Baking Dessert

Chocolate mud cake with Nutella ganache

Name: Chocolate mud layer cake recipe
Yield: 12
Ingredients: 420g caster sugar; 330ml water; 250g unsalted butter, chopped, at room temperature; 180g dark (70%) chocolate, chopped; 3 large eggs, at room temperature, lightly whisked; 200g self-raising flour; 40g Dutch cocoa powder; 1 platinum-strength gelatine leaf; 400ml thickened cream; 75g Nutella; 1 1/2 tsp hazelnut extract (optional); 200g milk chocolate, finely chopped; 55g caster sugar; 50g hazelnuts

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by Emelia Jackson

CHEF

May 23, 2024

"This melt-and-mix recipe has a sturdy structure which actually improves with age (you can wrap it in plastic wrap and store it in the fridge for 1-2 weeks; it just gets fudgier and fudgier), making it the perfect choice for a stacked celebration cake." – Emelia Jackson.

You'll need to start this recipe a day ahead, and you’ll need a piping bag with a large round nozzle.

420g caster sugar
1 1/3 cups (330ml) boiling water
250g unsalted butter, chopped, at room temperature
180g dark (70%) chocolate, chopped
3 large eggs, at room temperature, lightly whisked
1 1/3 cups (200g) self-raising flour
40g Dutch cocoa powder

Nutella whipped ganache

1 platinum-strength gelatine leaf
400ml thickened cream
75g Nutella
1 1/2 tsp hazelnut extract (optional)
200g milk chocolate, finely chopped

Hazelnut praline crumble

1/4 cup (55g) caster sugar
1/3 cup (50g) raw hazelnuts, roasted

Method

1.

Place the sugar, boiling water, butter and chocolate in a large heatproof bowl and stir until smooth and combined. Set aside to cool completely.
2.

Preheat oven to 160°C/140°C fan-forced. Grease 2 x 18cm round cake pans and line base and sides with baking paper.
3.

Add the eggs to the chocolate mixture and whisk until smooth. Sift over the flour, cocoa and 1/2 tsp fine salt and whisk gently until just combined and smooth (over-whisking will create too many air bubbles).
4.

This batter is quite wet, which will give you a fudgy result. Split the batter evenly between the two cake pans and tap base of pan firmly on the benchtop to release trapped air bubbles. Bake for 1 hour and 5 minutes then allow to cool completely before layering.
5.

For the ganache, place the gelatine in a small bowl covered with cold water and set aside for 5 minutes to soften. Squeeze out any excess water and set aside.
6.

Combine the cream, Nutella and hazelnut extract, if using, in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Remove from the heat, add the gelatine and stir until completely dissolved. Place the chocolate in a large heatproof bowl and pour over the hot cream mixture. Stand for 2-3 minutes, then whisk until completely smooth. Cover the surface of the ganache with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
7.

Transfer cold ganache to a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and whisk ganache to stiff peaks. Transfer to a piping bag fitted with a large round nozzle.
8.

For the hazelnut praline crumble, place the sugar in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Cook until sugar starts to melt and caramelise around the edges, then stir until totally dissolved and a deep amber colour. Add hazelnuts and stir to coat. Pour onto a baking tray lined with baking paper. Set aside to cool, then chop into a coarse crumb.
9.

To assemble, place a cake on a serving plate. Pipe even-sized peaks of ganache around the circumference of the cake before filling in the centre with more of the ganache. Sprinkle with half the hazelnut praline. Top with second cake, slightly pressing down, and repeat process.
10.

Chill the cake for 2-3 hours to set completely before serving.