Mudcake with Caramel Buttercream

This is an excellent layered chocolate cake and you can add other ingredients such as toasted nuts.

Ingredients make 16 slices

350 g unsalted butter

200 g dark chocolate

500 g caster sugar

350 ml milk

1 tbls instant coffee

3 eggs (150g)

320 g self raising flour

80 g cocoa powder

Method

Preheat oven to 160ºC normal bake. Grease a 28 cm round cake tin and cover the bottom with a piece of baking paper. Place butter, chocolate, sugar, milk and instant coffee in a bowl. Place the bowl over simmering water, stirring occasionally until melted and combined. Remove the chocolate mixture from the simmering water. Add the eggs and mix evenly. Add flour and cocoa powder and combine until evenly mixed without any lumps. Pour the mixture evenly into the prepared cake tin and bake for approx. 60 minutes. Remove the cake from the oven and allow cooling before removing the cake from the tin. Place the cake covered in the fridge for at least 12 hours before cutting into four horizontal layers. Sandwich the cake together with caramel cheese buttercream and allow cooling before covering with chocolate ganaché. Cut the gateau into 16 pieces with a sharp knife. Decorate each slice with ganaché and a choc mud ball.

Note: For dessert version use a caramel mousse and try to add caramel liqueur to the ganaché.