Death by Chocolatey Overdose! a.k.a Double Decker Mud Cake.

Probably not the best thing to kick the New Year 2013 crash diets off with but maybe something to keep in mind for later in the month, when we're all Cabbage soup and Dukan'd out! 

Not for the faint hearted but a jolly impressive one all the same. This "Double-Decker Mud Cake" has everything going for it, it's big and chocolaty and when you cut into it it looks great! 3 thick separate sponge layers glued together by a chocolate "caramel-ly" type sauce. This is decadence personified! 

You can, even being the most loyal of chocolate lovers- only have a slither of this moist, rich and seemingly never- ending chocolate cake.  

I made this one up as a gift for a dinner party and since then have become renowned for it, it really is a show stopper! 

So if you want to try a piece of heaven in a slice, follow this recipe! I added raspberries, a dusting of icing sugar and thick white chocolate shavings to the top of mine (I was clearly trying to unsuccessfully make it look healthy!). 

For other topping ideas why not try: pecan nuts, white chocolate drizzle, strawberries - or anything berry related for that matter, desecated coconut or just a simple chopped up flake. 

The Recipe: 

Preparation time: 30 minutes (including standing and cooling time!)

Cooking time: 1 hr

Serves: An Army (about 12 hungry people)

What you need:

250g butter, chopped

150g white eating chocolate, chopped coarsely

2 cups (440g) caster sugar

1 cup (250ml) milk

1 1/2 cups (225g) plain flour

1/2 cup (75g) self-raising flour

1 teaspoon vanilla extract 

2 eggs

2 tablespoons cocoa powder

600g milk chocolate, chopped coarsely (You could also be adventurous and used flavoured choc- Orange chocolate works REALLY well)

1 cup (250ml) double cream

What you do:

• Preheat oven to 150degree / 130degree Fan assisted. Grease two deep 20cm round cake tins OR line bases and sides with baking parchment
• Stir butter, white chocolate, sugar and milk in medium saucepan over a low eat until smooth. Transfer mixture to large bowl, then cool for 15 mins
• Whisk sifted flours into white chocolate mixture then whisk in extract and eggs; pour half of the mixture into one of the tins. Whisk sifted cocoa into remaining mixture, pour into other tin
• Bake cakes about 50 minutes. Stand cakes in tins 5 minutes; turn, top-side up, onto wire rack to cool
• Stir milk chocolate and cream in medium saucepan over low heat until smooth. Transfer mixture to medium bowl. Cover; refrigerate, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is spreadable. Reserve 1 cup of the chocolate mixture
• Split each cooled cake in half. Centre one later of cake on serving plate; spread with 1/2 cup of the remaining milk chocolate mixture. Repeat layering, alternating colours. Cover top and sides of cake with reserved chocolate mixture

                

Et Voila! 

If you try it, let me know how you get on and anything you might do differently! 

Emi x