Mud Cake

Preheat oven to 160°C. Line base and sides of a 22cm round cake tin with baking paper. *20cm tin can be used, but line the sides with baking paper 8-10cm high.

Place Butter in a saucepan, heat over medium-low heat until melted. Add Dark Chocolate, Sugar and Hot Water (OR Milk). Heat, stirring constantly, until smooth.

Transfer the chocolate mixture to a large bowl and cool for 10 minutes. Add lightly whisked Eggs and Vanilla OR Rum, stir to combine. Sift in Flour and Cocoa Powder, and stir until smooth.

Pour the mixture into the prepared cake tin. Bake for 80 to 90 minutes or until cooked. If the top gets too dark, cover with foil. Let it stand for 10 minutes in the tin before turning out onto a wire rack to cool.

To make Chocolate Ganache, heat Cream in a small saucepan over medium-low heat, add chopped Dark Chocolate, and stir until smooth. Transfer to a bowl and cool until thick enough to spread over the cake.

Spread the Chocolate Ganache over the cooled cake and decorate as you like. *I used to decorate it with ‘Smarties’, colourful sugar-coated chocolate, for my son.