanks for the suggestion about ganaching another cake – maybe white chocolate ganache on your maderia flavoured with vanilla?
I’m making a variant on the wonky cake theme (like the video BTW) so different flavour cakes would be good.
Thanks again
Helen
CLARE says
Hi
This receipe looks fantastic and I am planning to make the mud cake for my daughters 1st birthday – I have loads to do and was wondering is it possible to make the cake in advance, freeze for a week or so then defrost and ice etc – will this be ok? Or will the freezing process ruin the cake?? If not how long will the freshly baked cake will keep for before I can serve it up? And one last thing… (can you tell I am a nervous cook!!?) I also am planning to decorate with sugar paste will this be ok on the chocolate cake?? Your help would really be appreciated
thanks
Lindy Smith says
Hi Helen
I’m pleased to hear your cake was a success. Your baked mud cake should be fairly dense and fairly heavy but not like a brick, as you say a little difficult to judge if yours is baked from here!!! Regards the sides you’ve done the right thing by using the paper. Regards Ganaching, white chocolate ganache is less stable than dark and I’ve been told by some decorators over here in Australia that they only use dark chocolate ganache even if icing a cake with white icing! However in the UK we don’t have all the problems with climate that they do here so I think your suggestion of white chocolate ganache on a vanilla maderia would work.
Lindy
Lindy Smith says
Hi Clare
A freshly baked mud cakes last for around 2 weeks, so you have time. Mud cake can be frozen but I think its better fresh. Regards covering, chocolate cakes are covered with sugarpaste all the time. I usually use a white chocolate buttercream or you could do the totally Austrailan thing and use a chocolate ganache.
Hope this helps
Lindy
pauline says
Hi Lindy
I love the sound of this cake and have decided to trial it for my daughter’s wedding in December. I will need to freeze the four cakes then take them on the plane from Perth to Melbourne. Added to that she wants plaques which I thought I would handmake here and take with me (hand luggage) and assemble the lot over there. Do you have a recipe for plaques that will stand up to this treatment and the possibility of December heat. (I will keep it all refrigerated as much as possible). I would also be interested to hear how Paulette went with her plaques.
CLARE says
CAN ANYONE HELP!!??!I am trying to make a 12inch square madera cake – after one failed attempt with a rather limp unrisen looking cake I am going to try again. If anyone tell me the measurements I would need to make this 12inch square madeira cake it would be fantastic my daughter’s first birthday party is at the weekend and am panicing a bit.
thanks
Clare
shelley swinney says
clare i always make up a pound mixture…….maybe more as long as its 3\4 way up tin…you can always make a small cake if any mix left over ??
Lindy's Cakes Team says
Hi Shelley and Clare
I often use any left over mixture to make some cup cakes. Perfect to go with a cup of coffee!
Andy
Lindy’s Cake Team
Lindy's Cakes Team says
Hi Clare
You need a 22 egg Madeira recipe quantity. I know it sounds huge but it can be done. If you check out the Baking Deep Cakes blog entry that I did a few months ago, do follow the tips on wrapping the edges and protecting the top to slow down the cooking to allow the cake to cook through. It will take longer but the cake will cook more evenly.
You may also like to try the new Heating/Convection Core which helps in the baking of large cakes. You’ll find it in our online shop
I hope that this helps and good luck
Andy
Mei Wood says
Hi Lindy
Please help! I have tried without success to make your chocolate mud cake. I have followed your instructions step by step and I don’t know what I am doing wrong. I baked it in a fan oven on 160 degrees and had a thermometer inside to double check the temperature.
I noticed the following:
1. Mixture was very runny when I poured it into the tin ( is this correct or should it be thicker?)
2. After 3 hrs the cake skewer still came out with cake on it – I just didn’t think the cake should take THAT long
3. The cake was very dense and fudge like , still wet inside and a crusty top! (I can usually bake – honest!)
Do you use margarine or actually unsalted butter?
