Chocolate Sponge Cakes

Lately, I've been having a slight huge chocolate addiction.

It's not surprising really, since Easter has just passed.....and I managed to buy a couple of boxes half priced Easter eggs last Monday. But I do find it rather alarming that I'm pulling chocolate goodies out of my oven every couple of days, and adding more chocolate desserts on my 'to make' list too!

Add to that, my terrible dietary habits or eating Chinese takeaway at least 3 nights a week, thanks to work, and constant snacking on chips, chocolate and whatever else is on special at the supermarket this week (I need something to fuel my late night studying right?)- I don't think I've ever been this unhealthy!

My reasoning for making so many sweet cake and cookies at home is that I think they're a little less bad for you than store-bought ones. These chocolate sponge cakes for example, aren't actually too unhealthy, as they only contain a small amount of oil, not too much sugar and are only ices with a little bit of chocolate whipped cream.

I have yet to master the sponge cake, and even though I occasionally hit the spot, with the perfect texture and taste, I am rarely able to replicate my success again. This recipe though, is definitely my favourite so far, as I've produced almost perfect sponges every one of the 4 times I've tried it- the first of which was a couple of years ago when I first started baking....and the other three all within a month of me trying out this recipe again!

The texture is beautifully light and soft, and with the thin cream layers, tastes and looks exactly like the little cakes we used to buy from Asian bakeries. Though theirs weren't iced and cut as wonkily as mine! ;)

Chocolate Sponge Cakes

warm water ...........................55g
coca powder ..........................12g
baking soda .............................2g
caster sugar......................... 120g (separated into 40g and 80g)
cake flour ..............................80g
baking powder .........................3g
egg yolks............................... 70g (4 yolks)
oil (I used vegetable oil)............65g
egg white..............................140g (4 whites)

Cream (I used thickened)........300g
Icing Sugar.............................to taste
Cocoa Powder.......................enough to make cream chocolate coloured

1. Mix the water and cocoa powder together to make a thick chocolate sauce. Add the baking soda.
2. In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and 40g of caster sugar until the sugar dissolves and the mixture turns slightly pale. Add in the oil, then whisk in the chocolate mixture from step one.
3. Sift in the cake flour and lightly whisk into batter until just combined.
4. In another clean bowl, beat the egg whites until foamy. Add the caster sugar slowly and beat until soft peaks form.
5. Gently fold the egg whites into the chocolate mixture until just combined.
6. Pour into a lined 23cm x 33cm pan (or whatever large rectangular pan you have) and bake in a preheated 190C oven for ~15 minutes. Cool completely.
7. Whip icing sugar and cocoa powder into cream until soft peaks form.
8. Cut the cooled chocolate sponge cake into equal thirds of halves (depending on whether you want 2 or 3 layer cakes). Spread the whipped cream equally onto the two/three pieces and then stack them on to of each other. Cut into small pieces and serve.