The best chocolate sponge cake recipe
Ingredients :
6 large eggs
3/4 cup white granulated sugar
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
1 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup cocoa powder, I used Hershey’s Special Dark
1 teaspoon of baking powder
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted; optional
1 tablespoon instant coffee
1 tablespoon of hot water
For the chocolate cake (as seen in the video):
1 vanilla buttercream recipe, optional
1/2 cup blueberry jam
1 chocolate ganache recipe, optional
Instructions :
Preheat the oven to 350F/177C. Prepare two 8-inch/20 cm cake rounds by lining the bottom with parchment paper; do not grease the sides. This recipe will also work well in a 13×19 inch jelly roll pan for Swiss roll cakes.
Place the eggs, sugar, and vanilla extract in the bowl of a stand mixer, then beat on high speed for 7 to 9 minutes. The eggs should be thick, pale in color and very soft. In another bowl, mix the dry ingredients: flour, baking powder and cocoa powder. Sift dry ingredients into egg mixture in small increments, folding gently but carefully after each addition.
In a small ramekin, dissolve the instant coffee with the hot water. Pour the dissolved coffee and melted butter last into the dough. Fold and mix gently for about 30 seconds, until the butter is mixed into the dough. (Adding butter is optional)
Divide the batter evenly between the two cake pans. Bake in the preheated oven for 18 to 20 minutes, until the tops are set. They will bounce back when tapped gently when finished. Remove the cakes from the oven and place them on a cooling rack. Immediately, run a knife along the edge of the pan and cake to loosen the cake from the pan. Cool layers completely on a rack.
Once the layers have cooled, remove the parchment paper and use a long serrated knife to divide the layers in half, if desired. Use a choice of toppings and glazes for topping and garnishing.