What is the percentage of dark chocolate that you would recommend?
Do you have to wait until the syrup has totally cooled down before you add the flours? I mixed the flours when it was still warm.
I just hope you can tell me where I’m going wrong!
Lindy's Cakes Team says
Hi Mei
I’m sorry that you struggled with the Chocolate Mud Cake recipe.
Some thoughts that hopefully will help.
This is a very dense cake and so will be unlike the sponge recipes that Lindy has in her books.
The mixture is very runny and Lindy does use unsalted hard butter rather that the soft spreadable types.
Lindy also waits until the syrup mixture is blood temperature or cooler before adding the flours.
I hope that this helps
Andy
Lindy’s Cake Team
Jane Moseley says
I’ve made the mud cake this evening however it hasn’t risen very much at all, is this right or have I going wrong some where?
Thanks
Jane
Denise says
can i just check that its 320g plain flour /60g self raising and not the other way round, cheers Denise
Paulette says
Hi Claire,
Just reading through the additional comments and noticed that you want to make plaques for your cake. I have sent a picture to Lindy of my cake and hopefully she will be able to add it to her blog or site so you can see the results. I’m not sure if I would trust myself to carry the chocolate on a plane but I understand your concerns of tempering and making them in such a hot country. Hopefully Lindy can offer suggestions on how to keep them cool or even how to make them be travel hardy. I bought a really good book on chocolate which showed me how to temper the chocolate and on how to make the plaques. Not sure if I’m allowed to give the details on the site but if someone from Lindy’s cake team gives the OK, I’ll let you have the details tomorrow.
Lindy Smith says
It’s the correct way round – the cake doesn’t really rise very much!
Lindy Smith says
Mud cakes doen’t rise very much , so I guess your cake is right!
Enjoy
Lindy
Denise says
Hi Lindy,
Made this last night, it’s an absolute heart attack of a cake, soooooooooo chocolately!!!!!! and incredibly moist!
Thank you so much for this as i was having alot of trouble getting a chocolate cake that didnt dry out!
you’re a star!
Lindy Smith says
Hi Paulette
Thank you for your comments and also for sending us through images of your finished cake, I’ve added one here for everyone to see:
I must admit to not knowing everything there is to know about chocolate, so Claire I suggest you ask someone on the ground in Australia. I meet many wonderful and very talented cake decorators when I was over there a couple of months ago, I’m sure if you scour the aussie cake blogs you’ll find the answer. Try cakes & More Nicole is a mind of information
Debbie Oliver says
Hi there Lindy could you tell me if you have a recipe for a toffee cake? and would you also know how to make caramel buttercream i’ve searched the net and can’t find one anywhere if you have a recipe for an 8 inch cake i can alter it for different sizes thanks debbie
Stacey says
Hi,
I’m from the US and I have never heard the term “mud cake” before. I’ve been googling and trying to find a definition but all I can find is “Mississippi Mud Cake” which is clearly not the same thing at all.
Can someone please tell me why it’s called a mud cake, or what makes a cake a mud cake? I thought at first it may have to do with chocolate, but I see all kinds of recipes called mud cake that aren’t chocolate. I am so confused!
Thank you!
Lindy Smith says
Hi Debbie
I’ve not tried a recipe for toffee cake, perhaps someone else can help, regards caramel buttercream there will be a recipe for caramel frosting in my next book but its not a buttercream! It’s published next September…..I guess you can’t wait that long so I’ll try and write a blog about buttercream and frostings soon!
Lindy
Carlyn says
I am trying out your mud cake recipe for the 1st time tonight. I am planning on using it for my wedding in March this year back home in Cape Town.
I am arriving 2 weeks before the wedding so I was looking for something I could make about a week in advance. From what you say this cake sounds perfect.
I am still trying to decide what to ice it with – maybe the chocolate ganache and sugar paste. I will let you know how it turns out.
