My little sister Liz brought this fantastic recipe all the way over from Austin Texas to bake at our engagement party. It looked impressive enough, but when we tasted it we were blown away. Without any exaggeration it’s the best chocolate cake I’ve ever had. It’s also great for a party as it can feed a lot of people.
It didn’t last long and unfortunately I didn’t get a chance to take a photo before it all disappeared so instead you get my artists impression. It has mud filling, chocolate frosting and is topped with marshmallows drizzled with fudge sauce.
As it’s an American cake all the measures are in imperial, and some of the ingredients might not be available. But I’m sure you’ll work out your own substitutes.
Texan Mud Cake
Makes 1 (10-inch) cake
- 1 Cup butter, melted
- 1 1/4 cups unsweetened cocoa powder
- 3 cups sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 cups whole butter milk
- 1 1/2 cups boiling water
- Mud Filling (as per recipe below)
- Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting (as per recipe below)
- 1 1/2 cups miniature marshmallows (optional for decoration)
- 1/4 cup fudge sauce (optional for decoration)
First preheat the oven to 180º C (350º F). Grease and flour 2 (10-inch) baking
pans.
In a medium sized mixing bowl, gradually whisk the cocoa powder into the melted butter until smooth. Put to one side.
In a large mixing bowl use an electric mixer to beat together the sugar, eggs and vanilla. When the mixture becomes pale and fluffy slowly add the butter mixture and continue to beat till combined.
Next add the flour, baking soda and salt to a medium bowl and mix together. Slowly add this to the sugar mixture , alternating with buttermilk, beginning and ending with the flour, whilst beating until just combined with each addition.
Slowly add boiling water, beating until just combined. Spoon the batter evenly into the prepared pans, bake for 28 to 34 minutes, or until a wooden pick inserted into the centre comes out clean. Let cool in the pans for 10 minutes then remove and cool completely on wire racks.
When completely cooled add the mud filling to the middle of the layers, put the cake together and chill for a couple of hours. Once chilled make the frosting and spread over the top and sides of the cake, decorate the top with marshmallows and finally drizzle with the fudge sauce. The cake should be stored in the refrigerator before serving.
Mud Filling
- 1 (8-ounce) container frozen nondairy whipped topping, thawed
- 1 (7-ounce) jar marshmallow creme
- 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
In a medium mixing bowl combine all the ingredients. Beat with a electric mixer until smooth, the cover and chill for about an hour.
Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting
- 1 cup softened butter
- 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
- 1 (9.7 ounce) box bittersweet chocolate, melted and cooled
- 3 (1-ounce) squares semisweet chocolate, melted and cooled
- 6 cups confectioners sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
In a large bowl beat the butter and cream cheese together until creamy. Next add the melted chocolates, beating until combined. Gradually add confectioners sugar, beating until smooth. Finally add vanilla, beating until combined.
A quick tip from the chef, if you can’t find the marshmallow creme you can make your own by melting marshmallows, simples:
The best way to melt marshmallows is in a double boiler. If you don’t have a double boiler, then just put the marshmallows in a pot, and put that pot into one that has boiling water in it. Turn the heat down to low, and keep stirring the marshmallows slowly, until they are all melted.