The term "mud cake" can evoke different images depending on the context. In Haiti, it refers to a survival food made from earth, while in American cuisine, it signifies a rich, chocolatey dessert. This article explores both these interpretations, highlighting the stark contrast between necessity and indulgence.
Mud Cookies in Haiti: A Famine Food
A mud cookie (Haitian Creole: bonbon tè, lit. 'earth cookie', pronounced [bɔ̃bɔ̃ tɛ]) is a famine food that is eaten in Haiti by children or expectant mothers. They can be found in slums like Cité Soleil. The population is largely constituted of descendants of African Slaves who gained independence from France in 1804.
However, civil unrest, poverty and natural disasters have left the country crippled. In fact, it is the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere. In addition, the country is still recovering from a massive earthquake that hit it in 2010.
Dirt is collected from the nation's central plateau, near the town of Hinche, and trucked over to the market. Once touted as a Famine Legend, it is reported that this is ground reality in Haiti.
These mud cakes are made by mixing a special type of mud with salt, margarine and water. They are then stirred into a 'batter', spooned onto large sheets and sun dried. In the local language, these are called 'Galette'. The locals also believe this mud to be rich in minerals and have medicinal properties and thus they do not eat these only when famished.
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For years, pregnant women in Haiti have been consuming these mud cakes in an attempt to get more calcium in their bodies. Whether it is truly a source of calcium or any nutrition at all, is yet to be proven. In Cité Soleil, one of Port-au-Prince's poorest slums, making this clay-based food is a major income earner.
Mud cakes are possibly the only inflation-proof food available to Haiti's poor. Whether it be for medicinal reasons or just to keep starvation at bay, it is a humbling thought that somewhere in the world, people are living by literally eating mud.
This, especially in times when as much as 1.3 billion tonnes of food gets wasted across the world, a staggering one-third of all food produced for human consumption. If one could find a way to somehow bridge the gap between food wastage and the under-nourished, perhaps that would be 'development' worth being proud of.
Mud cakes drying in the sun in Haiti.
Mississippi Mud Cake: A Decadent Delight
On the other end of the spectrum, Mississippi Mud Cake is a rich, dense, decadent chocolate cake covered in gooey marshmallows and warm chocolate frosting. A popular potluck item, Mississippi Mud Cake, sets the bar waaay higher than any other cake can reach!
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We’re talking moist, rich, chocolate-intense cake with layers of sweet-tooth-satisfying goodness. I don’t discriminate against any baked goods (hey, I love them all), but this easy mud cake is irresistibly drool-worthy. That soft melted marshmallow on top takes it over the top. Even hubby, who isn’t a dessert fan, goes for seconds.
Mud Cake vs. Chocolate Cake
Aren’t they both chocolate cakes? Yes and no. Chocolate overload!!! Is that possible? Mud cakes seemed to have been popular back during WWII, though the origin is hotly disputed. Some claim that the Mississippi mud cake is actually a brownie upgrade invented sometime in the 1970s.
Gooey, fudgy, MISSISSIPPI MUD CAKE! So moist & easy
A delicious Mississippi Mud Cake.
Key Ingredients for Mississippi Mud Cake
- Dry Ingredients: All-purpose flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and a pinch of salt provide the batter’s base.
- Wet Ingredients: Oil is the fat needed for a tender crumb and a moist, decadent cake. A neutral-flavored oil or butter both work well.
- Chocolate Frosting: Salted butter (if unsalted, add a pinch of salt), heavy cream, cocoa powder, vanilla extract, and powdered sugar get together for pure decadence.
How to Prepare Mississippi Mud Cake
- Preheat oven to 350℉ (180℃).
- Hot Water - On low speed, carefully mix in the boiling water. Beat at high speed for a minute so air bubbles form.
- Flavor - Gradually add the heavy cream and cocoa powder, mixing well with a wooden spoon.
- Final Stretch - Remove from heat and mix in the vanilla extract and powdered sugar with an electric mixer.
- Assemble - Immediately drizzle over the cooled mud cake.
Tips and Variations
- Replace the marshmallows with 10 ounces (280-300g) of marshmallow fluff (marshmallow creme, spread, or paste). Let your cake cool for about five minutes before applying the marshmallow spread. For easy spreading, remove any foil that could damage the microwave, take the lid off, and microwave the jar for 15-20 seconds or until you see it bubbling.
- To save time, top the cake with marshmallows and chocolate chips and melt them in the oven for about 5 minutes.
- Mississippi mud cake makes a great make-ahead because it tastes better the following day.
Serving Suggestions
Serve this deliciousness at room temperature with a good cup of coffee or chai tea latte if you don’t do coffee.
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Best Matilda Chocolate Cake Recipe
Whether you call it the Best Matilda Chocolate Cake, or the Fudgiest Chocolate Cake is up to you, but what I can tell you is that you will never make or eat a more scrumptious chocolate cake than this. It is easy to make, rich, moist, fudgy and chocolatey with a delectable shiny chocolate fudge frosting.