Thanks
Carlyn
Carlyn says
Hi
Not sure if I over mixed the cake as the texture is dense but maybe a bit rubbery? I used a kitchen aid mixer – could this be a reason?
Thanks
Carlyn
Lindy Smith says
Hi Carlyn
The texture should be dense – I use a balloon wisk but only just to incorporate.
hope this helps
Lindy
Cath says
Hi Lindy
Thanks for this, I’ve been looking forward to it! But I’ve baked it twice and each time it’s been more like fudge. I read the comments above about perhaps my oven wasn’t hot enough but it still hasn’t worked. Could you take a photo (or someone else!) of the middle of the cake so I can see whether I’ve messed it up or it should be as thick as it is!
Thanks
Cath
x
Jane Dolder says
Hello Cath
Doesn’t really matter if the Mud Cake is slightly fudgy in the middle – look at our Cake Chat on the blog, it has a picture of the Mud Cake.
Jane
Anne Bird says
Hi Lindy
I have now had some of the Choc mud cake i made the other evening, it was very nice but should it come out like a giant brownie? it is also very rich so i guess using ‘willy’s’ 100% choc may be too much. not having cooked this cake before i shall do it again, I trial ran it for my daughters wedding cake.
Does any one of your lovely bloggers have a good recipe for a ‘white fruit cake’ and do you know anywhere i can get Green Glace Cherries from.
Any help gratefully received.
Anne.
Jane Dolder says
Hello Anne,
The Chocolate Mud Cake should be like a brownie, crispy on the outside and moist on the inside – it’s also very rich so you don’t need much! If this is not what you had in mind for a wedding cake why not try Lindy’s Chocolate Cake – the recipe can be found in her books.
Jane
shay habel says
Dear Lindy
You said your cake would be covered with white chocolate but you gave no recipe. The white chocolate icing I made was just too sweet and didn’t set firm. All the recipes seem too sweet. What is yours?
Thanks
Shay
Lindys Team says
Hello Shay,
There are several options with regard to white chocolate icing – all white chocolate items do however by their very nature tend to be quite sweet.
Lindy sometimes uses white chocolate buttercream and there will be a recipe for white chocolate ganache (this would set firm) featured in Lindys new cupcake book which is due out in September.
White chocolate paste is another option for covering your cake – try this website
Does anyone else have any other suggestions?
Kate says
Another great blog. I have made your chocolate cake in your book, and am about to try this to see the difference. I would love to find a recipe that will produce a deep/high cake, so I can just bake one. I think this cake might be too shallow – would you bake two if you were making a celebration cake (to be sugarpasted)?
(I have persisted with Madeira cake and am really pleased to have this down to a tee – thanks to your website. Just want to conquer chocolate cakes now!)
Also, in your quantity chart the basic quantity is for an 8″ round, as this mud cake recipe is for a 9″ round, do I have to add extra when calculating the multiples.
Thanks again – invaluable info on your sites.
Kate
Lindy Smith says
Hi Kate
I’m pleased to hear you’re enjoying using our blog. To answer your questions:
I would just bake a deep mud cake, it may take a while to bake but I wouldn’t layer it.
If you put the 9in mud cake mix in an 8in tin you will just get a deeper cake that will take longer to bake. If this is the depth of cake you are after than just use the multiples given on my quanity chart. If it’s a little too deep then you will have to make adjustments!
Hope this helps
Lindy
Anna says
Hi Lindy,
I just came across this recipe and will definitely give it a try. I’m pretty new to baking and seem to struggle with my chocolate cakes and have tried different recipes. They always seem to crumble when sliced. could i be baking them for too long?
Look forward to hearing from you!
Thanks
Anna
Eileen says
Hi!I tried Lindy’s chocolate cake recipe but feedback from the family said it was a bit dry and didn’t taste very chocolatey! Not sure what I did wrong? j Would it be ok to add glycerine as you do in the Madeira cake recipe and also use a higher cocoa content than the recipe states? Hope you can help!I will be making a 10″x 8″ oblong cake that will be filled with buttercream and covered with sugarpaste!So I thought I’d use the 10″ recipe!?
