Chocolate Mud Cake

Birthdays mean cake!  Chocolate cake seems to be the favourite in the house at the moment. The original recipe came from the Betty Crocker Cookbook.  This recipe makes one 20cm round cake.  I don't claim to be an expert at decorating cakes, but here is a picture of my son's Birthday cake.  He loved it, so that's all that matters!  I made two round cakes for this one.  I found with gluten free baking it is best to make things in small amounts.  I wouldn't try to double this recipe.  Just make it two times.  A bit more of an effort, I know, but I find it turns out better this way.  

You can also use this recipe to make 8-10 cupcakes.  These are my daughter's cupcakes.  We were away for her Birthday this year, so I mixed the dry ingredients together before we left and then added the wet ingredients when it was time to bake them.  Sometimes if I'm making a cake I will measure out the dry ingredients twice, once for the cake I'm making at the time and a second time into a separate container.  This way, the next time I want to bake a cake it saves a bit of time.

Chocolate Mud Cake

Ingredients

1/2 cup rice flour

3 Tablespoons cornflour

1 Tablespoon tapioca starch

1/2 teaspoon guar gum

1/2 cup sugar

1/3 cup cocoa powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 cup + 2 Tablespoons margarine

3/4 cup warm water

1 large egg

Method

1. Heat oven to 180 degrees C.  Line cake tin with baking paper.

2. Measure all ingredients into bowl.  Stir by hand a few times to mix.  Beat with an electric mixer or stand mixer on high for 3 minutes.  Pour into cake tin.

3. Bake for 25-30 minutes.  You can test if the cake is done by inserting a toothpick to the center of the cake.  If the toothpick comes out clean, the cake is done.  Let the cake cool for 10 minutes in the pan before removing it to a wire rack to cool.  If making cupcakes, they will need to bake for 15-20 minutes.  Let the cake cool completely before icing.