Everybody needs a basic, go-to chocolate sponge. This one is eggless, moist, decadent, light and airy. It is incredibly easy to make and takes no time to pull together! You can decorate it, use for novelty cakes, black forest cake or just eat it as it is (with ice-cream please)!
Few things before you get started:
You can use melted butter instead of oil if you're going to eat the cake right away without refrigerating. Oil keeps the cake moist for days but butter definitely adds more flavour
I use brown sugar in the recipe because I think it adds a ton of flavour. Brown sugar has a molasses-y flavour which amplifies the taste of chocolate
A little bit of coffee adds a kick to the cake. you won't taste it in the final cake but it makes the chocolate more chocolaty. You can add a pinch of cinnamon as well and it will do the same thing
Sifting the dry ingredients is an extremely important step. It is the only time you'll be adding air to your batter
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1/2 cup castor sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 tsp instant coffee powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 cup buttermilk (1 cup milk + 1 tablespoon vinegar)
1 tablespoon vanilla
1/3 cup oil
Method:
Pre-heat your oven to 175 C for at least half an hour
Sift all your dry ingredients (flour, cocoa, coffee, baking soda) in a bowl
Add both kinds of sugar to the dry ingredients and mix
Make a well in the center and add in the liquid ingredients one by one
Start mixing slowly with a whisk and then eventually switch to a spatula to fold your batter
Do not over-mix or you'll knock out all the air from the batter
Pour the batter into a 9 inch pan or divide the batter into two 6 inch cake pans
Bake for about 30-35 minutes in the pre-heated oven. Check by inserting a toothpick into the center of the cake, if it comes out clean you know you're done!
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