Chocolate Cake inspired by classic confectionery, with delicate sponge and fine chocolate cream in clear layers. A timeless layer cake classic with elegant appearance and fine, balanced chocolate flavor.
1400gWhipping cream(use 400 g of it for chocolate whipped cream swirls and decoration)
24gWhipping cream stabilizer
8gVanilla sugar
400gDark chocolate couverture
12piecesChocolate decorations
50gSugar
Anleitungen
Chocolate sponge
Whisk the measured flour, cornstarch, cocoa powder, and baking powder in a bowl until well combined and lump-free.
Carefully separate the eggs. Yolks: In a large bowl, beat the yolks with the warm water, 145 g sugar, and vanilla sugar for about 10 minutes, until pale and creamy. Whites: In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites with a pinch of salt, then gradually add the remaining 75 g sugar and beat until stiff, glossy peaks form.
Preheat the oven to 170°C / 340°F (conventional, non-fan oven). Gently fold the whipped egg whites into the yolk mixture until just combined. Then sift in the dry ingredients in batches and fold in carefully with a spatula or whisk, keeping the batter light and airy.
Line the base of the springform pan with parchment paper and secure the ring firmly. Pour in the batter and gently smooth the top with a spatula.
Place the pan in the preheated oven and bake for about 36 minutes. Baking time may vary, so begin checking after about 30 minutes: insert a wooden skewer or the tip of a knife into the center of the sponge down to the base. If it comes out clean, with no wet batter attached (a few dry crumbs are fine), the sponge is done. Remove it from the oven.
Prepare the chocolate whipped cream
Chop the dark chocolate couverture and place it in a bowl. Bring 400 g of liquid whipping cream briefly to a boil and pour it directly over the chopped chocolate. Let it stand for 1–2 minutes, then whisk until smooth and the chocolate is fully melted. Add the remaining 1000 g of liquid whipping cream and stir until completely combined, mixing gently without whipping. Cover directly on the surface (e.g. with plastic wrap) and refrigerate for 8–12 hours.
Add 50 g of sugar and the whipping cream stabilizer to the well-chilled chocolate cream. Beat with a hand mixer until the chocolate cream becomes noticeably firmer but remains easy to spread. Set aside 400 g of the chocolate cream for decoration and keep it well chilled.
Prepare the Sponge Cake Layers
Place a sheet of baking paper on a cake lifter. Set the cake lifter with the baking paper onto the completely cooled sponge and carefully turn it over together with the attached pan base. Gently remove the pan base, then carefully peel off the baking paper from the sponge base (intermediate result as shown in the image). Turn the sponge over again, place it directly on the work surface, and then proceed to divide it into layers.
Adjust the cake leveler so that the lowest cutting wire first removes only the dome that formed during baking. Then reposition the cutting wires to divide the sponge into a total of four evenly thick layers. Turn the top sponge layer upside down and use it as the top layer of the cake – flipping it ensures an especially clean and neat cake edge.
Assemble the cake
Place the cake ring on the prepared cake plate and adjust it to the desired diameter (24 cm for this recipe). Tip: Cut rectangular strips of baking paper and place them overlapping between the cake ring and the cake plate. Once the cake is finished, these strips can be carefully removed, keeping the edge of the cake plate clean.
Set the cake ring to 24 cm / 9.5 inches. For each layer, add 250 g of the chocolate whipped cream to the cake ring and spread it evenly, for example using an offset spatula. This builds the three inner layers. Spread the remaining chocolate whipped cream over the top sponge layer and smooth the surface as evenly as possible. Refrigerate the cake for at least 2 hours to set.
Carefully remove the cake ring from the well-chilled chocolate cake and smooth the sides using an offset spatula. Once the ring is removed, refine the top layer of chocolate whipped cream and smooth it again if needed. Transfer the reserved chocolate whipped cream to a piping bag and decorate the cake with small whipped cream swirls.