As a proud chocoholic and passionate chocolate cake connoisseur, I have been working to perfect my chocolate cake recipe for years. I have already shared some incredible recipes many have loved, including my Chocolate Malt Cake with an Ovaltine cream cheese frosting, and Best Easy Chocolate Cake with a ganache frosting that takes only 15 minutes of work to make.
Specifically, I was inspired by the Matilda Chocolate Cake that has somehow stuck with our whole generation. It tastes like chocolate. Not sugar, not cocoa powder, not anything else. It is rich, moist and fudgy without being heavy. It is a hard balance to strike - getting a rich texture without making the cake muddy or dense, and this cake gets that balance just perfect.
The frosting is just pure perfection. Most importantly, this is a fuss-free recipe. You get all of the above without any fancy ingredients, complicated steps, or unnecessary hassle. My taste testers all agreed with me! This chocolate cake is to die for. Usually the icing layer can be cloyingly sweet - but in this one it is not.
A delicious Matilda Chocolate Cake.
This cake tastes like luxury. Exactly what a chocolate cake should be. There are countless versions of chocolate cakes online, with different ingredients and methods.
Tips for the Perfect Matilda Chocolate Cake
- A combination of white and brown sugar.
- Dutch Processed cocoa powder. This variation of cocoa powder does not taste acidic, and has a much more rich chocolate flavor. It also gives the cake a deep color.
- A combination of buttermilk and sour cream. Both ingredients reach with baking soda to give the cake a wonderful rise.
- Bloomed cocoa powder in hot water. The cocoa powder is separately mixed with boiling water and then folded into the batter.
- Addition of coffee. You've heard it before: it enhances the chocolate flavor. Don't skip it!
- A unique frosting, which is a combination of a whipped cream cheese frosting and a chocolate ganache.
- Weigh the dry ingredients, especially the flour, for the best results.
- Never overmix the cake batter.
- Don't overbake the cakes. Check with a toothpick around the 20 minute mark, you want it to have light, moist crumbs on it.
- Let the cakes fully cool down before you handle and frost them. They are quite soft and delicate.
- Use high quality dark chocolate for the frosting. For the frosting, melt the chocolate with corn syrup.
Frequently Asked Questions
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Can I use natural cocoa powder instead of Dutch processed? | Yes, you can, but you will get the best results with Dutch processed cocoa powder. |
| Can I substitute the eggs in this recipe? | No, I have tested this recipe with eggs and they provide structural integrity to the cake. |
| Can I skip the coffee? | I do not recommend skipping the coffee as it enhances the chocolate flavor. You won't taste it! |
| How can I make my own buttermilk? | You can make buttermilk by mixing whole milk and vinegar. I've added this to the recipe below. |
| Can I substitute the sour cream? | I don't recommend substituting the sour cream. If you can't find it anywhere, you can make it at home. See my homemade sour cream recipe! |
| Why is my cake dry / crumbly? | You've either added too much flour, overmixed the batter, or overbaked the cake causing it to become dry and crumbly. Measure the ingredients carefully and follow the instructions closely for best results. |
| Why is my frosting runny or hard? | Since melted chocolate is a main ingredient in the chocolate fudge frosting, it's consistency will change with temperature. If it is runny, you need to chill it. If it is hard, you need to let it warm up at room temperature. I find it best to use after chilling for just 15-20 minutes. |
| How to store this Matilda Chocolate Cake? | This cake is best kept and eaten at room temperature. You can keep it in an airtight container in a cool place for 2-3 days. Any longer and transfer to the fridge. If refrigerating, I recommend microwaving for 5-10 seconds before eating. |
| Can I make this cake in advance? | Yes, you can prepare this cake in advance and keep it at room temperature (~70F) for 1-2 days! Just make sure it is properly covered. I let it chill for 15-20 minutes so the frosting sets, then wrap in cling wrap and keep at room temperature. |
Instructions
- In a bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, granulated sugar, light brown sugar and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the wet in 2 additions, and gently whisk and fold until they are just combined and no big lumps remain.
- In a separate small bowl, add the cocoa powder and instant coffee. Let the cakes cool in the pans for 20 minutes, then carefully remove them and place on a wire rack.
- Add the chocolate and corn syrup to a saucepan and heat over the lowest flame while stirring constantly until the chocolate has fully melted.
- In the bowl of your stand mixer, add the room temperature cream cheese and sift in the cocoa powder, powdered sugar and salt. Use the paddle attachment and whisk on medium speed until the mixture becomes creamy (1-2 minutes). Add the heavy cream and whisk again on low speed until a fluffy, whipped consistency is reached. Scrape the bowl in the middle.
- At this point, the melted chocolate should be warm and runny but not very hot. Slowly pour it in while whisking on low speed until the chocolate is fully combined into the frosting.
- Let the frosting cool down until it becomes spreadable. I recommend doing this at room temperature for ~30 minutes but you can also do it in the fridge (it won't take too long). Layer them on top of each other with a generous layer of the frosting in between (don't be stingy!).
- Cover the cake with a thin layer of frosting (crumb coat) and refrigerate for 20 minutes.
- Serve & enjoy!
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tags: #Africa
