Devonshire Chocolate Sponge Food

DEVONSHIRE CHOCOLATE SPONGE

Steps:

• Preset oven to 190C (375F).
• Grease two 18cm (7 inch) sponge tins.
• In a small mixing bowl, and using electric beaters, cream margarine, sugar and treacle.
• Add eggs and mix until combined.
• Into a separate bowl sieve flour, cocoa, baking powder and coffee.
• Add dry ingredients, a bit at a time, to margarine/treacle mixture alternating with the milk and beating after each addition.
• Beat until combined.
• Divide mixture evenly between sponge tins and bake on the middle shelf of the oven for 20 minutes.
• When cooked, remove from oven and turn carefully onto racks to cool.
• Meanwhile, make the topping/filling: Add a small amount of boiling water to a small saucepan and set over a very low heat.
• Place all topping/filling ingredients into a heatproof glass bowl and set the bowl over the the saucepan (or use a double boiler).
• With electric beaters, cream the ingredients (this won't take very long).
• Cover and place topping/filling into the refrigerator until cake is completely cool.
• Remember the topping is not supposed to be sweet- don't judge the taste until you've tried it on the cake.
• When the cake and topping/filling are both cool, sandwich the two sponges together with the filling then use the other half to ice the top.
• Tip: Run a spatula under some hot water, dry, then use immediately to smooth the topping.

CHOCOLATE SPONGE CAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 190C/170C fan/gas 5. Butter and line two 20cm sandwich tins with baking parchment.
• Use a handheld electric whisk or a freestanding mixer to beat 175g softened unsalted butter and 175g golden caster sugar together in a bowl until creamy and light in colour. Then add 1 large egg, still mixing.
• Sieve 50g cocoa powder, 100g self-raising flour and a pinch of salt into another bowl and add a third of that to your wet ingredients.
• Once combined, add 1 more large egg and another third of the flour mixture and work that in.
• Then add 1 more large egg and the remaining flour and beat until you have a smooth thick batter. If the batter is stiff, stir in a splash of milk to loosen it.
• Divide the mixture between the tins and smooth the top with the back of a spoon.
• Bake for 20-25 mins until springy to the touch. Take out of the oven and leave in the tins for 10 mins before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
• Meanwhile, make the buttercream by melting 50g dark or milk chocolate in the microwave, or in a bowl over just simmering water, making sure the base doesn't touch the water. Leave to cool.
• Beat 85g softened unsalted butter and half of the 175g sieved icing sugar together until light and fluffy. Add the remaining icing sugar and melted chocolate and mix together. If the icing is runny, chill in the fridge until it is firm but still spreadable.
• To assemble the cake, put a small dollop of icing onto a plate and put one of the cakes on top. Spread the top of the cake with half the icing, leaving a 1cm border around the edge.
• Put the second cake on top and push down very gently. Spread the remaining icing over the top.

CHOCOLATE SPONGE CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4 and grease and line two 20cm/8in sandwich tins with baking parchment.
• Put the cocoa powder and boiling water into a large bowl and mix well to make a paste. Add the remaining ingredients and beat again until combined. This can also be done in a food processor, but take care not to over whisk. 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• Spread the tops of each cake with apricot jam. Fill the cakes with half of the icing and spread the remainder on top. Draw large "S" shapes over the cake with a palatte knife to give a swirl effect. Dust with icing sugar and serve in slices.

DEVONSHIRE HONEY CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to fan 140C/ conventional 160C/gas 3. Butter and line a 20cm round loosebottomed cake tin. Cut the butter into pieces and drop into a medium pan with the honey and sugar. Melt slowly over a low heat. When the mixture looks quite liquid, increase the heat under the pan and boil for about one minute. Leave to cool for 15-20 minutes, to prevent the eggs cooking when they are mixed in.
• Beat the eggs into the melted honey mixture using a wooden spoon. Sift the flour into a large bowl and pour in the egg and honey mixture, beating until you have a smooth, quite runny batter.
• Pour the mixture into the tin and bake for 50 minutes-1 hour until the cake is well-risen, golden brown and springs back when pressed. A skewer pushed into the centre of the cake should come out clean.
• Turn the cake out on a wire rack. Warm 2 tbsp honey in a small pan and brush over the top of the cake to give a sticky glaze, then leave to cool. Keeps for 4-5 days wrapped, in an airtight tin.

CHOCOLATE FLUFF SPONGE

Steps:

• Separate egg yolks.
• Beat whites until fluffy, add sugar and beat well.
• Beat in yolks followed by golden syrup.
• Sift dry ingredients and fold into mixture.
• Place mixture in lined tin (20-23cm).
• Bake approximately 20 minutes(may take a bit longer) in moderate oven.
• Ice cake with chocolate icing and put a chopped up peppermint crisp (topping of choice) on top.
• Fill with whipped cream.