I was so sad to say goodbye to Kelly my beautiful daughter in law who has been visiting from California. I know she’s had an amazing time seeing her friends and family, and fitting in her baby shower, a bachelorette party, and a wedding, all in two weeks. She has also given me some of her super healthy recipes, which I will be sharing with you soon. Try her Healthy Breakfast Granola, you wont eat any other granola once you have tasted it. Also take a look at her collection of African crafts that she sells in the USA – http://www.kithiafrica.com/
For her baby shower I got down to some serious baking and made her a Chocolate Mud Cake with Swiss Buttercream icing and topped with fondant. The teddies and ribbons were made the week before and the cake frozen and put together on the day. See Grace Stevens Celebration Cakes for step by step instructions on fondant teddies.
You dont have to make an elaborate icing for this cake, as it is so delicious on its own, but it is very dense and moist and ideal for fondant icing. This cake freezes well, and lasts for at least a week in a container or in the fridge.
This recipe was featured in Ejovo Party Magazine http://www.ejovo.com/Articles/index/article/name/chocolate-mud-cake-with-buttercream-icing
Kelly with her sweet little baby bump. I cant wait to meet my grandson in a few months time. California here I come.
- 350 gms dark chocolate pieces - I use Belgium Chocolate nibs
- 225 gms butter
- 600ml water
- 3 eggs
- 400 gms castor sugar
- 400 gms self raising flour
- Preheat oven to 170ºC/325ºF
- Grease and line 9"square or round cake tin. Use a solid tin, not a springform as this is a very runny mixture.
- In a saucepan over a low heat, heat the chocolate, water and butter. Stir until meted and smooth. Remove from the heat and cool slightly.
- Lightly beat the eggs in a large bowl, and gradually add cooled chocolate mixture.
- Whisk the sugar and flour into the chocolate mixture and continue beating until
- smooth and well blended.
- Pour the mixture into the cake tin and bake for 50/60minutes or until a skewer
- inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean.This can take up to 90 minutes, so dont stress if your oven takes longer. This is a very dense cake and therefore can cook for as long as it needs.
- Turn cake onto a wire rack to cool.
- Slice cake in half and ice.
- 8 egg whites
- 1 cup sugar
- 680 gms butter or 6 sticks (room temperature)
- 1 cup icing/confectioners sugar
- 2 tablespoons vanilla
- pinch of salt
- Heat the whites of egg , salt and the sugar over a double boiler until the sugar has dissolved. Do not let the pan touch the water.
- Place the mixture in a mixer and with the whisk attachment , whisk until soft peaks form.
- Turn the mixer to medium speed and add the softened butter a little at a time.
- You may need less or more butter depending on your humidity. ⅓ of the butter can be subsituted with good quality vegetable shortening to form a stiffer icing.
- Fold in the icing sugar and vanilla essence
15 Comments
Gorgeous post of a gorgeous cake. Thank you so much Ev for spoiling us rotten. Can’t wait to have you over here in a couple months time, granny-to-be:) Love you
Counting the days Kel. Luv u lots
Yum! This cake looks very chocolate-y and delicious!
Thanks so much for commenting Monica.
Oh dear.. this cake looks just gorgeous!
Thanks so much
where is baking soda or baking powder?
This cake uses self raising flour. If you cant get self raising flour you would need to use baking powder with the normal flour
thx
Your cake looks absolutely gorgeous!
Thanks Rosie
Hi, Really great effort. Everyone must read this article. Thanks for sharing.
Wow..Cakes are looking very yummy….Look of cakes are great
Hi Ev Thanks for another great recipe! Cake so beautiful too, with such cute toppings. Was wondering how the SMBC holds up in the humid weather we share with you Durbanites during summer? Always avoid trying, especially if cake needs to be transported to a far destination. Would be happy for your comments.
Warm regards
Hi Kathy, Buttercream and fondant is always a tricky thing in the humidity. I always put my cake in the fridge after I have put the buttercream layer on. Only once that has hardened do I put the fondant layer on. The fondant tends to protect the buttercream underneath. And yes, transportation is always a major problem – but as we say in good old SA ” A Boer maak ‘n plan.” xxx