Thanks!
Eileen
Lindy Smith says
Hi Eileen
We’re not clear whether you are using the chocolate mud cake recipe from here on the blog or the chocolate cake recipe from my books!!! However both should be moist and very chocolatey – use the best quality chocolate you can obtain – if you like really high cocoa content use that (some people find this too bitter!). Glycerine will help to add more moisture. Regards the amount of batter you will need for a 10in x 8in oblong, this is the same as a 9in square or 10in round cake!! Hope that makes sense.
Happy baking
Lindy
Lindy Smith says
Hi Anna
Give this recipe a try and see how you get on – it’s very more-ish!
Lindy
Eileen says
Hi Lindy, Just wanted to say thanks for your prompt reply and for the very helpful tips which I will be trying out very soon!
Thanks!
Eileen
Teresa Baxter says
Hi Linda
I love your Madeira recipe and am just about to attempt your Chocolate Mud Cake Recipe but I notice there are no details about what filling you used. Did you use a chocolate buttercream or a chocolate ganache filling?
Many thanks – I always rely on your blog site for sensible, practical and reliable advice and tips!
Cass says
Hi there, I was wondering if you’ve tried making a gluten-free version with gluten-free flour at all? I need to do one tier of a wheat-free chocolate cake for a wedding. Thanks!
Wendy says
Hi Lindy.
i have made your mud cake and it was delicious. I would like to try to make one for a birthday cake and cover it with sugar paste the only problem was that it didnt rise very much. would I have to increase the quantities to be able to level the top of the cake to 3″ deep like we do with the madeira cakes?
Thanks,
Wendy
Lindys Team says
We do not tend to use a filling in chocolate mud cake as it is already very rich and moist.
It is purely personal taste – if you do feel that you need a filling a ganache is slightly less sweet so will probably work better with this recipe.
Lindy Smith says
Hi Wendy
The mud cake doesn’t rise that much, so yes you will need to increase the quanities or decrease the size of the tin you are using.
Good luck
Lindy
Lindy Smith says
Hi Cass
I am sure gluten free flour would work here although I’ve not tried it, let us know the results if you do!
Deepika says
Hi there just thought I’d let you know that I made a mud cake with gluten free flour as my client was a Coeliac. I rang up the society to enquire what I need to do and they said replace like for like. The cake was awesome and my client said it tasted yummy and didn’t feel a difference at all. Hope this helps. Dee x
Lindy Smith says
Thanks Deepika for passing on this information – so pleased to hear it was a sucess
Suzanne says
Hi. I’ve made your mud cake many times now and everyone loves it. The only problem I’m having with it is that after it’s cooked, the underside of the cake sometimes has ‘holes’ in it. Sometimes they are just small dents which is fine, but other times they are about the size of a large egg! It almost looks like a big air hole but with the mix being very much a batter I can’t understand it? Have you any idea why this is happening?
Thanks,
Suzanne
Lindys Team says
Hello Suzanne,
This is not a problem that we have experienced with this cake recipe.
Holes can be caused by overmixing, or unevenly or insufficiently folding in the flour.
The mixture should be soft and dropping after the flour is folded in, and if it is too dry, pockets of air can get trapped.
This also happens if the flour and raising agent are not sifted together thoroughly.
Another method we have heard of to solve this problem is raising the filled cake tin to about six inches above a hard surface and allowing it to drop. You eliminate any trapped air bubbles in the batter that can create large holes in a finished cake.
I do hope this helps
Lisa says
Hi made this chocolate mud cake yesterday and it is really a lovely moist, chocolately cake….goes well with a good vanilla ice cream or some cream.
