Chocolate Cream Cake

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Every baker needs a chocolate cream cake recipe they can depend upon. Serve this easy chocolate sponge cake recipe simply or dress it up to mark special occasions. This bake is reliably delicious however it is presented.

Try adding some homemade cherry jam between the layers for a fruity twist.

Cut into chocolate cream cake revealing its centre of jam and cream.

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Why this cake is worth making
Ingredients notes
Step by step instructions
Assembling the cake
Expert tips
Frequently asked questions
How to make a larger version
Decoration ideas
More easy cake recipes
📖 Recipe
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This easy chocolate cream cake was a childhood favourite of mine. It was one of the first things I ever baked and it's a recipe I still frequently return to.

It is a very reliable basic recipe, always turning out a quality chocolate cake despite using humble store cupboard ingredients.

Follow this easy chocolate sponge cake recipe to make either a basic teatime cake or push the boat out with toppings to elevate it to showstopper status for special occasions.

A piece of chocolate sponge cake cut from a bigger cake (also in shot).

Try my recipes for fairy cakes and butterfly cakes if you're after something nostalgic to delight children too. Or breeze through my full collection of cake recipes to find what you are after.

Why this cake is worth making

This chocolate cream cake recipe relies on basic store cupboard ingredients and can be in the oven in 15 minutes.
The batter can also be used to whip up a batch of cupcakes, so this recipe is an all-round good guy.
And however you decide to serve it, this easy chocolate sponge cake recipe will delight time after time.

Person cutting into a cake topped with cream and chocolate flakes.

Ingredients notes

Like most simple cakes, this easy chocolate sponge cake recipe does not require fancy ingredients. They are all likely to be in your cupboard already if you bake regularly:

Baking margarine or butter
Caster sugar
Eggs
Milk
Cocoa powder
Flour
Baking powder

Do I have a preference for baking cakes with butter or baking margarine? Yes I do - I much prefer baking margarine (I always use Stork). I think the cake it makes is somehow lighter in texture and stays softer for longer.

However, not any margarine will do for baking. It must have a suitably high fat content (over 70%). Those with lower fat contents are not suitable for baking as they tend to have a higher water content that interferences with the baking process. Always check the ingredients list if you are unsure.

There's nothing wrong with using butter either though. But do ensure it is very soft before baking begins. It will be so much easier to work with if it is.

Step by step instructions

This chocolate cream cake uses the separated egg technique. In this method the yolks are beaten into the batter but the egg whites are whipped before being gently folded in. Trust me, this technique makes for a fantastically light cake.

There are 5 steps to follow:

Step 1: Cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy

Step 2: Beat in the egg yolks followed by the milk

Making cake batter by creaming and beating in eggs - step by step image collage

Step 3: Sift the flour, baking powder and cocoa powder into the bowl and mix

Making cake by sieving and mixing ingredients together- step by step images

Step 4: whisk the egg whites to stiff peaks, mix 1 spoonful of it into the cake batter

Step 5: Gently fold in the rest of the egg whites, spoon into tins and bake

Collage: Folding egg whites into batter and dividing batter into baking tins

These simple steps take me around 15 minutes to complete, so it's a relatively quick and easy chocolate sponge cake recipe to follow.

Once baked, remove from the baking tins, allow the cakes to cool completely and then fill and decorate as desired.

Assembling the cake

To turn this bake into a chocolate cream cake, whip some double cream to soft peaks and use to sandwich the layers together along with a generous splash of jam. Top with more whipped cream and some grated chocolate.

Collage of images showing a cake being decorated

I piped my cream onto the cake for a neater finish, but it's fine to slather it on using a blunt knife too.

Remember to store the filled chocolate cream cake in the fridge if not consumed straight away, to help keep the cream in tip-top condition.

Expert tips

There are a few simple points to keep in mind when baking this easy chocolate sponge cake recipe to ensure a successful bake:

Allow ingredients to come to room temperature before baking. This reduces the risk of the batter splitting and the butter will be so much more easy to cream with the sugar
Don't forget to preheat your oven. Cake batter needs to be cooked at the correct temperature as soon as possible, to ensure the baking powder can give optimum performance and the best possible rise to the sponge cake
Fold the egg whites in as gently as you can to keep as much air in the batter as possible. Use a large metal spoon and keep folding in until no white streaks of egg white remain
If the cake has been refrigerated before serving, do allow sufficient time for it to come to room temperature again before diving into it. That's around 2 hours out of the fridge in winter, maybe less time in warmer weather

Frequently asked questions

Do I need to line the cake tins?

