Welcome to the Cake Decorators Q&A

Does anyone have a recipe for a Chocolate base cake with a long shelf life please? I currently use a “Chocolate Mud Cake” recipe (very popular in Oz) which has a shelf life of around 4-5 weeks. However, it is not the easiest cake to shape or to bake without risk of getting a hard sugary crust on top (even after using all the well-tried tricks of the trade to minimise this), so I wondered if someone might have an alternative worth trying. For a really extended shelf life, I use a Rich Fruit Cake recipe which lasts for yonks, is fantastic to eat but a nightmare to shape!

Hi, Paul has put his recipe for his chocolate cake on the free section, i don’t know how long it’s shelf life would be but Paul says that he freezes his cakes a week before he needs them.

I’m sure he will answer you with the shelf  life etc;

Hello BevO_O,

Thanks for that but I believe Paul’s recipe has a shelf life of around 5 days – not quite what I was after. 🙂

Hi all, the recipe on the free section would have a shelf life of around 5 days, but by adding a little glycerine you will extend that by a further 3 days. I would be really keen to here about the ‘Chocolate Mud Cake’ that lasts for 4-5 weeks. Would love to try it and if its good enough will film the making of it.

Kind regards, Px

Hello Paul,

Have sent you recipe for my “Oz Chocolate Mud Cake” by email as Word attachment for you to have a look and publish if you approve. It’s a lovely firm and moist cake marred only by the tendency to develop a raised sugary crust on top which I hope I might eventually rectify by adjusting the cooking temperature/time or tweaking the sugar content of the recipe. Would welcome your views in due course.

Best regards,