Like Mississippi mud pie, chocolate mud cake reputedly gets its name from its moist, dark texture, which is said to resemble the muddy banks of the Mississippi River. Because I first tried chocolate mud cake roughly 10,000 miles from the Southern United States, on the South Coast of Australia, and because this cake is so heavenly, I’m not convinced of this story. How could something this delicious have its roots in something as unappetizing as wet dirt or sludge? Perhaps “mud” hints at the inclusion of strong, black coffee. Sometimes referred to as mud, dirt, java or joe, coffee adds a tangy complexity to this chocolatey cake.

Along with its decadent flavor and melt-in-your-mouth texture, chocolate mud cake has simplicity in its favor. To make the batter, you stir together butter, chocolate, sugar, instant espresso or instant coffee powder and boiling water. Add those ingredients to eggs, vanilla, flour and cocoa and stir until combined. With that you create a luscious cake batter that you pour into a baking pan. It’s that easy!

Topping off the cake

Traditionally, chocolate mud cake is topped with a mixture of melted chocolate and cream or ganache. If you crave something a little lighter, you could dust the cake with confectioner’s sugar, dress it with fresh berries or serve it unfrosted with a scoop of ice cream.

Chocolate Mud Cake

For this recipe I would encourage the use of a kitchen scale to precisely measure your ingredients.

Serves 8 to 10

for the cake:

6 1/2 ounces (3/4 cup plus 1 1/2 tablespoons) unsalted butter

12 ounces (1 2/3 cups) granulated sugar

5 1/4 ounces (3/4 cup plus roughly 1 tablespoon) bittersweet chocolate

12 1/2 ounces (generous 1 1/2 cups) hot water

1 tablespoon instant espresso powder

1 large egg

1 1/2 tablespoons egg substitute (Egg Beaters or other brands)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

5 3/4 ounces (roughly 1 1/3 cups) all-purpose flour

1 ounce (roughly 2/3 cup) unsweetened cocoa

for the ganache:

3 ounces (1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons) milk

6 ounces (1 cup) semi-sweet chocolate morsels

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease and line an 8-inch round cake pan with parchment paper.

Place the butter, sugar, chocolate, water and instant espresso in heavy bottomed saucepan. Simmer over medium-low, stirring frequently, until the mixture is smooth. Remove the pan from the heat and set aside to cool.

In a small bowl whisk together the egg, egg substitute and vanilla extract.

In a larger bowl whisk together the flour and cocoa.

Once the chocolate mixture is lukewarm, whisk in the egg and vanilla. Add the flour mixture and whisk the ingredients together until smooth.

Pour the batter into the cake pan. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, until the center is firm and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove the pan from the oven and place it on a wire rack. Allow the cake to cool for 10 minutes before removing it from the pan. Let it cool completely before icing.

To make the ganache, place the milk in a saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Add the chocolate morsels, remove the pan from the heat and stir together until the chocolate has melted and the ganache is smooth. Using a spatula, spread it evenly over the cake. Serve with or without whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream.