This chocolate layer cake is a simple yet elegant dessert, perfect for birthdays, celebrations, or just a sweet craving. With light, fluffy chocolate sponge layers filled with rich, creamy pastry cream, it's bound to impress. Topped with decorative chocolate shapes, this cake is both visually stunning and delicious. Even if you’re a beginner in baking, you’ll find this recipe easy to follow and rewarding to make.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe: The light and airy chocolate sponge is perfectly complemented by the creamy pastry filling, creating a harmonious balance of textures and flavors. The smooth whipped cream folded into the pastry cream gives it an irresistible lightness, while the banana slices between layers add a fresh touch. The dark chocolate decoration on top adds a professional touch, making this cake look as impressive as it tastes.
Perfect Occasion: This cake is perfect for birthdays, anniversaries, or any gathering where you want to serve a show-stopping dessert. It’s also a great weekend project to indulge yourself and your family with a delightful homemade treat.
Decoration Tips: For a polished finish, pipe decorative chocolate shapes or swirls on top of the cake. You can also dust the cake with cocoa powder or drizzle with white chocolate for a contrast in colors. Serve with a scoop of ice cream or fresh berries for an even more indulgent treat.
Recipe:
Ingredients for the Sponge Cake:
- 4 eggs (separated)
- 1 cup sugar (divided)
- 1 pinch of salt
- ½ cup boiling water
- 1 packet baking powder
- 1 packet vanilla
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 3 tbsp cocoa powder
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
Ingredients for the Pastry Cream:
- 4 cups milk
- ½ cup + 2 tbsp flour
- ½ cup cornstarch
- 3 tbsp cocoa powder
- Slightly less than 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 packet whipping cream
- ½ packet heavy cream
- 1 packet vanilla extract (to be added after cooking)
Instructions:
- Prepare the Sponge Cake: Start by separating the egg whites and yolks. Add half the sugar to the egg whites with a pinch of salt and beat until stiff peaks form. In another bowl, whisk the yolks with the remaining sugar until light and frothy. Add the boiling water and continue whisking. Sift together the dry ingredients (flour, cocoa, baking powder, cornstarch, and vanilla) and gently fold them into the yolk mixture. Carefully fold in the whipped egg whites, being careful not to deflate the batter. Spread the mixture into a parchment-lined baking tray and bake in a preheated oven at 180°C for 20 minutes. Once baked, cool, then cut into three equal strips.
- Prepare the Pastry Cream: Combine milk, flour, cornstarch, cocoa powder, sugar, and egg yolk in a pot. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens. Once thick, remove from heat, add the vanilla, and let it cool in the fridge overnight. The next day, whip the heavy cream and folding into the pastry cream until smooth.
- Assemble the Cake: Spread pastry cream between each layer of sponge cake. If desired, add sliced bananas between the layers for extra flavor. Soak each cake layer with milk to keep the cake moist before stacking the layers.
- Decorate the Cake: Melt dark chocolate, pipe your desired shapes onto parchment paper, and refrigerate until firm. Once set, place the decorations on top of the cake for an elegant finish.
This chocolate layer cake is a delightful dessert that looks stunning and tastes even better. Perfect for any special occasion or just because you deserve something sweet. Enjoy!