This chocolate mud cake is exceptionally moist and insanely delicious. The chocolate ganache frosting is the key to effortlessly adding decoration and creating a beautiful dessert to impress your guests.

This chocolate mud cake is a simple chocolate cake recipe, easy to bake but with a WOW factor thanks to the topping. Whether you’re looking for an easy birthday cake or everyday desserts, this chocolate cake will be a big win.
The combination of semi-sweet chocolate and cocoa powder gives this chocolate mud cake an intense chocolate flavor. The recipe features a chocolate cake with oil to provide the best texture. This cake is rich, decadent, and tastes divine.

Why you’ll love this Chocolate Mud Cake
- An easy and simple moist chocolate cake recipe
- One layer chocolate cake to keep it easy and quick
- A chocolate cake with chocolate ganache: big win for chocolate lovers
- Customizable: You can customize this Chocolate Mud Cake by adding any of your favorite topping: crushed nuts, coconut flakes, sprinkles, or berries.
- It can be a simple birthday cake or an afternoon tea cake.
Note about the ingredients
Here are precisions for some ingredients.
Chocolate Mud Cake:
- Semi-sweet chocolate: 50 to 60% cocoa content for the ultimate chocolatey flavour
- Dutch Process Cocoa
- Milk: I use 2% fat milk. You can use whole milk.
- Vegetable oil like canola oil: it produces this moist chocolate cake.
- Egg: large egg, about 55g each
- Espresso powder: optional but enhance the chocolate flavor
Chocolate Ganache:
- Chocolate: 40% cocoa content. If you can’t find chocolate with 40% cocoa content, make a mix: half milk chocolate with 30% cocoa content and half semi-sweet chocolate with 50% cocoa content
- Heavy cream (=double cream) 30% milk fat
- Unsalted butter

How to make the Chocolate Mud Cake
This chocolate Mud Cake is a 7-inch cake recipe.
Chocolate cake: It’s an easy one-bowl chocolate cake recipe: start to mix the dry ingredients. Then, add the wet ingredients. Finally, mix and bake the cake.
Ganache: Heat the chocolate and half of the heavy cream over a double boiler. Using a spatula, stir until the chocolate is completely melted. Add the butter and stir until completely melted. Remove from the heat and add the remaining heavy cream. Stir until fully incorporated. Cover and place in the fridge for 1 to 2 hours until the ganache is set.
Full instructions are at the bottom of the page. Get all measurements, ingredients, and instructions in the printable version at the end of this post.
FAQs
How do I store the Chocolate Mud Cake?
If it’s not too hot, store the chocolate cake at room temperature under a cake dome for up to 1 day. After that, place it in the refrigerator and keep it for up to 4 days.
Can I make it ahead?
Yes, prepare the chocolate cake up to 2 days in advance. When fully cooled, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and place it in the fridge.
Prepare the ganache 1 day in advance.
Can I freeze this Chocolate Mud Cake?
Yes, preferably the cake only, without the topping. When fully cooled, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and place it in the freezer for up to 2 months.
Can I bake it in an 8-inch cake pan?
Yes, just bear in mind, the cake will be thinner and you may need to adjust the cooking time. The chocolate ganache should be enough as I had a bit of leftover.
Tips
- Ingredients at room temperature.
- Use a wet cake strip around the cake pan. It helps the cake bake more evenly and keeps the edges of your cakes soft.
- Ensure the cake is completely cooled before adding the topping.
- When heating the chocolate and heavy cream to make the ganache, use a spatula, not a whisk as we don’t want to incorporate air.
- If the ganache is too firm, place it in a microwave in a 5-10-second burst until you reach the right consistency. It should be soft enough to pipe but not too soft to hold the shape.

Try these recipes, next:
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10 Comments
Colleen
September 20, 2022 at 11:26 am
This cake looks amazing, especially the ganache topping. I can’t wait to make it for my chocolate fanatic friend. Thank you.
Heather
September 20, 2022 at 2:20 pm
Love how simple, moist, and fudgy this chocolate mud cake is! The frosting was lovely on top as well.
Marie
September 21, 2022 at 1:18 pm
This is a textbook-perfect chocolate cake! The crumb of the cake is super fine and moist and the ganache is so good! Loved how you piped the ganache over the cake. It looks like chocolatey ribbons. Gorgeous!
megane
September 22, 2022 at 6:47 pm
We just loved this cake so much. Moist and turned out perfect . Thanks for a great recipe.
Tammy
September 23, 2022 at 10:42 am
This cake looks SO beautiful! What a fabulous dessert. I love how decadent and rich it is with that beautiful ganache.
Veronika
September 24, 2022 at 12:43 pm
This recipe is the winner! It’s so rich and moist, my hubby ate 3 slices! Going to save the recipe and make it next week for a family dinner party 😉
Tristin
September 24, 2022 at 10:13 pm
This cake recipe caught my eye (I mean look at that frosting) and I just knew I had to make it! Husband raved about it for days. Our new favorite chocolate cake!
Amy
September 25, 2022 at 2:28 pm
Super moist and so chocolatey! This is our family’s new favorite chocolate cake. I made it for a dinner party and it was a hit!
Lori | The Kitchen Whisperer
September 25, 2022 at 3:53 pm
WOW! That looks like heaven! I love the frosting swirl on top! This is on the menu this week! I might even share this too 🙂 Thank you so much for sharing!
Enri Lemoine
September 25, 2022 at 8:54 pm
Dear Helene, I’m so delighted that I found your blog. I’ve spent hours reading every blog post and recipe. This chocolate cake got me. It’s going to be my son’s Tomás birthday key. He’s a chocolate lover, and he’ll be 19 soon. Thanks for the inspiration.