Chocolate Mud Cake, is second popular chocolate dessert from my chocolate cake recipe. The only difference between a mud cake and chocolate cake, mud cake is more rich, dark, fudgy and intensely chocolaty.This taste so moist and fudge like which makes you crave more. Learn how to make the best mud cake recipe with step by step pictures and guide. Also check my gooey lava cake and chocolate sponge cake.
Chocolate Mud Cake
This is a cake which I wanted to bake for so long. Mud cake is one of the most popular cake just like chocolate cake. The only difference between a mud cake and chocolate cake is, mud cake is more rich, dark, fudgy and intensely chocolaty. And please don't ask for the substitute for eggs in this recipe, because you need eggs in this recipe for the cake to rise and set.
Table of Contents
About Chocolate Mud Cake
Chocolate mud cake is a delicious rich and decadent chocolate cake. This taste so moist and fudgy which makes you crave more and more.
This cake is very rich and it is the tallest single tier cake which I ever baked. It came out so tall and the cake hold really well as well. Plus it was so soft and moist just like eating a chocolate bar. Follow the recipe which I have mentioned in the recipe to the T and you will have the perfect cake. I can assure you. You can never go wrong with this recipe.
I decorated this cake using a chocolate ganache, but you can use chocolate buttercream frosting. You can leave this cake without frosting as well. And you can even split the cake half in the middle and frost it as well, so you have a two layered cake.
Similar Recipes,
Mud Cake Ingredients
All Purpose Flour - I used plain flour for this cake. plain flour with wheat flour may make the cake denser. So I wouldn't recommend it.
Sugar - obviously all cake needs sugar. I used refined sugar and you cannot substitute it with brown sugar which may affect the texture of the cake.
Chocolate - this cake taste best when finest quality ingredients are used. It is a chocolate forward cake, so try and use the best quality dark chocolate or semi sweet chocolate in this recipe.
Raising Agent - even though this cake looks dense and rich, it needs baking powder and baking soda to make it mud like texture.
Eggs - one of the most essential ingredient which makes this tall chocolate cake bake evenly. don't ask for the substitute for eggs in this recipe, because you need eggs in this recipe for the cake to rise and set.
Milk & Oil - I used whole milk and very little oil in this cake which helps keep the cake moist and tender.
Coffee - a good amount of coffee goes into the cake. 2 tbsp of coffee is used in this cake, but it doesn't make the cake coffee flavoured. A small amount of coffee enhances the chocolate flavour in this cake.
Chocolate ganache - This cake doesn't need any frosting on it. But I like to cover this rich mud cake with a decadent ganache makes this cake taste so amazing.
Difference between Chocolate Cake & Mud Cake
While both chocolate cake and mud cake looks same and has chocolate in it. The difference between a mud cake and chocolate cake depends mainly on the texture.
Mud cake is a delicious cake which resembles the mud along the banks of the river. Hence the name. The texture is more rich and dense looking than spongy chocolate cake.
Mud cake is more rich, dense and has intense chocolate flavour while chocolate cake is more spongy, light and fluffy texture. Chocolate cake can be paired with buttercream or any frosting while mud cake goes with chocolate ganache.
Recipe for making mud cake will vary too. It has a modest amount of chocolate, butter, sugar added in water to make slightly liquidy batter which then baked results in a dense intense chocolate mud cake.
How to Make Chocolate Mud Cake (4 easy steps)
Pre-Preparation
Preheat oven to 150 degree C. Line the base and sides of a 20 cm deep round pan with parchment paper.
Chocolate Mud Cake Batter Preparation
Take water in a saucepan and bring it to a boil. Add in coffee, butter, dark chocolate and heat it gently till it is melted. Add in sugar and whisk well till it is completely melted. Pour this in a bowl and set aside to cool down a bit.
Now sift flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Now add in milk to the chocolate mix, oil, add in one egg at a time and whisk it well. Add in the sifted flour mix in and mix well. Batter is done.
Baking Chocolate Mud Cake
Pour this in the prepared pan and pop it in oven for 1.45 hours to 2 hours. Now remove it from oven and let it cool completely.
