Chocolate Gluttony - A Mud Cake Recipe of Epic Proportions

Hi Readers, Stephen here,

Below I present to you one of my personal recipes that I have been developing for about eight years. This cake over almost a decade has evolved a number of times, starting as a Mississippi Mud Cake. About four years later I thought of the idea of added double the amount of liquor as alcohol in cooking was the only way I could get away with the consumption of any alcoholic substance in my house-hold (don’t worry, later on in life I realised that alcohol is as great as expected). Unfortunately for me, I found out a few years later the the ethanol is burnt away during the cooking process. Although it sounds like me being rebellious it actually made the cake a lot better. Through the constant manipulation and optimisation of the original recipe I eventually made it my own, also resulting in a white chocolate, milk chocolate and caramel versions of the recipe.

Earlier this year I thought of combining the three recipes (dark, milk and white chocolates) to develop a three layer cake with two layers of ganache. This recipe contained a whooping one kilo of solid chocolate. Each time I have made this cake this year it has received a number of names, also with the recipe changing slightly each time; diabetes on a plate, doctor’s nightmare, chocolate heaven, chocolate indulgence, death by chocolate, chocoholics dream and then finally Chocolate Gluttony. This recipe yields a 2.3kg cake, containing 700g of chocolate (not including chocolate decorations), still not the healthiest options; but hey, you only live once. So without further delay, I bring to you:

Chocolate Gluttony

Dark Chocolate Batter

-125g butter, coarsely chopped

-75g dark chocolate, coarsely chopped

- 1 cup castor sugar

-1/3 cup coffee liquor (kahlua) dilute to ½ cup with water

-1/2 tablespoon instant coffee

-3/4 cup plain flour

-1/8 cup self-raising flour

-1/8 cup cocoa powder

-1 egg

Milk Chocolate Batter

-125g butter, coarsely chopped

-75g milk chocolate, coarsely chopped

-1 cup castor sugar

-1/2 cup milk

-3/4 cup plain flour

-1/4 cup self-raising flour

-1 egg

White Chocolate Batter

-125g butter, coarsely chopped

-75g white chocolate, coarsely chopped

-1 cup castor sugar

-1/2 cup milk

-3/4 cup plain flour

-1/4 cup self-raising flour

-1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

-1 egg

Ganache

-3/4 cup thickened cream

-300g white chocolate melts

-150g dark chocolate melts

-addition white chocolate for chocolate panel

-dark chocolate or black icing writing pen

Procedure

Each cake batter is made separately; however, the procedure is exactly the same for each type.

1. Place butter, chocolate, sugar, liquor mixture or milk and coffee, accordingly; into separate small saucepans.

2. Melt the butter and chocolate over low heat until smooth stirring constantly until silky and combined.

3. Transfer each mixture into separate bowls and allow to cool for about 20-30 minutes.

4. Preheat the oven at 140°C (fan-forced).

5. Sift associated dry ingredients (plain and self-raising flours and cocoa powder) into the respective bowls containing the cooled chocolate mixtures and whisk until smooth and combined.

6. Whisk in the egg (and vanilla extract for the white chocolate batter).

7. To assemble the cake, line a 23cm wide, 6 cm deep springform cake tin with baking paper. Fill three piping bags (1 cm nozzles) with each cake batter. Pipe a portion of milk chocolate batter around the edge of the base of the tin, then pipe a portion of the white chocolate batter, followed by the dark chocolate batter in the centre. Complete the assembly by piping layers, alternating between the placement of the batter flavours, until all the batters have been used up.

8. Rather than fidgeting with the batter in the matter mentioned above a simpler assembly can be performed by pouring an entire layer of batter into the cake tin and then adding the next two favours carefully, directly on top to create a three layers of individual flavours. The only one condition of this assembly is that the dark chocolate batter is on top (preferably with the milk chocolate on the bottom, with the white chocolate in the middle).

9. Bake for 1 hour and then cover with foil and bake for a further hour, or until a skewer comes out clean from the centre of the cake.

10. Turn onto a wire rack after 10 minutes and allow to completely cool.

11. To make the ganache, bring the cream to almost boiling and then pour ½ a cup over white chocolate and the rest over the dark chocolate melts in separate bowls and stir until the chocolate has melted and the mixtures are smooth and silky. If the chocolate hasn’t melted completely then place the bowl over simmering water.

12. Cover the ganache with cling film and place in the fridge for 30 minutes, mixing every 10 minutes or until the ganache is spreadable.

13. To make the chocolate swirl ganache, add the dark chocolate ganache and fold the two flavours together but do not combine.

14. Spread the ganache over the cooled cake.

15. To make the white chocolate panel, line a flat baking tray with baking paper or foil and place the tray into a hot oven to heat. Bring water to a simmer in a small saucepan and melt some white chocolate in a small metal bowl. Spread the melted chocolate on the lined, heated baking tray to the desired shape and thickness. Allow the chocolate to set, then completely cool in a fridge or freezer. Once set, cut into the necessary shape if required, and then place onto top of the cake.

16. Write your message or greeting onto the chocolate panel with the chocolate pen.

17. And serve.

This cake can be kept in a cool place out of the fridge if it is being eaten the day of production; otherwise, it can be stored in the fridge but should be taken out at least an hour prior to serving since the ganache will harden in the fridge.

I should note that I don't take any accountability for any health conditions that recipe may cause, so enjoy.