Chocolate Sponge & Chocolate Ganache

As I am in Canada, and it is my great-niece Grace’s birthday I decided to make her a simple chocolate cake, which is one of her favourites.

For the cake I decided to use a recipe from Mary Berry, using the ‘all in one’ method.  This is where are the ingredients are tipped into the bowl and mixed together, rather than creaming the butter and sugar etc. Although it can be done in a stand mixer, or using a hand mixer, I did it just by using a spatula which worked perfectly fine.

For the cake it is just 2 layers of chocolate sponge which are sandwiched together with chocolate ganache an then with a 2nd layer of ganache on top.  Additionally I put some white chocolate shavings on the very top of the assembled cake, for decoration. Although I used milk chocolate the ganache may thickener more with dark chocolate, or you can adjust the ratio of chocolate to cream, using more chocolate. However once cooled if you whip the mixture it should thicken very well.

Although I didn’t do it the recipe also calls for some jam to be spread onto the sponge before adding the ganache.  If I was to do that I would have used raspberry jam rather than the suggested apricot.  But either would work well and give some extra flavour if required.

Ingredients:

• 50g (1/2 cup) cocoa powder
• 6 tbsp boiling water
• 3 medium eggs(large in USA
• 60ml(4 tbsp) milk
• 175g(1 1/3 cup) self-raising flour
• 1 rounded tsp baking powder
• 100g(7 tbsp) soft butter
• 300g(1 1/2 cups) caster sugar

For the filling:

• 150G(5 oz) dark chocolate in small pieces
• 150ml(1/2 cup + 2 tbsp) double cream
• White chocolate shavings to sprinkle of the top, if required

• Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4 and grease and line two 20cm/8in sandwich tins with baking parchment.
2. Put the cocoa powder and boiling water into a large bowl and mix well to make a paste.
3. Add the remaining ingredients and beat again until combined. This can also be done in a stand mixer, but take care not to over whisk.
4. Divide the cake mixture between the prepared tins. Bake for about 25-30 minutes, or until well risen and shrinking away from the sides of the tin.
5. Meanwhile, for the icing and filling, measure the chocolate and cream together in a bowl and stand the bowl over a pan of simmering water for about 10 minutes, or until melted. Stir from time to time. Set aside and leave until cool.
6. Once the ganache has cooled whip it with a whisk, or a hand mixer, until it thicken and sets up well for spreading.
7. Once baked, remove the cakes from the oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes before turning out the tins onto a wire rack to cool completely.
8. Fill the cakes with half of the icing and spread the remainder on top.
9. Draw large “S” shapes over the cake with a palatte knife to give a swirl effect.
10. Sprinkle white chocolate shavings over the top if you wish.