Frosting & Serving Mud Cake
un mould from tin and cut the top with a serrated knife. Spoon the ganache on top and spread on all sides. Decorate as you wish. Chill in fridge for couple of hours. Serve.
How to Make Mud Cake (Stepwise pictures)
Pre-preparation
1)Preheat oven to 150 degree C | 300 Degree F. Line the base and sides of a 20 cm deep round pan with parchment paper. Make sure the parchment comes above the pan, since the cake when baked will rise a lot.
2)Take dark chocolate bar and chop into small pieces so it melts easily. Instead of dark chocolate you can use semi sweet chocolate chips as well.
Wet Ingredients
3)Take water in a sauce pan. We are going to melt the chocolate and prepare the wet ingredients in this sauce pan. This cake batter is going to be very liquidy which helps achieve the texture of the mud cake.
4)Add in instant coffee powder. I had some espresso, so added that into the water. You can add 2 tbsp of instant coffee powder or instant espresso.
Pro Tip: a good amount of coffee goes into the cake. 2 tbsp of coffee is used in this cake, but it doesn't make the cake coffee flavoured. A small amount of coffee enhances the chocolate flavour in this cake.
5)Add butter into the water. This is unsalted butter which I used.
Pro Tip: Make sure your butter is at room temperature so the butter melts faster without making the water boil over.
6)I added the chopped chocolate into the butter. Instead of chocolate, you can use chocolate chips as well.
Pro Tip: this cake taste best when finest quality ingredients are used. It is a chocolate forward cake, so try and use the best quality dark chocolate or semi sweet chocolate in this recipe.
7)Add in the sugar. You have to use refined sugar, this is granulated refined sugar.
8)Place the pot on low heat and mix until the butter, chocolate and sugar is melted completely. Cook this on very low heat so nothing burns at the bottom. Also make sure you stir it constantly.
9)Pour the mixture into another big mixing bowl and allow them to cool completely. Use bigger mixing bowl, because we are going to make the rest of the cake batter in this same bowl.
Dry Ingredients
10)Place a sieve over a sheet of parchment paper. Take all purpose flour in a sieve. Don't substitute it with wheat flour, it may affect the texture of the cake.
11)Add in cocoa powder. Try to use best quality cocoa powder which enhances the chocolate flavour without making it taste gritty.
12)Add in baking powder and baking soda. I like to add it with the plain flour for even mixing.
13)Add in salt. Since I have used unsalted butter, I can control how much salt goes into the cake. So it is best to use unsalted butter for cakes and cookies.
14)Sieve this mixture till it is combined. You can transfer this mix into a bowl and sieve it once more for even mixing.
Make Mud Cake Batter
15)Now the chocolate butter mixture is warm enough. Make sure the mixture is warm and now super hot. Because we are going to add in eggs, if you add eggs to hot mixture then it may curdle.
Pour in milk to the warm mix. I used whole milk, but you can use almond milk or soy milk.
16)Add in oil. I used flavourless vegetable oil. This is very little oil, it helps to preserve the cake moist longer.
17)Add in eggs. Add in one egg at a time and mix well. Once one egg is combined, add the other eggs and mix.
Make sure the mixture is warm and now super hot. Because we are going to add in eggs, if you add eggs to hot mixture then it may curdle.
18)Use a whisk to combine this really well. Now the chocolate liquid mix is ready.
19)Add in the dry ingredients which we have sifted earlier. You can add it in batches for even mixing. but I like to add it in one go.
20)use a whisk and gently combine the dry ingredients into the wet mixture. The batter is ready. The batter will be liquidy in texture, do not worry. It is supposed to be like that.
Baking Mud Cake
21)Pour the batter in the prepared pan carefully. The batter will fill almost to the top of the cake pan. But do not worry, since we have made higher parchment ring, the cake will bake just fine.
22)Place the cake carefully into the preheated oven and bake for 1.45 hours to 2 hours. Yes it is going to take a long time to bake. Since the cake is a tall cake, it has to bake in a lower temperature oven for a long time so the cake can bake all the way through more evenly.
