*Mina's Chocolate Mud Cake

Ingredients

• 1 c buttermilk
• ½ c oil
• 250g dark chocolate
• 1 c hot coffee (instant coffee+mochaccino)
• 2 c flour
• 2 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 cup caster sugar
• ½ cup cocoa
• 2 eggs

Chocolate Ganache Icing:

• 400g dark chocolate, broken into pieces
• 1 cup cream

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180°C. Line the base of a 22 - 23 cm spring-form tin with non-stick baking paper and spray with non-stick baking spray.
2. Place oil, chocolate and hot coffee in a microwave bowl or small saucepan and heat gently, stirring often, until chocolate is melted and the mixture smooth. Cool.
3. In a large bowl, mix the flour baking soda, baking powder,Sugar and cocoa.
4. Mix the eggs and buttermilk into the cooled chocolate mixture, combine thoroughly, and then whisk into the dry ingredients.
5. Pour into the prepared tin and bake for 1 hour.
6. When tested, fudgy crumbs will still adhere to a skewer.
7. This is the desirable sticky mud cake consistency. Cool for 15 minutes in the tin, then turn out and cool further on a wire rack.
8. When cold, cut the cake in half using a serrated knife, ice the centre and top with thick chocolate ganache icing.

Chocolate Ganache

• Place both chocolate and cream in a saucepan and stir over medium heat until chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth. Cool then refrigerate for 30 - 40 minutes until the mixture is a thick spreading consistency. Chill the frosted cake and serve with softly whipped cream or thick yoghurt.