Mud Cake

Yet another magazine 'find'.

• Ready In: 2 hrs 20 mins
• Serves: 8-10

Ingredients

• 2  teaspoons instant coffee
• 1 1⁄4 cups hot water
• 1⁄4 cup  fruit juice
• 175  g baking chocolate
• 250  g unsalted butter
• 2  cups sugar
• 2  cups plain flour
• 1  teaspoon baking soda
• 2  eggs
• 1  teaspoon vanilla
•  icing sugar (to dust)

Directions

1. Put coffee, hot water and fruit juice into a saucepan and bring to a simmer.
2. Add the broken chocolate and butter and stir until melted.
3. Add the sugar and stir until the sugar has dissolved.
4. Remove the mixture from the heat and allow to cool.
5. Sift the flour and baking soda together into a large bowl and make a well in the centre.
6. Beat the eggs together with the vanilla and stir into the chocolate mixture.
7. Pour the chocolate mixture into the well in the dry ingredients and stir to mix.
8. Pour the mixture into a well greased and floured ring tin.
9. Bake at 140°C for 1 1/2 to 1 3/4 hours until the cake has shrunk from the sides of the tin and is firm to the touch.
10. Cool in the tin for 20 minutes before turning out onto a cake rack.
11. Dust with icing sugar before serving.