Once the timer is up. Insert a skewer or a uncooked spaghetti to check whether the cake is baked or not. The skewer should come out clean. Then you know that the cake is baked.
But remember to not over bake the cake, It is going to carry on baking as it cools. Now remove the cake from oven and let it cool completely.
23)Once it is cooled for at least 30 minutes in the cake pan, gently un mould the cake on a serving platter. Allow it to cool further in the platter.
Frosting for the Cake
24)I like to decorate this cake using a chocolate ganache, but you can use chocolate buttercream frosting too. You can leave this cake without frosting as well. And you can even split the cake half in the middle and frost it as well, so you have a two layered cake.
I made a batch of chocolate ganache the previous day itself.
25)For frosting the cake. i like to remove the crusty top of the cake for smooth finish. Use a serrated knife or bread knife to cut a thin layer on the top of the cake. You can see how moist the cake is.
Don't throw away the scraps, you can use them to make cake pops or have a snack.
26)Take half of the ganache. Spoon the ganache on top.
27)Spread the ganache on the top using a knife or spatula. You don't need a thick layer of frosting for the cake. A thin layer of ganache is enough.
28)spread the ganache on all sides as well. I like to make the cake look rustic so I don't smooth the ganache.
29)Done.
30)Decorate as you wish. Chill in fridge for couple of hours. Serve.
31)Delicious looking mud cake.
How I Turned Mud Cake into a Birthday Cake
I made this mud cake for my sister's b'day. I placed some kit kat bars all around the cakes and tied it with a ribbon, then I just arranged some coloured candy (m&m's or gems) on the sides of the cake.
Expert Tips
- Measure the ingredients either using a kitchen scale or measuring scale for better results.
- Make sure the butter chocolate mix is cool enough before you add in eggs. Else the egg may curdle.
- Use best quality dark or semi sweet chocolate in this recipe.
- Use unsalted butter, so you can control the salt level in the cake.
- The cake has to be baked at lower temperature for longer time, so the cake doesn't burn.
How to Bake this Mud Cake in Two Round Pan for 2 Layered Cake
You can bake this cake in two 20 cm or 8 inch round cake. Make sure you line the bottom and sides of the cake pan with parchment paper.
Divide the cake batter between two cake pans. Bake at 160 degree C for 1 hour to 1 hour and 15 minutes.
Make sure you check whether the cake is baked or not using a tooth pick.
Hungry for More Chocolate Desserts
📖 Recipe Card
Easy Chocolate Mud Cake Recipe (Mud Cake)
Equipment
- Mixing Bowl
- 20 cm round cake pan
- Parchment Paper
- Hand Whisk
- Sauce Pan
- Sieve
Ingredients
- 2 cups All Purpose Flour (240 grams)
- ½ cup Cocoa Powder (60 grams)
- 2 tsp Baking Powder
- ½ tsp Baking Soda
- ½ tsp Salt
- ¾ cup Water (180 ml)
- 250 grams Unsalted Butter
- ½ cup Milk (120 ml)
- 4 Eggs
- 2¾ cup Sugar
- 220 grams Dark Chocolate chopped
- 2 tbsp Instant Coffee Powder
- 2 tbsp Oil
- Chocolate ganache
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 150 degree C. Line the base and sides of a 20 cm deep round pan with parchment paper. Make sure the parchment comes above the pan, since it will rise so much.
- Now time to make the batter. Take water in a sauce pan, Add in coffee, butter, dark chocolate and heat it gently till it is melted. Add in sugar and whisk well till it is completely melted. Pour this in a bowl and set aside to cool down a bit.
- Now sieve flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
- Now add in milk to the cooled chocolate mix, along with oil. Add in one egg at a time and whisk it well. Add in the sifted flour mix in and mix well to a smooth batter.
- Pour this in the prepared pan and pop it in oven for 1.45 hours to 2 hours. Now remove it from oven and let it cool completely.
