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Home » Baking » Cakes

Chocolate Cream Cake – A Quick & Easy Recipe

December 7, 2020 by Jane Saunders 23 Comments

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chocolate cream cake with text overlay
Chocolate cream cake with text overlay
Chocolate cream cake with text overlay
chocolate cream cake with text overlay

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.

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

This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Contents hide
1 Why This Recipe is Special
2 Ingredients
3 Step by Step Instructions
4 Assembling The Cake
5 Expert Tips and FAQs
6 How to Make a Larger Cake
7 Decoration Ideas
8 Recipe
9 Chocolate Cream Cake

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 recipe for fairy cakes if you’re after something nostalgic to delight children too.

Why This Recipe is Special

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 how ever 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

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 and FAQs

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 cake?


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

Can I freeze this 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 it vegan?


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 Cake

Chocolate cream cake with jam and whipped cream

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 or mint choc chip buttercreams
  • 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 cherry compote, kirsch spiked whipped cream and decorating with more cream and oodles of chocolate curls
Overhead view of a chocolate cake with a slice removed.

Find More Easy Cake Recipes

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

  • Easy vanilla sponge cake
  • Flourless semolina cake with orange & mint drizzle
  • Lemon & poppy seed drizzle cake
  • White Chocolate Baileys Cake
  • Vanilla & malt cupcakes

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.

Recipe

Easy Chocolate Sponge Cake

Chocolate Cream Cake

Jane Saunders
Every baker needs an easy chocolate sponge cake recipe they can depend on. This cake is reliably delicious however it is presented. Serve it simply, as a chocolate cream cake, or dress it up to mark special occasions.
NOTE: THIS CAKE USES 6-INCH CAKE PANS. SEE MY RECIPE NOTES FOR DIFFERENT TIN SIZES
4.67 from 12 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Baking, Dessert
Cuisine: Worldwide
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
Servings: 6
Calories: 504kcal
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Ingredients

For the Cake

  • 120 g (½ cup/ 4 ¼ oz) Baking margarine or butter
  • 120 g (⅝ cup/ 4 ¼ oz) Caster sugar
  • 2 Eggs Large, free-range
  • 3 tablespoon Milk
  • 100 g (¾ cup/ 3 ½ oz) Plain (all-purpose) flour
  • 30 g (¼ cup/ 1 oz) Cocoa powder
  • 1 teaspoon Baking powder

For the Filling

  • 3 tablespoon Jam
  • 250  ml (1 cup)  Double (heavy) cream
  • 1 tablespoon Chocolate flakes

Instructions

Make the Cake

  • Preheat the oven to 180C/ 350F/ GM4 and grease & line 2 x 6-inch cake tins
  • Using electric beaters, cream the butter and sugar together until light & fluffy
  • Separate the egg white and yolks. Put the whites aside. Add the yolks to the creamed ingredients along with the milk. Beat until just combined
  • Sift the flour, baking powder and cocoa powder into the bowl and gently stir in, using a large metal spoon until thoroughly combined. Take care not to overwork the batter though
  • Whisk the egg whites to stiff peaks. Take a spoonful and mix it into the cake batter to loosen it, then fold the rest in. Continue to mix until just combined and no obvious patches of egg white are visible
  • Divide the batter between the cake tins and bake for approx 20 minutes until well risen. A cocktail stick poked into the centre of the cake should come out clean
  • Remove from the oven when sufficiently baked. Let cool in the tin for 2 minutes, before unmolding. Remove the parchment and allow the cakes to cool completely on a wire rack

Fill the Cake

  • Put the cream into a medium mixing bowl and whip until the cream holds it’s shaped nicely
  • Place 1 layer of cake on a plate/ stand and spread with 2-3 tablespoon jam
  • Top with ⅔ of the cream – either pipe it on or smooth it out with a knife – then top with the second layer of cake
  • Spread a thin layer of cream across the top and scatter chocolate flakes over, leaving a 2cm border around the cake edge
  • Pipe the rest of the cream around the edge of the cake (I used a Wilton 8b nozzle)
  • Best served immediately but this cake can be covered and stored in the fridge for up to 2 days (let sit at room temperature for 1 hour prior to serving)

Notes

Please note that the 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/ 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)

Nutrition Per Serving (Approximate)

Calories:504kcal | Carbohydrates:46g | Protein:6g | Fat:35g | Saturated Fat:21g | Cholesterol:155mg | Sodium:187mg | Potassium:258mg | Fiber:2g | Sugar:26g | Vitamin A:1192IU | Vitamin C:1mg | Calcium:93mg | Iron:2mg
Tried this Recipe? Pin it Today!Mention @littlesugarsnap or tag #littlesugarsnaps!
(Visited 3,326 times, 17 visits today)

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Reader Interactions

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  1. Lorraine

    April 17, 2022 at 7:59 pm

    5 stars
    first time I’ve ever make a cake by adding baking powder to plain flour and it worked out really well, everyone enjoyed this cake, will definitely be making it again

    Reply
    • Jane Saunders

      April 18, 2022 at 8:47 am

      Ah brilliant – I much prefer using plain flour and baking powder over self-raising these days. Thanks so much for letting me know how you got along with my recipe.

