This all-in-one chocolate sponge recipe is a doddle to make and delivers great results every time....
.... BUT...
.... To avoid burning out your handheld mixer, I recommend using either a stand mixer (e.g. Kenwood or KitchenAid) or a heavy-duty hand mixer (such as a Dualit) or be prepared to emulate Paul Hollywood's bread dough mixing skills - as it's his recipe that's the inspiration for my chocolate sponge!
First lightly butter 2 deep 20cm loose-bottomed cake tins and base line (be careful on sizing, as I first used standard `Victoria' sponge tins, and ended up with 'mushroom topped' sponges).
Pre-heat the oven to 180ºc/gas mark 4 and soften the butter (either to soft room temperature, or by microwaving for 60 seconds at the 'low'/defrost setting).
Ingredients (in order!!!)
sift together (twice, ideally):
200g plain flour
4 tsp baking powder
30g good quality cocoa
pinch of salt
Add:
230g golden caster sugar
Mix
Then add:
230g softened butter
4 eggs lightly beaten (medium/large - total weight around 230g)
Mix at a low speed until evenly combined (warning - it'll be heavy going!). Stop at the moment the mixture looks even coloured and use a metal spoon to ensure there's no dry ingredients sticking to the base of the bowl.
Divide the mixture between the 2 tins - the pre-greased base will help to keep the liners in place - and smooth, then bake for 25 minutes. At this point (as I have a Rayburn) I turn the sponges and give them a further 5 minutes. The sponges should be golden, slightly shrunken from the sides and feel firm to the touch.
Leave for 5 minutes, then transfer (on their bases) to cool on a wire rack.
Now to assemble!
For me, the essential sandwich layer is raspberry jam or fresh raspberries (@ 100g) with either:
Softened chocolate spread (Whole Earth lightly whipped chocolate or hazelnut spread are both worth a try - 30 seconds, low setting, in the microwave works for me)
or, more traditionally, 150ml whipped cream
Better still, make a chocolate ganache (melt 200g good quality chocolate - for me Green & Black's every time, half milk/half plain in 200g single cream, over a bain-marie. Then allow to cool for a while) and use half to sandwich the sponge and half to coat the top.
End result - GONE IN MINUTES. At least, it is in my household!
UPDATE:
Since publishing, I've discovered
Opies Black Cherries with kirsch. AND
Wilkin & Sons - Tiptree -Cherry Fruit Spread (sweetened with grape juice concentrate, rather than sugar). Substitute these ingredients for raspberry jam/fresh raspberries in the 'sandwich' and the results are SUBLIME!