If you looking for a rich, dense and easy chocolate mud cake? This is it! Three layers of dense chocolate cake layered with wonderful caramel buttercream that's finger-licking good. Perfect for any birthday, celebration or just went you are in a chocolate mood. A treat on its own with or without frosting.
I always thought the chocolate mud cake was an Australian origin recipe because that's where I first ate the best chocolate mud cake. For a very long time, I use to call it the Australian chocolate mud cake. Plus, almost all my Australian friends will insist that Australians make the best chocolate mud cake.
But, apparently, the mud cake first made its appearance in the 1970s and in American and was a combination of the chocolate fudge and chocolate brownie. What's also interesting is that the American chocolate mud cake back then contained marshmallows!! I do like marshmallows but not sure I like them in my mud cake.
Well, whether you call it Australian chocolate mud cake or American chocolate mud cake. There is no denying that its absolute chocolate heaven
Table of Content
About this cake
If you know anyone that loves chocolate, chocolate, and more chocolate? You MUST make this for them. You will score some really big bonus points with them.
It's delicious on its own. If I make it for our home it never gets frosted. NEVER!! You can eat it just as is, without any frosting or decorate it as I have here for a celebration cake.
My absolute favorite frosting with this cake is Ganache and I shared that combination with you when I shared the chocolate ganache cake.
But if too much chocolate is not what you want then try my Velvet Chocolate Buttercream instead. Today, I have frosted this with my caramel buttercream.
Caramel buttercream with chocolate flakes
The caramel buttercream also has chocolate flakes in it. This is done very simply but pouring still warm chocolate over cold buttercream. Let the chocolate just lay on the buttercream without mixing it. The chocolate will cool over the buttercream and set. Then mix it vigorously and the chocolate will shatter into small tiny pieces. I love this method better than adding chocolate chips. The difference is that now the chocolate is much thinner and softer so it almost melts in the mouth.
Ingredients and substitutes
- Chocolate - This is the star of the cake here. The chocolate you use will determine the ultimate experience you get from this cake.
Technically you can use any chocolate but the better the quality of chocolate the better the taste!! Always use good quality chocolate that you can eat on its own. You can use any percentage you want really. If you use dark the cake will have a more strong chocolate taste. Similarly, if you use semi-sweet or milk so will the flavor the cake. Personally; I like to use at least 60% chocolate for my cakes. Often I indulge in 70% and love it. - Brown Sugar - I prefer dark brown as compared to light brown for this recipe. The molasses in the dark brown intensifies the flavor so much more. But you certainly can use any brown sugar you have on hand.
- White sugar - this adds sweetness and texture to the cake, giving it a bit of stability. Mud cakes, though dense can fall apart very easily.
- Buttermilk - often you get water in a mud cake, I prefer to use buttermilk. It softens the crumb a tad and gives a wonderful softness to the crumb. Buttermilk can be easily made at home in as little as five minutes - you can find it here - Homemade buttermilk in 5 minutes.
Step by step instructions (pin)
Mud cake
- Grease and line an 8-inch round baking pan/pans.
- Preheat oven at 160 C / 320 F.
- Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cocoa powder, and salt.
- Melt butter and chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl.
- Add the sugars and stir until almost melted.
- Next, add the vanilla followed by the eggs, one at a time.
- Then, add the buttermilk - and combine well.
- Lastly, add the flour and mix until you have a smooth batter. A whisk works well for this.
- Pour the batter into your baking pan.
- Bake in a preheated oven for about 60 to 70 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Cool and decorate with your favorite frosting.
Caramel buttercream
- Place the butter and salt in the mixer bowl.
- Using the paddle attachment – mix the butter until light and creamy.
- Add caramel sauce – combine well.
- Then, powdered sugar – combine well.
- Once all the ingredients have been added – whip for three minutes until the caramel buttercream is light and fluffy,
- Melt the chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl.
- While still hot - pour chocolate over the caramel buttercream.
- Wait for two minutes so the chocolate will set.
- Then mix vigorously so the chocolate will shatter into tiny pieces.
- This leaves tiny pieces of chocolate in the caramel buttercream.
Decorate
- Prepare simple syrup - cool completely before using.
- Once cooled, cut the dome off the cake,
- Split the cake layer into three horizontally so you have three layers.
- Brush each layer with the cooled, simple syrup.
- Place a cake layer on the cake board or cake stand.
- Top with a big dollop of caramel frosting - spread evenly.
- Then, top the second cake layer on top followed by more frosting.
- Continue until you have used all three later.
- Place the cake in the fridge if necessary, so the layers hold together.
- Spread the remaining frosting around and top of the cake.
- Create a rustic buttercream look by simply swirling the spatula around the side of the cake.
