Original recipe of the week: Ultimate Chocolate Sponge Cake

We have been searching long and hard for a alternative to the great British classic Victoria sponge, and we think we’ve finally found it. Naturally, it had to be chocolate. Rich and indulgent, fruity and light, this is the chocolate cake of kings, to whip out of the oven at any opportunity. It works well as a birthday cake topped with more chocolate and fruit, or even as an afternoon treat to escape from the footy.

Ultimate Chocolate Sponge Cake

Serves: 10
Prep time: 10-15 minutes
Cook time: 25 minutes

What you will need:

200g self-raising flour
200g unsalted butter
200g soft light brown sugar
2 eggs
4 tbsp cocoa powder
1 tsp salt
300ml double cream
1 tsp strawberry flavouring
2 tbsp pink food colouring
200g dark chocolate
100g salted butter
Fruit (optional)

What you need to do:

1. Preheat your oven to 200°C and line two 8 inch sandwich tins with greaseproof paper.
2. In a large bowl mix together the flour, sugar, salt and cocoa powder.
3. Melt the unsalted butter in the microwave and add to the dry mix. Mix to combine and add in the eggs.
4. If the batter is still a bit dry add a splash of water.
5. When combined, divide into the cake tins and bake for around 25 minutes or until cooked.
5. While the cake is baking, make the cream. In a large bowl whisk 200ml of the double cream until whipped and standing in peaks, add in the colour and flavouring, and set aside.
6. Melt the dark chocolate and salted butter in the microwave for three minutes, then mix in 100ml of the double cream and place in the fridge to set for about an hour.
7. When the cakes are cooled, remove from the tins and spoon the cream on one and the chocolate ganache on the other. Place one cake on top of the other to form a sandwich, and top with whatever your desire, be it more cream, more ganace, fruit or something completely different.

Bethany Stone