The Ultimate Chocolate Cake

Name: The Ultimate Chocolate Cake
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 1 h 20 min
Yield: 12
Ingredients: 175 g (6oz) unsalted butter, softened, plus extra to grease; 150 g (5oz) plain flour; 50 g (2oz) cocoa powder; 1 tsp. baking powder; 150 g (5oz) light muscovado sugar; 3 medium eggs, beaten; 250 mL (9fl oz) sour cream; 1 tsp. vanilla extract; 100 g (3½oz) plain chocolate, finely chopped; 150 g (5oz) unsalted butter, softened; 125 g (4oz) cream cheese; 175 g (6oz) icing sugar, sifted; 56 g pack Dr Oetker Select Belgian Chocolate Scrolls, lightly crushed; Foil-covered chocolate eggs

This impressive chocolate cake is perfect for celebrations, but deceptively easy to make.

By The Good Housekeeping Cookery TeamUpdated: 13 January 2023

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Good Housekeeping

A special celebration calls for a decedent cake, and this chocolate sponge cake is one of our all-time favourites. The light and fluffy chocolate sponge is adorned with chocolate scrolls and gold-foiled eggs, making it a real show-stopper. Despite the impressive appearance, it's deceptively easy to make, and is set to become a recipe to repeat over the years.

We've got plenty of chocolate recipes to satisfy your sweet tooth, including foolproof slow cooker chocolate fondants and banana, pecan and chocolate flapjacks, as well as our irresistible Double Decker rocky road.

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Yields:

Prep Time:

30 mins

Cook Time:

50 mins

Total Time:

1 hr 20 mins

Cal/Serv:

590

Ingredients

175 g
(6oz) unsalted butter, softened, plus extra to grease
150 g
(5oz) plain flour
50 g
(2oz) cocoa powder
1 tsp.
baking powder
150 g
(5oz) light muscovado sugar
3
medium eggs, beaten
250 ml
(9fl oz) sour cream
1 tsp.
vanilla extract

For the icing/decorating

100 g
(3½oz) plain chocolate, finely chopped
150 g
(5oz) unsalted butter, softened
125 g
(4oz) cream cheese
175 g
(6oz) icing sugar, sifted
56 g
pack Dr Oetker Select Belgian Chocolate Scrolls, lightly crushed
Foil-covered chocolate eggs

Directions

1. Step 1
  Preheat oven to 180°C (160°C fan) mark 4. Grease and line a 20.5cm (8in) springform tin. Sift the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and a pinch of salt into a bowl.
2. Step 2
  Using an electric mixer or electric beaters, mix the butter and sugar in a separate bowl until pale and fluffy - about 5min. Gradually add the beaten egg, mixing well after each addition. Add a little of the flour mix if the butter mix looks like curdling. In one go, add the remaining flour mix, sour cream and vanilla, then fold everything together gently with a metal spoon. Spoon into prepared tin and bake for 40-50min or until a skewer inserted into centre comes out clean. Cool in tin.
3. Step 3
  To make the icing, melt chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a pan of barely simmering water, making sure the bowl doesn't touch the water. Leave to cool for 15min. In a separate bowl, beat the butter and cream cheese with a wooden spoon until combined. Beat in the icing sugar, then the cooled chocolate. Take care not to over-beat the mixture - it should be fudgey, not stiff.
4. Step 4
  Remove cake from tin, cut in half horizontally and use some icing to sandwich together the layers. Transfer to a cake stand, then ice the top and sides, smoothing with a palette knife. Decorate with crushed scrolls and chocolate eggs.