Mud cake

Ingredients (serves 8)

• 250g butter, chopped
• 250g Nestle dark cooking chocolate, chopped
• 1/4 cup (60ml) Crisco vegetable oil
• 1 cup (160g) brown sugar
• 2 tsp vanilla essence
• 1 1/2 cups (225g) self raising flour
• 1/2 cup (75g) plain flour
• 1/2 cup (60g) cocoa powder
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1/2 cup (125ml) cream
• 150g dark chocolate, chopped, extra

  Method

  1. Preheat oven to 160°C. Grease a 20cm round cake pan and line the base with non-stick baking paper. Combine the butter, chocolate, oil, sugar and 1 cup (250ml) water in a saucepan. Stir over a medium-low heat until melted. Stir in the vanilla essence and set aside to cool.
  2. Sift the dry ingredients into a large bowl. Add the cooled chocolate mixture and eggs. Stir gently until just combined. Pour into the pan.
  3. Bake for 1 hour 15 minutes to 1 1/2 hours or until a skewer comes out clean when inserted. Set aside in the pan for 10 minutes, before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
  4. Place the cream and extra chocolate in a saucepan. Stir over a low heat until melted. Transfer to a bowl and set aside until it thickens slightly. Pour over the cake and serve.