- Now un mould from tin and cut the top with a serrated knife. Spoon the ganache on top and spread on all sides. Decorate as you wish. Chill in fridge for couple of hours. Serve.
Notes
- Measure the ingredients either using a kitchen scale or measuring scale for better results.
- Make sure the butter chocolate mix is cool enough before you add in eggs. Else the egg may curdle.
- Use best quality dark or semi sweet chocolate in this recipe.
- Use unsalted butter, so you can control the salt level in the cake.
- The cake has to be baked at lower temperature for longer time, so the cake doesn't burn.
How to Bake this Mud Cake in Two Round Pan for 2 Layered Cake
You can bake this cake in two 20 cm or 8 inch round cake. Make sure you line the bottom and sides of the cake pan with parchment paper. Divide the cake batter between two cake pans. Bake at 160 degree C for 1 hour to 1 hour and 15 minutes. Make sure you check whether the cake is baked or not using a tooth pick.Nutrition
If you have any questions not covered in this post and if you need help, leave me a comment or mail me @[email protected] and I’ll help as soon as I can.
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manisha
Please give me eggless version
Aarthi
@manishawill soon share a eggless version
Anusuya
I too want an eggless version!!
so_yellow
It would be great to get this as a more healthy version...like for folks who cannot eat soooo much sugar and butter. It's truly not that good for your tummy:(
Anonymous
Very buttery
saranya rajesh
Hi madam cake is super but one clarification if we adding egg means no need beat using egg beater ?
saranya rajesh
Hi madam cake is super but having one clarification if we adding egg means no need to beat the egg with egg beater a
saranya rajesh
Hi madam cake is so yummy but having one clarification if we adding egg means no need to beat the egg using egg beater
saranya rajesh
Hi madam cake is so yummy but having one clarification if we adding egg means no need to beat the egg using egg beater
Aarthi
@saranya rajeshnormal whisk is enough
Anonymous
Please share eggless version .
Anonymous
Mam.. Can u say how to bake this in electric cookware
Aarthi
@Anonymousnot sure about that
Anonymous
Hi Aarti, just wanted to know if this recipe can be halved? Looking forward for your reply. Thank you
Anonymous
Can this recipe be halved??
Aarthi
@Anonymousyes u can halve the recipe, reduce the cooking time accordingly
Priscilla
Hi mam
Can you give the temperature and baking time plz
Aarthi
@Priscillait is mentioned in the writen part of the recipe
Vincy John
hi Aarati, can we bake the same cake in Pressure cooker, if so plz tell how much time should be given
Aarthi
@Vincy Johnnot sure about pressure cooker. but you can halve the recipe and bake in cooker
Anonymous
Plz give us substitute for eggs...wld b appreciated 🙂
Aarthi
@AnonymousI am really sorry, there is no sub for eggs in this recipe. will soon share a eggless version of this soon
Scott
Hi Aarthi,
I made this cake yesterday for a birthday party in Sydney Australia.
It is absolutely delicious and moist. Thank you for sharing this excellent recipe.
Kind Regards,
Scott
rukhaiya haji hussaini
Hi aarti
Can I make this a day before
Will it taste good or will it become hard in fridge?????
Ambili Madhu
Pictures and writing is so clear...I loved ur blog very much..
Aarthi
@rukhaiya haji hussainiyes u can make it the day before. remove the cake from fridge few hours before serving
Anonymous
Hi ,
What can be substituted for baking soda ?
Aarthi
@Anonymousyou cannot sub baking soda. it is must
Rani.
Hi, Today I have tried the chocolate mud cake.Center part didn't rise. Looks like well.
Cant get the dome shape.I did it in the cooker.plz help.
Aarthi
@Rani.it will be little sink in the center
Anonymous
Fingers crossed.. Just now popped it in the oven.. But I used a 26 inch pan and did not use the lining as the batter was half way through.. Will it affect my cake.. ? And a silly doubt -- the timer is 60 min and should I turn the timer again when it stops ? What if I check my cake after 60 min .?
Aarthi
@Anonymousu can check the cake if it is done. I think u might face a problem of take it from the tin..not sure though..
