White Chocolate Mud Cake
White chocolate mud cake isn’t as well-known as its dark chocolate counterpart, but it deserves just as much love. It’s dense yet soft, rich but not overwhelming, with a delicate caramelised vanilla flavour from the white chocolate. Paired with a silky whipped white chocolate ganache frosting, this cake is simple, indulgent, and well worth making.
For more wonderful spelt bakes, check out my 31 spectacular spelt flour cake recipes.
Yum. White chocolate mud cake. Yum, indeed.
Before making this cake, I’d heard of mud cake but never white chocolate mud cake. That changed when I was scrolling through Pinterest and stumbled upon a recipe from one of my favourite blogging bakers, Jess from the Sweetest Menu. A layered white chocolate mud cake. It looked good. It looked simple. It had to be mine. And it was.
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| What makes a mud cake different? |
| Kladdkaka vs mud cake: Similar yet Different |
| Why white chocolate? |
| The frosting: a happy accident |
| Finishing touches |
| Final thoughts |
| More white chocolate recipes |
What makes a mud cake different?
Before tasting my cake, I wasn’t sure how different a mud cake would be from a regular sponge. At first glance, it didn’t appear that different. Oh, but it was. The sponge was incredibly dense yet somehow soft at the same time. A rich, velvety texture that made each bite luxurious. The combination of butter, white chocolate, and sugar melted together before mixing creates a beautifully smooth batter, helping to achieve that dense but tender crumb. The white chocolate not only adds sweetness but also a subtle caramel undertone once baked, making it even more indulgent. It was delicious.
One of the key differences with a mud cake is its method. Unlike traditional sponge cakes, where butter and sugar are creamed together, this batter starts with melting butter, white chocolate, sugar, and milk in a pan. This ensures a beautifully smooth consistency before adding the dry ingredients. Once cooled slightly, the egg and vanilla are whisked in, followed by the spelt flour and baking powder, stirred just until combined. This minimal mixing helps maintain the cake’s signature dense yet soft crumb.
Kladdkaka vs mud cake: similar yet different
If you’re familiar with Swedish baking, you might find that mud cake shares some similarities with kladdkaka. Both cakes are rich, dense, and have a fudgy texture rather than a light, airy crumb. However, kladdkaka is intentionally underbaked, resulting in a gooey, almost molten centre, while mud cake is fully baked yet still retains that indulgent density.
If you’re familiar with Swedish baking, you might find that mud cake shares some similarities with kladdkaka. Both cakes are rich, dense, and have a fudgy texture rather than a light, airy crumb. However, kladdkaka is intentionally underbaked, resulting in a gooey, almost molten centre, while mud cake is fully baked yet still retains that indulgent density.
Another key difference is in the preparation. Kladdkaka typically has a much shorter ingredient list, and can be made with cocoa or melted chocolate, while mud cake includes baking powder, which gives it a slightly more structured but equally decadent result. If you love one, chances are you’ll love the other.
Why white chocolate?
Chocolate mud cakes are a staple in bakeries and dessert menus, usually made with dark or milk chocolate for that deep, rich flavour. White chocolate mud cake, however, is far less common. White chocolate behaves differently in baking—it lacks the cocoa solids found in dark and milk chocolate, making it smoother and more buttery in texture. It melts beautifully into the batter, creating an ultra-moist cake with a mild caramelised vanilla flavour rather than an intense chocolate hit. This makes white chocolate mud cake a fantastic alternative for those who enjoy a more delicate sweetness rather than the deeper bitterness of traditional chocolate cakes.
I changed very little from the original recipe but made a slight adjustment to account for the spelt flour—I added a touch more milk. Spelt flour absorbs liquid differently than regular flour, so this small tweak helped maintain the cake’s moisture. Instead of layering the cake, I opted for a single, beautifully thick cake, perfect for slicing and enjoying with a cup of tea.
