If you’re seeking a delicious, decadent gluten free mud cake recipe, look no further!

‘Tis the season for chocolate!  Let the kids gorge themselves silly on Easter Eggs, and save this decadent, rich chocolate peanut butter gluten free mud cake for eating in the cool of a March evening, after the little people have gone to bed.

This recipe is an adaptation of our Flourless Chocolate Cake, so if nut allergies are an issue in your home, skip the peanut butter and go with the original; either way, you’re guaranteed a chocolate experience to savour!

This recipe is flourless.

Ingredients:

6 large eggs – whites and yolks separated.

100 grams brown sugar

180 grams good dark chocolate – use choc chips or a block broken into smaller pieces.

50 grams butter

125 grams peanut butter

2 tablespoons cocoa powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

Ganache:

1/2 cup dark choolate chips

1/3 cup cream

1/3 cup peanut butter

Method:

Preheat the oven to 170 degrees celcius and grease and line a 20cm round springform pan.  Make sure the paper lining the sides is about double the height of the pan.

Using an electric mixer or food processor, whisk the egg yolks with the brown sugar until it becomes thick, pale and ribbony.

Place the egg whites in a dry, metal bowl.

Using wither a microwave or a small pan over simmering water, melt the chocolate, butter and peanut butter.  Stir to combine and allow to cool.

Whisk the egg whites until stiff peaks form.

Combine the egg yolk mixture with the cooled chocolate mixture.

Add the cocoa powder and salt and mix well to combine.

Very gently, fold a little of the egg whites to the cake mixture to start the combining process.  Gradually add the remaining whites, folding gently.  Take your time.  You want to keep all that beautiful air in the mix.

Pour the mix into the prepared pan and bake for 30-40 minutes or until just set.

A flourless cake like this tends to puff up while cooking, so after 30 minutes, gently press on the centre; it should feel just set and the edges should be coming away from the side of the pan.  If you feel it needs a little longer, give it another 5 minutes and check again.

Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes before removing the springform tin.

Method, Ganache:

Using a microwave or small saucepan over a pot of simmering water, gently melt the chocolate and cream, stirring to combine.

Once melted, stir, and allow to sit for 5 minutes to thicken.

While the ganache is cooling, melt the peanut butter until it reaches a pouring consistency.  Cool a little before pouring in a piping bag (I used a small plastic zip lock bag.  If you use this method, let the peanut butter cool before pouring!  Mine melted through the bag, hence the splodges of peanut butter in my icing!)

For this cake, I wanted to keep the icing on the top only, not running down the dies, so slowly pour half of the ganache mix in the centre of the cake and spread evenly to the edges of the cake. Pour and spread until you have the thickness you like.

To make the peanut butter swirl, pipe the melted peanut butter in lines over the still wet ganache.

Use a wooden skewer or similar, and drag it through the lines to create swirls.

Allow to set in the fridge before slicing.

Keep the cake in the fridge, covered, for up to 4 days.

Looking for more cake and sweet treat recipes?  Go here.