Anonymous
can i use a large spring pan?
Aarthi
@Anonymousyes u can
Anonymous
@Aarthi I used a spring pan and so did not have problem with that but my cake completely sinked in at the center. What might be the problem ? but tasted like the one I bought at ambrosia. Thank you for the recipe arthi.
Aarthi
@Anonymousif ur cake pan is smaller it may sink.
Anonymous
Looks yummy ! Could this recipe be baked in a loaf pan ?
Anonymous
How much water to boil?
Aarthi
@Anonymousu need 3/4 cup of water
Aarthi
@Anonymousyes u can, but this recipe will make around 2 to 3 loaf cakes
Anonymous
how much time do you think it would take? 40-45 mins?
Aarthi
@Anonymousnot sure, you have to keep a eye on it
Poornima Ravikumar
How much time we should keep for pre-heating the oven
Anonymous
Wow I can't wait to try this recipe it sounds great!! Question, the pictures show the cake as moist as I've ever seen, is it from the ganache?
Unknown
This looks amazing.... Can I use a rectangular pan?? any idea if so on the time?
Aarthi
you can use that pan. timing may vary.
Mallika Prasad
Thank you for this amazing recipe . The cake baked perfectly , l had halved the ingredients and there was no sink in . . The baking dish was 22 cms ( nearly 9 inches ) in size.
Brianna Learmonth
I just make this cake but with only half of the recipe and it turned out amazing, it is by far one of the best cakes I have ever made.
Michelle Vella
Can I cover this cake in fondant. It looks like a great recipe!
Anonymous
I would -mud cakes arendense so great for covering in ganache or buttercream and then fondant - you can get a good finish with fondant in my opinion:-)
Michelle Vella
Can I cover this cake with Fondant? It looks like a great recipe!
Anonymous
great recipe and detailed post. is it unsweetened cocoa you used or dutch processed? can we use dutch cocoa as there's baking soda?
Unknown
in the written recipe it doesnt say to put in the oil! i have just put mine in the oven (minus the oil) which im just realising now! fingers crossed it comes out ok haha
Unknown
Is this cooked in a conventional or fan-forced oven?
Rachelle Hopkins
This was the most delicious, moist cake I have ever made. I covered it with ganache and then fondant and it turned out wonderful. Didn't put the oil in but it appeared not to need it. And the cooking time needed was only 1hr 25. Will definitely be making this one again. Thank you!
Andrea Kostelnikova
The amount of sugar seems excessive for the flour amount. Isn't be the cake sickly sweet? I am tempted to nearly halve the amount of sugar as my chocolate is quite sweet. Will it affect the final consistency if i use only 300g of sugar?
Unknown
Hi Arthi, can u let me know where to get dark chocolate bar in Nagercoil.
Suba
Hi Arthi can you please suggest where to get such dark chocolate bars used in the above recipe at Nagercoil?
Ingrid
Are you using a convection (fan-forced) oven or a conventional oven? The temp (translated to fahrenheit is only 300) seems kind of low but your bake time IS very long so that might be the correct temp even for a conventional oven.
Ishi Agarwal
same question... can we bake this in convection oven (the normal oven with grill, convection and microwave), as i do not have an OTG...
plz help....
Aarthi
You can make this in convection mode.
Alka jain
Can we replace egg in this recipe
Aarthi
no i dont think so. will soon share a eggless version.
Anonymous
Hi Aarthi ,
Can i use dairy milk chocolate instead of dark chocolate
Aarthi
no dark chocolate is what needed
Aey Ryuzaki
how long you store this cake in fridge ?
what's the temperature of the fridge ? thanks
Aarthi
u can keep it for 3 to 4 days
Anonymous
How much oil to be added?
Aarthi
u need around 1 cup of oil
Anjum
Hi ma’am I wanted to know that if I use the same recipe to make two layered cake,Shd I be using two 8”tin or one 20 cms
Really tempted to make it
Aarthi
use two 8 inch cake. but baking time may vary. You can even bake it as a single cake and slice in half and use as layered cake.