Tracey says
Hi, I’m making a birthday cake for my sister and she loves chocolate, so i was planning on 2 tiers white chocolate cake and 1 tier plain chocolate. Do you know how much white chocolate I would need to use for either this Mud Cake or your recipe Chocolate Cake recipe. Thanks for your help.
elaine says
something completely different i’m afraid.I’m gonna make some homemade sugarpaste using pasteurised egg white(liquid). how long will it keep for??
Natalie says
Thank you for this recipe, it’s so easy to make and hasn’t failed me yet. However, I’m looking for a white chocolate version now but if I just replace the dark chocolate with white, the entire structure of the cake changes for some reason. It’s much more doughy and heavier than the dark chocolate one.
Should other ingredients be altered as well for a white chocolate version?
Thanks in advance,
Natalie
Lindy Smith says
Hi Natalie
Pleased to hear you like the chocolate mud cake recipe. Regards white chocolate mud, I sampled a few last year when I was in Australia but I found them all just a touch too sweet and sickly for my taste buds!!! I do however know that the recipe for white chocolate mud is different due to the nature a white chocolate. I don’t I’m afraid have one to hand that I can recommend – does anyone else?
Happy baking
Lindy
Sarah says
Hi Lindy
When making large cakes ( eg 12 inch square) what size of food mixer would you recommend please?
I have battled on with my little hand mixer for years and it has finally given up, so I want to invest in a stand mixer. The Kenwoods I am looking at come with either a 4.6litre bowl or a 6.7 litre bowl – the trouble is, I don’t know whether the smaller size can cope with making large cakes!
Can you help with some advice please?
Thanks
Sarah
Lindys Team says
Hello Tracey,
We would not recommend adapting a plain chocolate recipe with white chocolate. White chocolate behaves very differently from milk or plain chocolate so you could not guarantee the same results. You really need to find a good white chocolate cake recipe for those 2 tiers of the cake.
Anyone have a good white choc recipe which they can share with us?
Lindys Team says
Hello Elaine,
Have a look at our blog on how to make sugarpaste. Our recipe does not include any egg product.
Lindys Team says
Hello Sarah,
It really is a question of personal taste as to which mixer will work best for you.
It depends on how many cakes you are baking and which size is your most popular order.
The larger mixer may not work particularly well with smaller quanitities of mix.
Are there any other Kenwood mixer owners out there with an opinion?
claire says
Hi
with regards to the white chocolate mud cake i use planet cakes from their fab book, it works perfectly every time and i have even used the recipe to make cupcakes both white and chocolate.
Abbie says
Hello,
Not sure if you can help…. I tried to make this mud cake recipe last night but it just didn’t work! My cake tin was 10″ x 12″ oblong, so I worked out that the recipe above needs to be multiplied by 2.5 (same as an 11″ square or 12″ round).. Is this correct? I’ve got a new fan oven, which I put on at 160, and after 3 and a half hours the middle is like wet fudge when I cut into it. Have you got any suggestions where I’ve gone wrong or how long it should take to cook? I lined the outside of the tin with newspaper. Should I try a higher temp?
Many Thanks,
Lindys Team says
Hi Abbie,
Unfortunately every oven is different and it may well be that it needs to be set at a higher temp. Mine certainly does.
Please see the links below that may also be able to help.
http://www.lindyscakes.co.uk/Blog/2009/07/27/how-to-i-change-a-cake-recipe-quanities/
http://www.lindyscakes.co.uk/Blog/2009/05/13/why-do-my-cakes-sink-in-the-middle/
Happy baking!
Marina
Ollie says
Hi
Can anyone share with me the chocolate they use when cooking? I have tried the Lindt 70% plain chocolate in other recipes and find it quite bitter so would appreciate a recommendation of one with less than 70%.
Cheers Ollie
Lindys Team says
Hi again Ollie,
Lindy uses Green and Blacks chocolate, does anyone else have any tips on this?