Always. Even if the tin is labelled as nonstick it will be so much easier to remove the baked cake if the tins are greased and the bottoms lined with baking parchment.

Can I make a bigger version of this chocolate cream cake?

You certainly can. Full details for making 6, 7 or 8 inch cakes follow in the next section.

Can I freeze chocolate cream cake?

This chocolate sponge cake is perfect for making in advance since it can be frozen, provided it has not been filled and decorated.

Just cook the layers as instructed and allow to cool fully. When cold, wrap each layer in clingfilm, label and transfer to the freezer. The sponge cake will keep like this for up to 3 months.

When ready to use, just remove from the freezer and allow to defrost for 2 hours at room temperature, then proceed to decorate as desired.

Can I make vegan chocolate cream cake?

Sadly not. However, Chocolate Covered Katie has a lovely looking cake that might suit your needs. And if you need a gluten-free chocolate cake, try this one.

How to make a larger version

Please note that the chocolate cream recipe presented is for a 2-layer cake made in 6-inch pans. It's a relatively small cake, designed to serve 6 people.

The recipe works on the following basis:

Per egg add the following:

60g butter
60g sugar
50g flour
15g cocoa powder
½ teaspoon baking powder
1 ½ tablespoon milk

These measures are sufficient to make 1 layer of the cake in a 6-inch pan. So for the 2 layer cake presented, I have simply doubled these quantities. Similarly, I could turn it into a 3 layer cake by tripling these measurements.

But from these measurements, it is also easy to scale up this recipe for a 2-layer cake for several different tin sizes. Here are the measures needed for some common cake tin sizes:

two layers in 6-inch tins (2 eggs + 120g butter/ sugar + 100g flour + 30g cocoa powder + 1 teaspoon baking powder + 3 tablespoon milk)
two layers in 7-inch tins (3 eggs + 180g butter/ sugar + 150g flour + 45g cocoa powder 1 ½ teaspoon baking powder + 4 ½ tablespoon milk)
two layers in 8-inch tins (4 eggs + 240g butter/ sugar + 200g flour + 60g cocoa powder + 2 teaspoon baking powder + 6 tablespoon milk)

Decoration ideas

Part of the joy of baking any cake for me is deciding how to fill and decorate it.

My family like this cake best if I present it as a classic chocolate cream cake. So simple, yet so delicious.

But with this easy chocolate sponge cake recipe there are so many ways you can take it once baked. Here are a handful of my ideas, but I'm certain you'll come up with some great ideas of your own too:

Keep this cake ultra-simple by topping with a dusting of icing sugar in place of the piped cream and chocolate flakes on top
Pile fresh fruit - such as strawberries or raspberries - on top of the cake. You can also include a few in the centre. Be sure to pick a jam that matches or compliments the fruit you are using
Swap the jam for caramel spread and wait for all the happy sighs to roll in
Put aside the fresh cream and jam & use your favourite buttercream instead. My favourite pairings would by marshmallow fluff buttercream or mint choc chip buttercream
Chocolate buttercream is a great option if you want a greater hit of choccie flavour. It also lends itself to incorporating a few favourite chocolates into the decoration - Maltesers, M&Ms and Mini Eggs always look good on cakes
Bake an extra layer or two to turn this easy chocolate sponge cake recipe into something much grander. You might like to try your hand at Swiss meringue buttercream if you are intending to create a showstopper
Give this chocolate cream cake some Black Forest Gateau vibes by sprinkling some kirsch syrup over the sponges, filling with cherries Jubilee, kirsch spiked whipped cream and decorating with more cream and oodles of chocolate curls

Overhead view of a chocolate cake with a slice removed.

More easy cake recipes

I've got a large collection of cake recipes, but if you are after a few quick suggestions, try these:

If you tried this chocolate cream cake please give it a rating below. Don't forget to share your creations with me on Instagram too - I love to hear how you've got along. Use #littlesugarsnaps and tag me @jane_littlesugarsnaps.