Ganache

• Cover the mud cake with chocolate ganache. Chocolate ganache is a mixture of melted chocolate and cream. It can be spread over the cake like icing. Pipe different designs using a decorating bag and assorted tips. Let the ganache cool a bit before using, otherwise the consistency will be too soft. The ganache should be a bit stiff, as your hand will warm it up when piping decorations. This makes a very chocolaty dessert.

Chocolate Glaze

• A chocolate glaze is a different consistency from a ganache; it is mainly chocolate with only a small amount of butter or cream. Place the mud cake layers onto a cooling rack with newspaper or baking paper underneath. Melt chocolate and mix in the cream and then pour the hot chocolate over the mud cake layer. The glaze will pool and drip over the sides of the cake. Completely cover the cake with glaze or only use a little amount of glaze so that it produces drips down the sides of the cake.

Fondant

• Fondant icing is sometimes referred to as plastic icing. This type of decoration is very stiff and holds its shape very well. Unlike with other icing, you can make all different types of structures with icing and they will not melt or droop. For instance, roll out long strips of fondant to shape into ribbons, or cut out fondant in the shapes of flowers. Color the fondant using food dyes, for different colored decorations. Fondant can even be rolled out with a rolling pin and draped over the cake in place of icing. This produces a very smooth cake surface. If you cover the entire cake with fondant, flavor the fondant accordingly. Using chocolate or vanilla essences will meld well with the chocolate mud interior; other flavors such as almond or orange do not work nearly as well.

Shavings and Curls

• Cover the chocolate mud cake with a layer of ganache or chocolate frosting and then press chocolate shavings on the sides and top and add chocolate curls on the top of the cake. Shavings and curls are made by warming a large block of chocolate slightly and then dragging a vegetable peeler along the block to create chocolate shavings. Chocolate curls will require a softer block of chocolate as the chocolate will curl instead of breaking. For a different look, use several different shades of chocolate (chocolate will be darker or lighter depending on the cacao content).