Go Back Email Link
Mary Berry Chocolate Sponge Cake Recipe

Mary Berry Chocolate Sponge Cake Recipe

Mary Berry's chocolate sponge cake is light, richly flavoured, and sandwiched with chocolate buttercream — the classic all-in-one method.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Cooling Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Servings: 10 Slices
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: British
Calories: 545
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • Chocolate Sponge:
  • 225 g unsalted butter softened
  • 225 g caster sugar
  • 4 large eggs room temperature
  • 175 g self-raising flour sifted
  • 50 g good quality cocoa powder sifted
  • 2½ tsp baking powder
  • 4 tbsp boiling water
  • 2 tbsp whole milk
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • Chocolate Buttercream:
  • 175 g unsalted butter softened
  • 300 g icing sugar sifted
  • 50 g good quality cocoa powder sifted
  • 3 –4 tbsp whole milk
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • To Finish:
  • Icing sugar or cocoa for dusting
  • Chocolate shavings optional

Method
 

  1. Mix cocoa with boiling water to a smooth paste. Cool 5 minutes.
  2. Preheat oven to 180°C / 160°C fan / Gas 4. Grease and line two 20cm sandwich tins.
  3. Place butter, sugar, eggs, flour, baking powder, milk, vanilla, and cooled cocoa paste in a large bowl. Beat with electric whisk 2–3 minutes until smooth and well combined.
  4. Divide equally between tins — weigh for even layers. Bake 22–26 minutes until a skewer comes out clean. Cool in tins 5 minutes. Turn out. Cool completely.
  5. Beat butter alone 3–4 minutes. Add icing sugar and cocoa in two batches. Add vanilla and milk until smooth. Beat 2 more minutes.
  6. Fill and top with buttercream. Dust with icing sugar or cocoa. Add shavings if using.

Notes

Always bloom cocoa in boiling water — this is the key to deep chocolate flavour.
Butter must be genuinely soft for the all-in-one method to work.
Weigh batter between tins for perfectly equal layers.
Check at 22 minutes — remove the moment the skewer is clean.
Cool completely before filling — 45 minutes minimum.
Stores in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
QR Code linking back to recipe