Chocolate Sponge Cake With Walnuts

This chocolate sponge cake recipe is creamy and nutty, made with dark chocolate and grated walnuts. A fluffy chocolate sponge cake with a soft and foamy consistency created by the whipped egg whites but also a crunchy texture from the walnuts. This moist chocolate cake is a popular choice for a birthday cake or for a special occasion. The perfect base for a layer cake covered with dark chocolate frosting and topped with fruity raspberries to complete.

Jump to:

• What is a sponge cake
• How this chocolate cake is unique
• Ingredients
• Cake pan
• Step by step instructions with images
• Important tips
• Storage
• FAQ
• Recipes you might also like
• 📋Chocolate Sponge Cake With Walnuts

What is a sponge cake

A sponge cake is a cake without any raising agent, like baking powder or yeast.

It is made fluffy by whisking the egg whites; usually, it has no butter.

Sponge cakes with butter are called Genoise sponge cakes.

A sponge cake is lighter and often covered with a creamy frosting.

Due to the large number of eggs, it is spongy rather than crumbly.

Therefore a perfect sponge cake is easy to shape.

It is the pastry used for Swiss Roll, where the cake is baked on a flat rectangular sheet, then covered with creamy frosting and rolled.

Simple and versatile, a well-made chocolate sponge cake can be transformed into anything from a classic birthday cake to an elegant dessert for special occasions.

How this chocolate cake is unique

This chocolate sponge cake is different from other sponge cakes for the following reasons:

• It is made with dark chocolate, not unsweetened cocoa powder, making the final result even creamier.
• The batter is also mixed with crunchy walnuts to add texture to the cake.
• It is a creamy and nutty chocolate sponge cake with almost no flour.
• There is no leavening agent; its airy texture is made by whipping egg whites, which are added to the mix.
• But while, in general, sponge cakes do not have butter, this cake does, making it similar to a Genoise sponge cake.
• The dark chocolate frosting completes the taste of this delicious cake, adding creaminess with the acidic contrast of fresh raspberries.

You can find more chocolate desserts: 2 ingredients chocolate mousse, Caprese cake, marble bundt cake.

Ingredients

To make the cake batter, you need the following ingredients:

• Flour: All-purpose flour works best for creating a tender crumb. You may sift in flour to remove any lumps and achieve an even texture.
• Sugar: The sweetness in the cake comes from sugar, although you may adjust the quantity to suit your taste. Granulated sugar works well in sponge cake recipes.
• Whole eggs: Large, room-temperature eggs are essential for providing structure and lift to the sponge cake. Remember to incorporate the eggs one at a time and fully mix each one in before adding the next.
• Butter: Melted unsalted butter adds richness and moisture to the cake. Be cautious not to over-mix the batter after adding butter, as it may affect the cake's texture.
• Dark Chocolate: This recipe uses dark chocolate, not cocoa powder. A good quality chocolate is essential for this recipe
• Instant coffee: adds depth to the flavor. Dilute in freshwater
• Chopped walnuts: for a crunchy texture. You can also use pecan or macadamia nuts

Cake pan

Grease and flour 2 baking pans 20 cm in diameter.

Here I used a heart-shaped tin for St Valentine’s, but you can use a regular round one.

Step by step instructions with images

Making the batter

Prepare the ingredients:

1. Melt the chocolate, sugar, coffee and water in a bain-marie or in the microwave for 1.5 minutes.
2. Mix and let it cool down.
3. Separate the egg yolks from the white.
4. Mix the ground walnuts with 2 tablespoon of flour.

Making the chocolate batter

5. In a large bowl whip the butter with an electric mixer until it becomes creamy.
6. Add the egg yolks to the butter and mix
7. Combine the melted chocolate and sugar with the butter and eggs,
8. Then add the ground walnuts mixed with the flour.
9. Mix the batter well until all is combined

Adding the egg whites

9. In an electric mixer with a whisk attachment, whip the egg whites till stiff peaks.
10. Gently add it to the mix,
11. one spoon at a time.
12. Mix with a large rubber spatula until it is all combined in a fluffy texture.

Baking it

13. Pour the mix into the 2 baking pans 20 cm in diameter coated with butter and flour
14. Bake in a hot oven in the middle rack at oven temperature 355 F - 180C for 35 minutes.
15. Let them cool completely on a wire rack.

Make the frosting

To completely cover this cake in frosting and add a layer in the middle, we are making a Chocolate Ganache.

You will need the following in equal proportion:

• Heavy cream
• Dark chocolate (if you use milk chocolate, the frosting will be softer)

 See the recipe card for quantities.

1. Gently warm the cream but make sure it does not boil. The best is to do it in a bain-marie over a pot of boiling water.
2. Take off the heat and add the dark chocolate.
3. Mix until the chocolate melts.

5. Place the mixing bowl in the freezer for 10 minutes.
6. Whip the chocolate cream.

Frosting and decorating the cake

1. Once the cakes are ready, let them cool at room temperature before proceeding.
2. Place one cake on the serving dish.
3. Spread some cream on top of the first cake.
4. Position the second cake on top.
5. Cover the top of the cake completely with the remaining cream.
6. Spread the frosting also on the side of the cake layers.

7. Decorate with walnuts and raspberries.
8. Keep in the fridge until it is time to serve.

Important tips

• Use good quality dark chocolate. The cake consistency will be softer if you want to use milk chocolate.
• Same principle applies to the frosting. If you want to use milk chocolate, use less cream.
• You can also use the microwave at medium for 1.5 minutes to melt the chocolate.
• Make sure the egg whites are at room temperature. Cold egg whites won't make a firm foam.
• On the contrary, whipping the cream is best if the whisk and the bowl are very cold. Place them in the freezer for 10 minutes before preparing the frosting.
• Ensure the baking pans are well-buttered and coated with flour on the bottom and sides of the pan. This will ensure that the cake will not break when removed from the pan.
• During baking, keep a close eye on the oven, and avoid opening the door too often. This can cause the temperature to fluctuate, which may lead to uneven baking or an undesired texture.
• Use a toothpick or a cake tester to check the cake’s doneness before removing it from the oven.
• Wait at least 10 minutes before removing the cake from the pans.
• Other cream fillings are chocolate buttercreamand custard cream. You can make the chocolate buttercreamby blending unsweetened cocoa powder or melted chocolate with a traditional buttercream base. You can find the recipe for a Custard cream in the Italian fruit tart recipe.
• Instead of raspberries, you can also use strawberries or blackberries

Storage

To maintain freshness, it's essential to refrigerate your chocolate sponge cake.

Proper storage helps keep the cake moist and flavorful for extended periods.

It is also advised to store the cake in an airtight container to prevent potential flavor transfer from other foods.

FAQ

Recipes you might also like

For more winter desserts recipes, check out the category: Desserts

Also, check the recipes below for Christmas:

• Torta Caprese with Almond and Chocolate - Gluten Free
• Traditional Struffoli Recipe With Cognac
• Roasted Chestnuts Recipe
• Torrone Italian Nougat Recipe
• Homemade Cinnamon Buns
• Mini Meringues Recipe
• Scandinavian Almond Cake With Custard Cream
• Ile Flottante Recipe
• Traditional Oreillettes Chiacchiere Recipe
• Pavlova Recipe with Chestnut Mousse

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