Marina
Anne says
Hi
I have just made the Planet cake recipe of choclate mud cake in a 9″ round tin as a try out for a 2 tier cake I need to do in a couple of weeks. The cake is delicious and is firm on the outside but is very crumbly to cut. Is this normal? The 2 tier cake I’m doing is for a golden wedding and is to serve 80 guests, I’m a bit concerned that it might be messy to serve. Has anyone else found this problem and any suggestions?
Thanks
Anne
Lindys Team says
Hi Anne,
The Chocolate Mud Cake is usually lovely and moist and therefore doesn’t normally crumble when cut.
I would try making it again ensuring the quantities are 100% correct as it has turned out drier than it should.
Good luck!
Marina
Anne says
Hi Marina,
Thanks for the reply. I wondered if it had been the cooking time not sure if too long or too short but it did still taste moist but just crumbly. I’m concerned that I need to make a 12″ mud cake soon and will do 2 1/2 recipe as your chart suggests but how long do you think I will need to cook it for?
Thanks
Anne
Lindys Team says
Hi Anne,
We would recommend baking it at a low temperature and for a long time.
Good luck!
Marina
carina says
hi there,
can you use white chocolate in this recipe?
thanks
Lindys Team says
Hi Carina,
We would not recommend using white chocolate in this recipe as it is not something we have done and the sweetness and consistency may be changed.
We would recommend searching for a White Chocolate Mud Cake recipe that has already been tried and tested.
Good luck.
Marina
Carolina says
Hi Lindy,
I was wondering if this cake can be covered with fondant, or is it too moist?
If not, do you know of any other chocolate cake recipe, in which I could cover with fondant?
Thanks and love your cakes!
Carolina
Lindy Smith says
The cake is very moist Carolina but it can be covered with sugarpaste (fondant). Have you tried the chocolate fudge cake recipe also on this blog? It’s perfect for covering and extremely yummy!!!
bibi says
hi just wondered if this cake is suitable for any of lindy’s cake carving class. a dense chocolate cake is mentioned but i dont think its this one…………
thanks
bibi
Lindy Smith says
Hi Bibi
I have carved this cake but the chocolate fudge cake is much easier to carve and also tastes delicious.
Happy baking
Lindy
Laura says
Wow, brilliant cake, it looks delicious & easier to make than I have imagined.
My Daughter will be 4 in a few days & she has seen in a shop, *cake pops* these appear to be made out of a moist cake like this.
Would this cake be able to take cutting then basically shaping into balls?
Thank you ver much….. will be making this one anyway as her main cake :o)
Lindys Team says
Hi Laura,
The chocolate mud cake is divine.
We have never tried making cake pops out of it but imagine it should work. The cake is very moist so would need binding with chocolate.
If you try it could you please let us know the outcome?
May the cake be with you.
Marina
ifi says
hey, this looks delicious. im making a sphere cake and wondering whether you think this recipe would work? or would you recommend using the chocolate fudge recipe instead?
ifi.. x
Lindys Team says
Hi Ifi,
For a sphere cake we would recommend using the chocolate fudge cake recipe – http://www.lindyscakes.co.uk/Blog/2011/02/02/lindys-chocolate-fudge-cake-recipe/ as this is firmer than the Chocolate Mud Cake.
Both are delicious.
Keep on baking!
Marina
Louise martin says
I am planning in making this cake but am unsure what sized eggs to use(m,l or xl?).
I am trying to find a chocolate recipe that works….. I am a novice!
Louise
Mrs B says
I made this cake for my daughters birthday and I have to say it’s the simplest cake I’ve ever made,
It was so very runny before baking and I thought I’d read the recipe wrong but I hadn’t it had turned out amazing.
I used Tesco’s cooking chocolate and it was great.
It lasted a couple of days wrapped in foil and would have lasted a little longer if the kids hadn’t eaten it all.
Lindys Team says
Hi Mrs B,
We are very pleased to hear about your chocolate mud cake. It is proving to be very popular lately.
Have you tried the chocolate fudge one yet?!
