Serves
12
servings

Intro

This is my go-to celebration chocolate cake, the one behind the birthday version in the photo: a rich, moist chocolate sponge under a glossy ganache, finished with fresh strawberries and a few macarons for that little bit offlourish. The macarons are optional — a nod to the French side of things — but even plain with ganache and berries, it’s a proper centrepiece. I’ve written it so you can bake it, ganache it, and decorate with whatever you have.

At a glance

  • Serves: 12–16 · two 20cm layers(base for the scaler)
  • Prep: 45 min ·Bake: 30 min ·Decorate: 30 min
  • Difficulty: Moderate
  • Pillar: The Bake → Signature Bakes
  • Themes (dietary): contains gluten, dairy, egg(macaron décor adds tree nuts)

Ingredients

Chocolate sponge (two 20cm tins)

  • 200g plain flour
  • 60g cocoa powder
  • 300g caster sugar
  • 1½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
  • 150ml flavourless oil
  • 2 medium eggs
  • 250ml buttermilk
  • 150ml hot coffee or boiling water loose batter is correct

Chocolate ganache

  • 300g dark chocolate, chopped
  • 300ml double cream

To decorate

  • 200g fresh strawberries
  • 6–8 macarons(see themacaron recipe) · optional freeze-dried raspberry to scatter

Method

  1. Heat oven to 180°C / 160°C fan / gas 4 / 350°F. Grease and line two 20cm tins.
  2. Whisk the dry ingredients. Add oil, eggs and buttermilk; whisk smooth. Whisk in the hot coffee last.
  3. Divide between the tins and bake 28–32 minutes until a skewer comes out clean. Cool fully.
  4. Ganache: heat the cream until steaming, pour over the chocolate, leave 2 minutes, then stir smooth. Cool until thick and spreadable.
  5. Sandwich the sponges with a little ganache, then coat the top and sides.
  6. Crown with strawberries and macarons; scatter freeze-dried raspberry.

Allergens & swaps

  • Contains: wheat/gluten, milk, egg (and tree nutsif topped with almond macarons).
  • Nut-free: decorate with berries and chocolate shards instead of macarons.

Baker’s notes

Let the ganache thicken to spreadable before you start, or it slides. Add fresh fruit close to serving so it stays perky.

Want this for an occasion instead of baking it?

If you’d rather we made it for you — sized, flavoured and decorated for your celebration — see ourbespoke cakes service. That’s an enquiry-and-quote, made to order; this page is the bake-it-at-home version.