Carol B. ,phoenix,Az,USA
Aarthi,
A couple questions please. Can you convert butter & cocoa into US measures for me? Also, i would like to make this as a layer cake, can i use 3 - 9 inch pans and have the same fabulous result?
Carol B.
Phoenix, Az, USA
Aarthi
use 1 cup butter and 1/2 cup cocoa. yes u can make layer cake
Anonymous
Can I bake this without parchment paper????
Aarthi
It will stick to the pan
psahani thapar
Hi..tried to make this..but it became hard in centre
Aarthi
i think u have over baked it
Anonymous
Hi their can you freeze this cake and if so will it still have the moist consistancy
Aarthi
yes u can. Defrost at room temp before serving
juweriya imran
Can I bake it at a higher temp for lesser time?
Revathy S
Thanq so much for such a beautiful recipe... Made it on Easter... Hadn't got this much appreciation before.. It was the most delicious cake 💗
Faseeha Yaseen
what brand dark chops do yu use ?
Anuradha s nair
Can I make this in cooker if so can u tell me hw to do and how much time
Anuradha s nair
Can I make this in cooker if yes then how and time pls
Mallika
Hullo Aarthi ! Loved the recipe and the picture by picture description. Only wanted one clarification ...you have mentioned two cups flour , but written 240 gms flour. One cup is equal to 240 gms , so total flour used is 480 gms?
Aarthi
no 1 cup flour measures 120 grams.
Nupur
Hey can you tell me the temperature and time required for convection microwave?
Nikki
Hi,
I have made your cake MANY times and it is amazing but I wanted to let you know that I am confident you metric measurements (ml/g) are wrong. I have experiemented with both and when I bake using cups etc it comes out perfectly. But when I use the imperial measurements the cake still tastes great but it always collapses in the middle. This is due to their not being enough structure to the cake i.e. not enough flour. When I use cups I use almost double as much flour.
It’s an amazing cake but I would recommend using the cups measurements to get the cake to rise properly.
Andrea
Hi was wanting to make this in a 10inch square tin so can you just double the recipe and cook for longer.
Can you please help me. How much and how long.
Thanks
Amanda
Let me just say WOW!!!!!! This recipe is amazing. I made it for a staff lunch and it was a hit. I just made one huge cake and used a glass as a cookie cutter and made around 7 individual mud cakes. I also used your ganache recipe with the milk and butter and it was amazing. I have another in the oven as I type for my Dad's 78th Birthday. Forget the Cheesecake Factory you have a winner right here. I think it tasted so much better the day after so I am definitely going to put some away for tomorrow. Thank you again for sharing your recipes.
ELAINE C
Can you make this in a 10 inch tube pan?
Amy
Hi. Thanks for the recipe! I just put it in the oven when I realised that I didn't put the oil in! I can't see in the method where it's mentioned, but it is in the photos (which I wasn't looking at as I put it together). I hope it turns out ok!
Michael Ulrich
I tried this cake and it failed miserably. Half way through the cooking process, it fell. The cake tastes more like a brownie than a cake. I think that I will just get a Ghirardelli triple chocolate brownie mix and put it into a cake pan. a lot easier to make.
Aarthi
not sure why it didnt work for you. Sorry to hear about it.
Antilla
I used all milk chocolate in this recipe and it was awesome! Thank you for this recipe😊
Tina
Hi Aarti, Thank you for this fantastic recipe! I doubled it to make a Superman cake for my brother and it cut beautifully because of it's denseness, holds well and is so decadent to eat! Yes, it is a very rich cake but if you're going to splurge occasionally, this would be the cake to do it with. ❤️
Amber Winter
Hi just made this and put it in the oven.....only to find my oil still on the side.....you're written instructions forgot to say when to add it. Hopefully it won't be ruined as it's a birthday for this evening 😮
doris
the cake looks good but would omit the coffee since I dont drink it
Adelene
I bake this for a Birthday and it turned out so so yummy …. Moist and fudgy …just perfect. Thank you for the perfect recipie 😍
Aarthi
glad u tried and liked it.