Keep up the good work!
Marina
Lindys Team says
Dear Louise
As the recipe doesn’t stipulate which size to use, I would use medium eggs.
Good luck!
Zoe
patricia says
Help please!!,
i am making a chocolate mud cake for one tier of my sons wedding cake , i have just done the tester cake to see how it will come out and am horrified to find it has vast fissures running down across one side of the cake, i followed the recipe to the letter, put 5 layers of newspaper around the sides of the 9″ round cake tin and underneath it and cooked it on 160 fan oven for 2 hours, i saw through the oven glass at 1 1/2 hours that the splits had appeared, what did i do wrong or what could i do to stop that from happening, when i make the wedding cake, the only thing i did different was i don’t have a balloon whisk so used my hand electric mixer with one beater on it and used it at slow speed,
i have been using other recipes of yours and they have turned out wonderfully,
patricia
Jane says
Hello Patricia,
Not sure what has happened here. Could be several reasons, the oven, mixing. An alternative recipe which is really nice and I find is fool proof is the chocolate fudge cake. It is a good dense cake, not quite as rich as the mud cake but still really chocolatey.
Hope this helps.
Jane
Shar32 says
I tried this cake last night. It was easy to make and I put it in a fan oven 160 and after 2 hours 10 mins it looked done and a skewer came out clean. However, I let it cool in the pan and when I turned it out there was an uncooked bit just off centre about the size of a 50p piece:( Will have to leave it in little longer next time.
Jane says
Hello,
When you use the skewer to check if the cake is cooked, don’t just place it in the centre of the cake, try piercing it in several places.
Jane
Cherie says
Hi,
Want to make a birthday cake for my husband that will feed 18 guests. I have an 11×15″ cake pan that I have never used, but I think this is the opportunity. What’s the best way to upsize an 8-9″ round layer cake recipe to fit this pan? Do I need to go back to my high school algebra and figure out the area of the round pans, then divide by the area of the larger to get a multiplication factor for the ingredients? Would that even yield a well-baked cake, even in the center?? Do you have a simpler formula?
Jane says
Hello Cherie,
The easiest way would be to fill the rectangular tin with water, and then decant into one of your round baking tins to find the volume.
Jane
Kelly says
Hi,
Please can you tell me how long ganache will keep for?
Lindys Team says
Hi Kelly
2-3 days if you keep it cool.
Fiona
kavya says
hey. just wanted to know, is there any difference between a chocolate truffle cake and a chocolate mud cake?
the ingredients are all same.
Lindys Team says
Unless the cooking instructions differ it sounds like it will be similar if the ingredients are the same! We have not made a chocolate truffle cake, but let us know how you get on!
Fiona
Hannah says
Hello Lindy
I am making a three tired cake and am looking for the perfect chocolate cake recipe. A professional cake make told me to go for a dense mud cake but every recipe is different and I don’t know what to go for. Would this one work or would the chocolate fudge cake be better?
Many thanks.
Lindys Team says
Hi Hannah
Lindy uses a very nice chocolate fudge recipe which is on the link below.
http://www.lindyscakes.co.uk/2011/02/02/lindys-chocolate-fudge-cake-recipe/
She also has a good chocolate cake recipe in some of her books.
If you are covering with sugarpaste then you need a dense cake, like the ones above, not a light sponge, as this would collapse under the weight of the sugarpaste.
Good luck.
Kind regards
Lindy’s Team
roberta says
Hi Lindy, Out of interest, do you prefer the chocolate mud cake or the chic fudge cake?
I am making a tiered wedding cake that needs to be made and fondant iced 4 days before wedding. It also has to travel a long distance so I want to choose the recipe which will cope best. I have made the fudge cake and its delicious but haven’t tried the mud yet.
Many Thanks
Roberta
Lindys Team says
Hi Roberta
Personally I prefer the chocolate fudge cake as it tastes delicious, carves and covers well.
Regards
Zoe