If you’re in the mood for a deep, moist chocolate sponge cake that’s full of flavor, incredibly moist, and so dark — this one’s for you. It’s perfect for those of you who love that rich, super-dark chocolate taste. It both looks beautiful and tastes amazing.
Now, very often when you use a lot of cocoa powder in a sponge cake, it can turn out dry and dense. And this recipe actually uses almost the same amount of cocoa powder as flour — just a tiny bit more flour — so it’s extra important to make sure the cake stays moist.
Here’s what I do:
Maybe you’ve seen videos online where people wrap their cakes in plastic wrap right after baking to lock in moisture. And yes, that can work — but it also often traps too much steam and makes the cake soggy. I don’t love that.
Instead, as soon as the cake comes out of the oven, I flip it upside down onto a piece of parchment paper that’s placed on a wire rack. But before that, I sprinkle about 1 tablespoon of sugar on the parchment. The cake doesn’t touch the sugar, but the sugar gently draws out the excess steam. This helps the cake cool slowly, stay super moist, and never become soggy.
The result is a sponge that’s unbelievably moist and very soft — and there’s absolutely no butter in the batter.
This is not a cake I fill with buttercream. I always use cream-based fillings — like my favorite chocolate frosting or a smooth ganache — something that adds even more moisture. And once filled, this cake should always rest in the fridge overnight. I usually place a not-too-heavy book or flat weight on top to help the layers adhere perfectly and settle into each other.
Whatever you fill it with, just keep that in mind — and I really hope you love this one.
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