Muddy Mud Cake

Friday nights are perfect for predinner drinks, casual meals, loud music, art house movies, cold beers, football on TV, box sets, yoga pants, good books, comfy sofas, card games and chocolate cake... You can probably tell I'm not 20 something and single.

Muddy Mud Cake

adapted from here

300g dark chocolate, chopped and divided

200g unsalted butter, chopped

¼ cup espresso

¼ cup cocoa powder

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 cup golden caster sugar

3 eggs, lightly beaten

¾ cup self-raising flour

Preheat the oven to 160ºC.  Grease and line the base and sides of a deep, 20cm springform cake pan. Set aside.

Place 200g of the chocolate, in a heatproof bowl and add the butter, espresso and cocoa powder.  Place the bowl over a pan of simmering water, don't let the bowl touch the water, and heat until melted and smooth.  Remove from the heat and set aside to cool slightly.

Add the vanilla, sugar and eggs and whisk.  

Sift the flour over the chocolate mixture and mix until just combined.

Pour half the of the batter into the prepared cake pan.  Sprinkle with the remaining chopped chocolate and pour the second half of the batter over the top.

Bake for 55 - 60 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the middle comes out with moist crumbs clinging to it.  Leave to cool completely in the pan before slicing.

Serve with generous dollops of softly whipped cream.