Mudcake Magic

Now to me a real mudcake is a dense chocolate cake with a layer of 'mud'. The mud is not frosting, cream or even ganache. The closest way to describe it is a variation on a mousse.

Anyway, soon after the cake hit the Australian shores the mud disappeared ... well for most cafes it never actually appeared which was the easy and logical option for those playing to what I considered to be the uninformed public.

I was in Nambucca today and, having some time on my side, I treated myself to another coffee and cake. Yes that is two times in two weeks - what is the world coming to? lol

I risked it all and ordered the Lindt's mudcake (yes I know it isn't slave-free chocolate but it was the choice I made anyway).

I waited at the corner table on the deck directly overlooking the river, today's newspaper keeping me occupied for the few minutes it took for my order to arrive.

Of all the days to forget the camera! This was a dish so well presented it could have been served to royalty or Gordon Ramsey!

The perfectly proportioned slice was placed in the centre of a large white plate. One one side was a fluff of real cream topped with a butterflied strawberry. On the other, strawberry coulis was gracefully swirled over the white surface. A very gentle dusting of icing sugar was the final touch.

I would have been happy to stop there - content that my money had been well spent but that was never really going to happen.

I took a bite and my mouth found heaven. The warmed cake looked like a cake but was less 'cakey' and more of a mousse - yes this was the glorious return of the mud. And what mouth-watering mud it was. Tastebuds swooned while visions of sugar-plum-fairies danced in my head.

All of this, the river, a gentle breeze, pelicans and a most acceptable coffee for the grand total of $9.

Does life get any better?