Chocolate Sponge Recipes

Steps:

• In a saucepan, combine 1/3 cup each sugar and water over medium-high heat and cook, stirring, until sugar dissolves. Remove simple syrup from heat; let cool.
• Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Butter two 8-by-2-inch round cake pans. Line bottoms with parchment rounds; butter parchment. In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, combine eggs and remaining 1 cup sugar. Whisk on medium speed until quadrupled in volume and mixture holds a 3-second ribbon, about 10 minutes. Whisk in vanilla.
• In a bowl, combine cocoa and flour. Sift over egg mixture; using a large rubber spatula, carefully fold into egg mixture, cutting through center and lifting gently over sides. Divide batter among prepared pans. Bake until cake pulls away from sides of pan and is springy to touch, 15 to 17 minutes. Remove from oven. Run a small knife around sides of pan. Invert onto rack; remove parchment, and re-invert onto rack to cool completely.
• Using a serrated knife, trim tops of cakes horizontally to level surface. Halve each cake horizontally to form 2 layers. Transfer 1 layer to a serving platter; generously brush with simple syrup and spread 3/4 cup frosting on top. Set another cake layer on top, and repeat process with remaining simple syrup, frosting, and cake layers. Frost top and sides of cake in a swirling motion. Refrigerate until set, about 1 hour.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish.
• Stir butter, white sugar, and brown sugar together in a bowl; add vanilla extract and mix well. Stir eggs, 1 at a time, into butter mixture until smooth.
• Sift flour, cocoa powder, and salt together in a separate bowl. Stir flour mixture, alternating with buttermilk, into butter mixture until batter is smooth, adding more buttermilk if needed to thin out batter. Pour batter into the prepared baking dish.
• Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 40 to 45 minutes.

Steps:

• Line an 8 inch square or round cake pan with waxed paper.
• Place egg whites, cream of tartar and salt in a mixing bowl, beat with electric mixer until foamy.
• Beat in sugar gradually, continue beating until stiff peaks form.
• Beat in egg yolks and vanilla.
• Combine flour and cocoa and fold lightly into egg mixture.
• Spread batter in prepared pan.
• Bake in 325 degree oven 25-30 minutes or until cake springs back when lightly touched.
• Loosen sides with a sharp knife.
• Turn out immediately onto a paper towel lined cake rack to cool.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 190C/170C fan/gas 5. Butter and line two 20cm sandwich tins with baking parchment.
• Use a handheld electric whisk or a freestanding mixer to beat 175g softened unsalted butter and 175g golden caster sugar together in a bowl until creamy and light in colour. Then add 1 large egg, still mixing.
• Sieve 50g cocoa powder, 100g self-raising flour and a pinch of salt into another bowl and add a third of that to your wet ingredients.
• Once combined, add 1 more large egg and another third of the flour mixture and work that in.
• Then add 1 more large egg and the remaining flour and beat until you have a smooth thick batter. If the batter is stiff, stir in a splash of milk to loosen it.
• Divide the mixture between the tins and smooth the top with the back of a spoon.
• Bake for 20-25 mins until springy to the touch. Take out of the oven and leave in the tins for 10 mins before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
• Meanwhile, make the buttercream by melting 50g dark or milk chocolate in the microwave, or in a bowl over just simmering water, making sure the base doesn't touch the water. Leave to cool.
• Beat 85g softened unsalted butter and half of the 175g sieved icing sugar together until light and fluffy. Add the remaining icing sugar and melted chocolate and mix together. If the icing is runny, chill in the fridge until it is firm but still spreadable.
• To assemble the cake, put a small dollop of icing onto a plate and put one of the cakes on top. Spread the top of the cake with half the icing, leaving a 1cm border around the edge.
• Put the second cake on top and push down very gently. Spread the remaining icing over the top.

Steps:

• Let eggs stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. In a large bowl, beat egg yolks until slightly thickened and lemon-colored, about 5 minutes. Stir in orange juice and vanilla until combined. Gradually beat in 1 cup sugar on low speed, about 2 tablespoons at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat on high until mixture thickens and nearly doubles in volume. Combine the flour and cocoa. Fold a fourth of the flour mixture into the yolk mixture. Repeat with remaining flour mixture; set aside., In a large bowl and with clean beaters, beat egg whites and cream of tartar in medium speed until soft peaks form. Gradually beat in remaining sugar, about 1 tablespoon at a time, on high until stiff glossy peaks form and sugar is dissolved. Fold a fourth of the egg whites into the yolk mixture; fold in remaining whites., Pour into an ungreased 10-in. tube pan. Bake at 325° for 55-60 minutes or until top springs back when lightly touched. Immediately invert pan; cool completely. Run a knife around sides and center tube of pan; remove cake.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 180C/350F/Gas mark 4. Grease and line two 20cm (8in) sandwich tins.
• Cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in the eggs and, if it starts to curdle, add a little sugar. Fold in the remaining flour and the cocoa powder with a metal spoon.
• Divide the mixture between the two tins and bake for approx. 25 minutes until golden brown and firm to the touch. Remove from oven and leave to cool before turning out onto a cooling rack.
• To make the butter icing, place the butter in a bowl and beat until soft. Gradually sift and beat in the icing sugar and then add enough milk / water to make the icing fluffy and spreadable. Sift and beat the cocoa powder in to the icing and use it to sandwich the two sponges together. Dust the top of the cake lightly with the sieved icing sugar.