The frosting: a happy accident
The frosting came about as a bit of an accident. I had planned to make a classic white chocolate ganache, but when I went to the fridge to grab my cream, I realised I had none. It was a Saturday afternoon, I was in my comfy clothes, and the last thing I wanted to do was head out for one ingredient. Faced with the dilemma of changing my plans (something my inner control freak protested loudly against) or adapting to what I had, I went for the latter.
So, I made ganache with milk and butter. Melting them together until just bubbling, I poured the mixture over chopped white chocolate and let it sit before whisking it into a thick, glossy frosting. The slight tweak of using milk instead of cream resulted in a frosting that was a little lighter but still rich and silky. A little icing sugar helped give it extra body, making it just firm enough to spread over the cake without losing that creamy texture. The result was a smooth, luscious topping that perfectly complemented the cake’s richness.
Finishing touches
I didn’t pipe the frosting. Hello? This is me, remember. But I did swirl it a little after I dolloped it over the cake.
For the finishing touches, I went with simple white chocolate shavings. All you need to do is chill a block of white chocolate and scrape off shavings with a knife. Simple, but very pretty, with the delicate curls of white chocolate added an elegant touch and a little extra texture.
For a little extra flair, I added some Guylian chocolate seashells, although you could use anything you like or leave it as is. Even a sprinkle of crushed pistachios or freeze-dried raspberries would be stunning against the creamy white frosting.
Final thoughts
This white chocolate mud cake was an unexpected delight. Dense but soft, rich but not overwhelming, and paired with a frosting born from necessity but now here to stay. It’s one of those cakes that feels special enough for an occasion but easy enough to whip up when the craving strikes. Third day in, the cake was softer and tastier than the day it was made. All in all, a total winner.
If you’re a fan of white chocolate or just looking for a new twist on a classic, I highly recommend giving this a try.
White Chocolate Mud Cake
Ingredients
Cake:
- 115g (½ cup) butter
- 150g (5 oz) white chocolate
- 100g (½ cup) sugar
- 130ml (½ cup + 1 tbsp) milk
- 1 egg (large)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 175g (1½ cups) spelt flour (see note 1)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
Frosting:
- 150g (5 oz) white chocolate
- 75ml (¼ cup + 1 tbsp) milk
- 30g (2 tbsp) butter
- 20g (2 tbsp + 1 tsp) icing/confectioners'/powdered sugar
Decorations:
- white chocolate shavings
- chocolate seashells (optional - omit, or use something else)
Instructions
Cake:
- Pre-heat the oven to 175°C (350℉) and line/grease a 7" (18cm) springform pan.
- Add the butter, chocolate, sugar and milk to a pan and heat until the chocolate and butter have just melted and the sugar has dissolved. Put to one side to cool for a short while.
- Add the egg and vanilla and mix just until combined. Add the flour and baking powder and stir until everything is combined (don't over mix).
- Pour into the prepared pan and bake for around 40-45 minutes (in the lower part of the oven) until an inserted skewer comes out clean.
- Allow to cool for around 10 minutes, then remove the pan and allow to cool on a wire rack until it is completely cold.
Frosting:
- Chop or break the chocolate into small pieces and place in a fairly deep bowl.
- Melt the butter and milk together until the butter is melted and it starts to bubble slightly at the edges.
- Pour the milk/butter mixture over the chocolate (making sure all of the chocolate bits are covered) and leave for five minutes.
- Whisk quickly, until everything comes together and you're left with a thick mixture.
- Place in the fridge for a couple of hours to thicken.
- Add around 20g of icing sugar to the chocolate mixture and whip/whisk until a thick frosting forms.
- Spread all over the cake and top with whatever decoration you fancy.
- To make chocolate shavings chill a block of white chocolate and scrape down it with a knife. Decorate with whatever you fancy (or leave as it is). Slice and enjoy!
Notes
- You can use spelt or regular flour for this recipe (just use the same amount).
