Chocolate sponge cake

Chocolate sponge cake – Light, fluffy & soft chocolate sponge cake that makes a good base for decorated or frosted cakes. Sponge cakes are usually made of eggs, fats, flour & sugar. The eggs are beaten well to give a fluffy, soft & aerated texture to the cake. There are a few different methods used to make sponge cakes across the world.

The method shown in this post is simple to follow. The key to this chocolate sponge cake is to beat the eggs well until a ribbon consistency is achieved. This chocolate sponge cake is great to use as a base for black forest cake.

I baked this cake a month ago to make a black forest cake but ended up frosting it with melted chocolate which turned out to be very good. I have shared the details of the same in the recipe card. You can use this cake to decorate and make a Black forest cake.

If you have a stand mixer, do use it. I used my hand mixer and felt it was an arm work as beating the eggs until ribbon consistency takes some time.

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Preparation for chocolate sponge cake

Ensure all the ingredients are at room temperature.

1. Place a sieve over a mixing bowl. Add cocoa.

2. Add flour, salt & baking powder.

3. Sieve the flour.

4. Mix all of them well.

Beating eggs

5. Break 2 eggs to a large mixing bowl.

6. Add 1 more egg yolk. I used up the egg white to make an omelet.

7. Add sugar.

8. Begin to beat the eggs on a slow then on a high speed.

9. The eggs will begin to froth up and thicken. The color of the eggs changes to pale or light yellow and then to white. Pour vanilla at this stage.

10. After beating for about 9 mins mine reached a ribbon consistency. But I suggest not to go by the time as it depends on several factors. Recheck for ribbon consistency. When you lift the whisk, the egg mixture should be thick & fall like a ribbon. Do not proceed further until you reach this stage.

11. Pour oil in a slow stream while you continue to beat the eggs. Do not over beat, just beat until oil is well incorporated with the egg mixture.

Making batter

12. Sprinkle half of the flour. Gently incorporate this with a whisk just until combined. Do not beat as the batter gets deflated.

13. Add the rest of the flour & mix until combined.

14. It is normal for the batter to deflate little after incorporating the flour. Over mixing at this stage will not make the cake spongy.

How to make chocolate sponge cake

15. I transferred to two 6 inch greased & lined pans. You can also make one 6 inch cake. I wanted to make black forest layers without cutting the cake so I made 2 thin cakes.

16. Bake for 15 mins if baking in 2 pans. If baking the entire batter in 1 pan, then bake for 20 to 24 mins.

17. When done the cake tester comes out clean. Cool the cake pans on the cooling rack for 15 mins.

18. Do not invert the cake when it is too hot. Allow to cool down and invert on the cooling rack. Cool completely and frost.

I melted chocolate chips in the microwave and frosting the cake. Decorated with some chocolate shavings. It took me about 15 mins for the frosting & decorating.

Slice the cake.

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Recipe card