Chocolate Mud Cake With Ganache Icing

INGREDIENTS

• 250g butter, chopped
• 200g dark chocolate, chopped
• 2 cups caster sugar
• 1 cup cold water
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 cup self-raising flour, sifted
• 1 1/2 cups plain flour, sifted
• 1/4 cup cocoa powder, sifted
• chocolate flakes, to serve

CHOCOLATE GANACHE

• 200g dark chocolate, chopped
• 2/3 cup thickened cream
  
  

METHOD

• • Step 1
    Preheat oven to 180°C/160°C fan-forced. Grease a 6cm-deep, 22cm round cake pan. Line base and sides with baking paper.
    • Step 2
      Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium-low heat. Add chocolate, sugar and 1 cup cold water. Cook, stirring constantly, for 3 to 4 minutes or until smooth. Transfer to large bowl. Cool for 10 minutes.
    • Step 3
      Add eggs. Stir to combine. Add flours and cocoa. Stir until smooth. Pour mixture into prepared pan. Bake for 1 hour and 30 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the centre has moist crumbs clinging. Stand for 10 minutes in pan. Turn out onto a wire rack to cool.
    • Step 4
      Meanwhile, make chocolate ganache: Place chocolate and cream in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Cook, stirring constantly, for 3 to 4 minutes or until smooth. Transfer to a bowl. Refrigerate for 30 minutes or until thick enough to spread. Spread over cake. Top with chocolate flakes. Stand for 10 minutes or until ganache is set. Serve.

NOTES

Store iced cake, covered, in the fridge for up to 5 days.

If you are using a larger cake pan, check if the cake is cooked after one hour. If it needs longer but is brown on top, place a loose piece of foil over the top.