Dark chocolate espresso mud cake

This gluten-free chocolate cake also has hidden veggies too!

Dark Chocolate Espresso Mud Cake Credit: Melissa Darr

• serves

  8

• prep

  30 minutes

• cook

  45 minutes

• difficulty

  Mid

Ingredients

Dark Chocolate Espresso Cake

• 4 eggs
• ¾ cup coconut sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla essence
• ¼ tsp salt
• 3 tsp coffee mixed with 2 tbsp boiling water
• 3 tsp baking powder
• 1½ tsp bicarb soda
• ⅔ cup cocoa powder
• 3 cups almond meal
• ⅓ cup coconut flour
• ⅓ cup arrowroot
• 1 cup coconut oil, melted
• 1 cup almond milk, warmed
• 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 100 g 70% dark chocolate, melted (see Note)

Dark Chocolate Mousse

• 3 large ripe avocados, room temp
• ½ cup cocoa powder
• ½ cup maple syrup
• ½ tsp salt
• 100 g 70% dark chocolate, melted

Instructions

Preheat oven to 175°C. Line and grease 2 x 20 cm round cake tins and set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer add the eggs and coconut sugar and beat until the mixture doubles in size and turns pale. (Approximately 5-6 minutes.) Add in the vanilla and coffee and mix in gently to retain the air in the eggs. In a separate bowl add the dry ingredients: cocoa, baking powder and bicarb, almond meal, coconut flour and arrowroot flours. Mix and set aside.

Add the coconut oil, milk and apple cider vinegar and mix. With the motor running on low add half of the dry ingredients followed by the wet ingredients to combine before repeating with the remaining mixture. Add in the melted chocolate and gently mix to combine everything.

Divide the mixture evenly between the two cake tins. The best way to do this is to weigh each tin and add in the cake mix weighing to make sure each tin is even in weight. Place into the preheated oven and bake for about 30 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean. Remove from the oven and let it cool before removing the cake from the tins and setting onto a cake rack to cool further. Pop the cakes into the freezer on the rack for 2 hours to firm up before turning out. 

For the dark chocolate mousse, add the de-skinned avocados, cocoa, maple syrup and melted dark chocolate in a mixing bowl or blender jug. Blitz the icing mixture with a handheld blender or regular blender to a smooth, creamy consistency. 

To assemble, use a large serrated knife to cut each cake in half. Place the bottom half on a cake stand or serving plate. Add 3-4 tablespoons of the mousse to the base layer and spread evenly over the top. Set the next layer on top and gently press down. Repeat the process with adding the Dark Chocolate Mousse to each layer of cake. Finish the cake off with more Dark Chocolate mousse before adding a swirl on top with an offset spatula. Set the cake in the fridge for 3-4 hours to chill before serving.

Notes:

• I use Lindt chocolate for this recipe

• If your avocados are small, add an extra 1-2 to make sure you have enough mousse for the filling of the cake.

• This cake can be made 1-2 days ahead of time. It will taste better made ahead of time as the flavours meld together.

• Store in an airtight container in the fridge.

Recipe from The Whimsical Wife by Melissa Darr, with photographs by Melissa Darr.

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.