Chocolate Victoria Sponge Cake

Ingredients

• 3 Large Eggs (Room temperature )
• 190 grams Butter (Room temperature (Stork or margerine can be used instead) )
• 190 grams Caster Sugar
• 145 grams Self-raising flour
• 45 grams Cocoa powder
• 130 grams Butter (Room Temperture)
• 230 grams Icing sugar (plus extra for dusting on top)
• 70 grams Cooking Chocolate (We use milk chocolate but you could use dark if preferred.)

Instructions

1. 1

   --- Prepare for cake ---

2. 2

   Weigh: For best results I would highly recommend weighing the 3 Large Eggs including the shells and matching your other ingredients measurements to that weight. The flour & cocoa powder should be weighed together to make up to the same weight as the eggs.

3. 3

   Sieve: Sift the 145 grams Self-raising flour and 45 grams Cocoa powder together to remove lumps.

4. 4

   Grease the inside of two loose bottom, 8 inch / 20 cm sandwich cake tins - If using different size tins or only one tin check blog post for guidance on ingredients and cooking times.

5. 5

   Parchment: Add baking paper to fit the bottom of both cake tins this makes it easy to remove from the tin later. Preheat the oven to 190°C / 170°C fan / 375°F

6. 6

   Strips: If using cake baking strips for ensuring level cakes, measure up to the tins, then place in a container filled with cold water to soak up into the strips

7. 7

   --- Make Chocolate Cake ---

8. 8

   Butter: Cream the 190 grams Butter until softened in an electric mixer fitted with a paddle or whisk attachment, until smooth. Add 190 grams Caster Sugar a bit at a time

9. 9

   Cream until light and fluffy, with a pale yellow colour. This should take approximately 4 minutes with a stand mixer or up to 10 minutes by hand.Once creamed together the butter and sugar will have almost doubled in volume.

10. 10

    Eggs: Turn speed of mixer to the lowest setting, add 3 Large Eggs one at a time with a tablespoon of the flour and cocoa powder to prevent curdling - if it does still curdle it does not matter it will come back together once dry ingredients are added

11. 11

    Mix: Add half the flour and cocoa powder, mix on medium speed until combined.

12. 12

    Fold: Add remaining half of flour and cocoa powder, this time use a spoon to fold the mixture in by hand until just incorporated. Do not over mix.

13. 13

    Split mixture between the two tins (I always use scales to make sure they are definitly even, but you can eyeball it)

14. 14

    Smooth: Use a spatula to push the mixture evenly around the tin.

15. 15

    Water: If using squeeze some water out of the baking strips

16. 16

    Tin: Add the wet baking strips to the outside of the sandwich cake tins

17. 17

    Oven: Cook in preheat oven 190°C / 170°C fan / 375°F for 22 minutes.Check to see if the cake has pulled away from the sides. Should be soft and spring back from your touch.

18. 18

    Cool: Leave in tins to cool for 10 minutes.

19. 19

    Paper: Tip upside down on to a wire rack and remove the baking paper.

20. 20

    Wire rack: Leave on wire rack until completley cooled, do not handle too much whilst warm as the cake is prone to break, crack and crumble. It will firm up as it cools.

21. 21

    --- Chocolate Buttercream ---

22. 22

    Melt 70 grams Cooking Chocolate in a bowl over a pan of hot water.Or in the microwave at 50% power stirring every 30 seconds until melted.

23. 23

    Soften: Use electric mixer with paddle attachment or whisk to soften 130 grams Butter

24. 24

    Sift: Use a sieve to sift in half the 230 grams Icing sugar mix on low, add remaining half and mix until soft and fluffy

25. 25

    Chocolate: Pour the melted chocolate into the frosting.

26. 26

    Combine: Mix until well combined

27. 27

    --- Assemble Chocolate Victoria Sponge ---

28. 28

    Frosting: Place the prepared chocolate buttercream on to one of the sponges

29. 29

    Spread to edges with a spatuala

30. 30

    Top: Add top layer and push down gently.

31. 31

    Sprinkle with icing sugar on top.

32. 32

    Slice and serve, as it is or with some cream.