- Or, use an icing comb to create a pattern on the buttercream as I have done in the video.
Frequently asked questions
Oh, they are very different. Chocolate cake is usually a light and airy sponge while a chocolate mud cake would be dense, moist almost fudgy.
In a cake, you would cream ingredients to add as much air as possible while in mud cakes you usually melt the butter, chocolate and aim at keeping it dense.
If properly stored, this mud cake will last for 2 to 3 days at room temperature. It can be kept in the fridge for up to 5 or 6 days.
Yes. Freeze it on a tray for a few hours then wrap well in cling/plastic wrap, followed by a parchment paper and then aluminum foil. Thaw wrapped in the fridge for 24 hours so the condensation will stay on the papers, not the cake.
No, I have not replaced the egg in this cake so not sure how it will work. But, I do have an eggless chocolate Fudge cake recipe that is moist and fudgy similar to a mud cake.
yes, if you prefer you can also use ¼ cup brewed espresso or coffee and reduce the liquid (buttermilk) by that much.
If you don't want to make a layer cake like this,
You can make this into a sheet cake - a 'Chocolate Mud Sheet Cake'.
You can also pour the batter into a well-greased and dusted bundt pan for a 'Chocolate Mud Bundt Cake'.
This recipe can also be baked into 24 beautiful Mud cupcakes
There are so many other choices for frosting. Such as:
Swiss or Italian Meringue Buttercream
French or German Buttercream Frosting
Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
I have over 30 plus frosting recipes on this blog. And I highly recommend checking them out.
Troubleshooting
My chocolate cake is very dense not light and fluffy?
That is correct this cake is dense, moist and very chocolatey. If you want a light and fluffy cake please use my simple moist chocolate cake recipe instead.
My caramel buttercream is very soft and won't hold peaks
You need to whip the buttercream for a good few minutes so the cream in the caramel sauce whips up and builds volume. Additionally, make sure you are using a thick caramel sauce.
The top of my mud cake is very hard
This mud cake will have a crust on the top when baked. However, if you bake too long that top can become hard and the cake will be dry. Use the time given below as a guide but make sure to check often.
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Recipe
Description
Video
Ingredients
For the cake
- 7 oz (200 g) Chocolate
- 8 oz (226 g) Unsalted butter (1 cup, 2 sticks)
- 2 cups (250 g) All-purpose flour
- ½ cup (45 g) Cocoa Powder
- 1 cup (220 g) Brown sugar
- ½ cup (100 g) White sugar
- 2 Eggs
- 1 ½ tsp Baking powder
- ½ tsp Baking soda
- ½ tsp Salt
- 2 tsp Vanilla extract
- 1 cup (240 ml) Buttermilk
For the caramel buttercream with chocolate flakes
- 8 oz (226 g) Butter unsalted
- 2 cups (240 g) Powdered sugar
- 1 cup (240 ml) Caramel sauce
- ½ tsp Salt
- 4 oz (113 g) Melted chocolate
Extra
- ½ cup (120 ml) Simple Syrup
Instructions
For the cake
- Grease and line and 8-inch round baking pan/pans
- Preheat oven at 160 C / 320 F
- Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cocoa powder, and salt.
- Melt butter and chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl.
- Add the sugars and stir until almost melted
- Next, add the vanilla followed by the eggs one at a time.
- Then add the buttermilk - combine well.
- Lastly, add the flour and mix until you have a smooth batter. A whisk works well for this.
- Pour the batter into your baking pan.
- Bake in a preheated oven for about 60 to 70 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Cool and decorate with your favorite frosting.
Caramel Buttercream with chocolate flakes
- Mix the caramel into the velvet American buttercream until well combined.
- Pour the melted still warm chocolate over the buttercream and leave it alone.
- After 10 minutes stir it vigorously. (read note above)
Nutrition Information
The nutrition information and metric conversion are calculated automatically. I cannot guarantee its accuracy. If this data is important to you please verify with your trusted nutrition calculator. Thank you
Hafsa
Hey veena mam. Today I tried your devils food cupcakes and they were so damn yummy. I was so happy witj the results I was literally jumping! It was fluffy and perfectly domed and the taste was ahhhmazing! Your one statement which forced me to try these cupcake was that one of you client re ordered these cupcakes in 200 quantity.. I told myself I have to try this and man I am blown off! Thanks once again mam. Mam which cake do you prefer personally? Mud cake or fudge cake? What your clients like more?
Veena Azmanov
Thanks, Hafsa. So happy you enjoyed my Devil's food cupcakes so much. They are very popular with my customers too.
Personally, for me, I am a cake person so I love all kinds of cakes. Both the mud and fudge are absolutely delicious.
The chocolate fudge cake is more popular with my customers too.