Chocolate sponge

Preperation time: 30 mins
Cooking time: 25 mins
Serves: 8

Recipe Ingredients

50g belgian plain chocolate, melted;
100g plain flour;
25g cocoa powder, plus 1 tbsp for dusting;
125g caster sugar;
4 large eggs;
227g carton of fresh strawberries;
4 tbsp icing sugar;
284ml double cream, whipped.

Recipe Method

Grease and line the base of two 20cm sandwhich cake tins.

Sift together the flour and the cocoa powder.

In a heatproof bowl put the eggs and sugar. Lower over a pan of simmering water without letting the bowl touch the water. Whisk with an electric hand whisk for 10 mins until thick and foamy and increased in volume.

Remove the bowl from the pan and continue to whisk for a further 2 minutes. Fold in the flour and cocoa mixture.

Evenly divide the mixture between the two cake tins and level the tops. Bake in a preheated oven (180c/ gas4) for 25 minutes until it feels springy to the touch.
Turn out on a wire rack to cool.

Dip 5 of the strawberries in the melted chocolate and set aside. Hull and slice the remaining strawberries.

In a bowl mix 2 tbsp of the icing sugar into the whipped cream and spread over one of the cake layers. Top with the strawberry slices. Put the other sponge layer on top.

Dust the top of the cake with the remaining icing sugar and cocoa powder. Decorate with the chocolate dipped strawberries.