      Reply
  2. Edith

    March 17, 2022 at 12:40 am

    Thank you we made it today. Delicious! Thank you,

    Reply
    • Jane Saunders

      March 17, 2022 at 12:11 pm

      Hi Edith – thankyou so much – great to hear it was enjoyed.

      Reply
      • Martha

        September 28, 2022 at 6:22 pm

        This looks perfect for an upcoming birthday but just wanted to ask, would this work with self raising flour as well as baking powder? I’ve had some bad experiences of badly risen cakes in the past and don’t want to take any chances, plus my baking powder is possibly a little old. Thank you!

      • Jane Saunders

        September 28, 2022 at 7:30 pm

        Hi Martha, baking powder that has been open for 3 or more months should be discarded as it loses its ‘spark’ if it has been open for too long. And do check it’s in date too. I don’t recommend mixing self-raising flour and baking powder for this recipe. Use EITHER plain flour plus baking powder OR just self-raising flour and you’ll be fine.

  3. IR

    August 03, 2021 at 11:41 am

    1 star
    Didn’t work for me.
    Cake fail?
    Just didn’t rise properly. Mixture felt too solid but I went ahead anyway.
    Birthday disappointment
    Won’t use again

    Reply
    • Jane Saunders

      August 03, 2021 at 1:54 pm

      Hi there, sorry to hear that you had an issue with this recipe. I’ve been making this cake for around 40 years, so know that it works well. Can I ask you to confirm that you added the baking powder? It’s the only thing I can think of that could possibly account for the cake not rising. If you did, it might be worth checking if the baking powder has been open for a long time or gone past its useby date – apparently, it can lose its potency if it’s been hanging around in the cupboard for several months once opened.

      Again, sorry you had trouble, but I absolutely guarantee this has been my go-to chocolate cake recipe for decades, so I hope you’ll give it another try.

      Reply
  4. Toni Dash

    December 07, 2020 at 4:49 pm

    5 stars
    This is so amazing!! Everyone at my house really loved this cake!

    Reply
  5. Jessica Formicola

    December 07, 2020 at 4:27 pm

    5 stars
    Those layers are perfection! I know my family will love this chocolate cake and I can’t wait to make it for them!

    Reply
  6. Katherine

    December 07, 2020 at 4:23 pm

    5 stars
    This cake looks so light and dreamy!

    Reply
  7. Sarah

    December 07, 2020 at 4:14 pm

    5 stars
    Delicious ?! You’re right everyone needs a good chocolate cake recipe especially if it’s as pretty as yours.

    Reply
    • Jane Saunders

      December 07, 2020 at 4:23 pm

      I’ve been making this one for over 40 years (feeling old there) so I’m 100% certain everybody else should have this recipe too.

      Reply
      • Siobhan

        November 08, 2021 at 9:19 pm

        Hi I’m currently making this in an 8inch tin I’m guessing I’ll need to up the 20 min cooking time could you tell me how long for it you see this in time please

      • Jane Saunders

        November 08, 2021 at 11:53 pm

        Hi, assuming you’ve followed the instructions for increasing the recipe for 8-inch pans then I’d bake for around 25 minutes, then check for doneness. Hope that helps

  8. Laura

    December 07, 2020 at 4:13 pm

    5 stars
    I didn’t know that about the baking margarine. Great tip. The cake does have a very light texture.

    Reply
    • Jane Saunders

      December 07, 2020 at 4:22 pm

      Oh yes, I have a few cakes I’d always use butter, but the majority I prefer the baking margarine.

      Reply
  9. Ashley

    June 10, 2020 at 6:24 pm

    5 stars
    Impressed my family. Thanks for sharing this recipe!

    Reply
    • Jane Saunders

      June 11, 2020 at 6:49 am

      Thanks for taking the time to let me know how you got along – great news!

      Reply
  10. Cindy

    June 01, 2020 at 6:07 pm

    This is the best chocolate sponge cake I’ve had! So delicious and my family loves it as well.

    Reply
    • Jane Saunders

      June 11, 2020 at 6:49 am

      Yes! So pleased to hear that.

      Reply
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