I love the background behind the name of this cake. There's many different origins of the name - one of the stories goes that the texture of the dessert reminded Mississippians of the thick mud that the very rainy state can have. Another story goes that the cracking of the cake and the thick icing reminded people of the cracked banks and thick mud of the Misssisippi riverbanks. I love this story and it makes me want to visit the Mississippi River even more!
Definitely a keeper of a recipe!
Cake
250g butter, chopped and softened
200g dark eating chocolate, chopped
1 1/3 cups milk
2 cups caster sugar, sifted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups plain flour, sifted
1/4 cup self raising flour, sifted
1/4 cup cocoa, sifted
2 eggs, room temperature
Ganache
2/3 cup cream
250g dark eating chocolate
150g milk eating chocolate
Cake
1. Preheat oven to 170 degrees. Grease deep 22cm round cake pan; line base with baking paper.
2. Combine butter, chocolate, milk, sugar and vanilla in medium saucepan, stir over low heat until mixture is smooth.
3. Cool mixture until barely warm, whisk in sifted dry ingredients and eggs.
4. Pour mixture into pan and bake for about 1 1/2 hours.
5. Stand cake for 20 minutes in pan. Turn onto wire rack.
Ganache
1. Place cream and chocolate in a saucepan on low heat and stir until chocolate has melted.
2. Remove ganache from heat and allow to cool for about 15 minutes. Stir until smooth then pour over cake. Refrigerate.
Store in fridge; remove an hour before serving to soften.
Source: http://today.ninemsn.com.au/foodandwine/636162/mississippi-mud-cake