Equipment
Ingredients
Cake
- 235 g self-raising flour
- 255 g caster sugar
- 20 g cocoa powder
- 7½ g baking powder
- 4½ egg, beaten
- 255 g baking margarine
- 30 ml milk
Icing
- 225 g caster sugar
- 225 g evaporated milk
- 240 g dark chocolate, finely chopped
- 115 g butter
Decoration
- 75 g raspberries, fresh
- 30 g hazelnuts, roasted and chopped
- 50 g dark chocolate, melted
- 50 g white chocolate, melted
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 700 kcal
- Protein
- 9 g
- Carbohydrates
- 78 g
- Fat
- 40 g
- Fiber
- 4 g
- Sugar
- 58 g
- Sodium
- 270 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 16 g
- Trans Fat
- 3 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 15 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 6 g
- Cholesterol
- 93 mg
- Potassium
- 279 mg
- Calcium
- 98 mg
- Iron
- 3.7 mg
- Magnesium
- 59 mg
- Phosphorus
- 158 mg
- Zinc
- 1.1 mg
- Vitamin A
- 272 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 2 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.4 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 3.0 mg
- Vitamin K
- 24 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.1 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.3 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.20 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.24 mg
- Niacin
- 1.5 mg
- Folate
- 50 mcg
- Water
- 30 g
- Caffeine
- 15 mg
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F/Gas Mark 6) or 180°C (350°F) for fan-assisted ovens.
Grease three 18cm sandwich tins and line the bases with baking paper.
Sift the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, and baking powder into a large bowl.
Add the beaten eggs and margarine to the dry ingredients and beat on high speed for 10 seconds.
Pour in the milk and beat on high speed for another 10 seconds until the batter is uniform.
Divide the batter between the tins and bake on the middle shelf for 15-20 minutes until springy.
Remove cakes from tins and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
In a saucepan, stir caster sugar and evaporated milk over medium heat until the sugar dissolves.
Bring the mixture to a simmer and let it bubble without stirring for 6 minutes.
Remove from heat, let cool slightly, then stir in the chopped chocolate and butter until smooth.
Chill the icing until it thickens to a spreadable consistency, then transfer to a piping bag.
Stack the cake layers, piping rings of icing between each layer and swirls on the top.
Place raspberries on top and sprinkle with the chopped hazelnuts.
Melt dark and white chocolate separately; stir in remaining solid chocolate to cool and thicken.
Spread dark chocolate on a mat, drizzle with white chocolate, let set, then break into shards for decoration.
Chef's Notes
- For an even richer chocolate flavour, use a good quality Dutch-processed cocoa powder.
- Ensure your eggs are at room temperature for better emulsification and a lighter cake texture.
- Don't overmix the cake batter once the wet ingredients are added; this can develop the gluten too much, resulting in a tough cake.
- When making the fudge icing, the key is to achieve the correct consistency. If it's too thin, it won't hold its shape; if too thick, it will be difficult to spread.
- For the chocolate shards, tempering the chocolate correctly will give them a good snap and a professional finish. Avoid overheating the chocolate, as this can cause it to seize.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Store in an airtight container to prevent the sponge from drying out.
Freezer: 1 month — Freeze un-iced sponge layers wrapped tightly in plastic wrap.
Troubleshooting
Icing is too thin to pipe
Cause: The sugar mixture was not boiled for long enough or the icing has not cooled sufficiently.
Fix: Chill the icing in the refrigerator for 15-30 minutes to increase viscosity.
Prevention: Ensure a full 6-minute simmer and allow the icing to reach room temperature before piping.
Cake layers are dry or tough
Cause: Overmixing the batter or overbaking.
Fix: Brush the sponge layers with a simple sugar syrup before icing to add moisture.
Prevention: Only mix for the specified 10-second intervals and check doneness at 15 minutes.
Cultural Context
This classic British chocolate cake, often referred to as 'Grandma's' recipe, evokes a sense of comfort and nostalgia. It's a staple at birthday parties, afternoon teas, and family gatherings, embodying the tradition of home baking and shared enjoyment.
