Whether being baked for a friend, a family treat, or as the final delicious course for a dinner party or meal, chocolate cake is a foolproof way of delighting guests and family alike. This recipe is an extremely simple and light sponge cake that can be modified at all stages to customize it to a particular requirement. The airy and delicious sponge works in a fantastic contrast with the rich and creamy butter filling, to produce a distinctive and delightful treat.
Ingredients:
- 4oz/ 100g soft margarine
- 4oz/ 100g caster sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 5oz /150g self-raising flour
- 1 level teaspoon baking powder
- 4oz/ 100g drinking chocolate
For the Topping and Filling:
- 1 large bar of milk chocolate
- 20z/50g soft butter
- 40z/ 100g icing sugar
- 1oz/ 25g drinking chocolate
Method:
- Heat the oven to 180c/gas mark 4 and grease and line 2 20cm/8 inch sandwich tins
- Place all the ingredients together and mix well with an electric hand mixer. Divide the mixture in to the two tins and smooth the tops carefully with a pallet knife
- Bake in the oven for 35 minutes until the sponge springs back lightly when touched, and a skewer inserted into the cake comes out clean
- Turn out; remove the lining paper and leave to cool on a wire rack
- For the buttercream filling, blend the ingredients together in a bowl until light and fluffy. With a knife. Smooth on to the centre of the cake and sandwich together.
- For the topping, gently melt the chocolate, broken into cubes, in a heatproof bowl above a shallow pan of water. As soon as it has melted and lightened in colour, use a pallet knife and smooth over the top.
- Serve when cool and set.
Variations on a Theme
There are so many different ways to customize this cake, it’s more down to the cook’s imagination than any set protocol. Fairy cakes or cup cakes can be made with the sponge mixture, simply by popping the mixture into individual paper cases. Once cooked, slice off the top of each bun and fill the centres with the buttercream filling, then place the halved lids back on to make fairy cakes.
Alternatives for the Flavour Include:
Chocolate and hazelnut: Use Nutella or a similar spread for the middle of the cake, and sprinkle the top of the cake with crushed nuts before the chocolate topping sets
Orange cake: Grate the rind of an orange into the mixture, and then decorate the chocolate topping with Chocolate Orange segments for a decadent and distinctive treat
Coffee and Chocolate sponge: Use some cold strong coffee mixed in with the buttercream filling, and decorate the top with chocolate-covered coffee beans.
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