This cake combines the perfect mix of chocolate and vanilla sponges, making it perfect for when you can’t decide which you want!
Ingredients:
- Sponges:
- 225g self raising flour
- 225g butter
- 225g sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tbsp coca powder
- 50g milk chocolate
- Caramel Buttercream:
- 500g icing sugar
- 250g butter
- Caramel sauce (can be homemade – see recipe – or shop brought) to taste/ colour
- Chocolate Frosting (for filling)
- 125g icing sugar
- 30g butter
- 2 tbsp coca powder
- 1-2 tbsp hot water
- Italian Meringue:
- 100g caster sugar
- 25g water
- 50g egg whites only!
- Chocolate Ganache:
- 100g dark chocolate
- 100g milk chocolate
- 300g double cream
Method:
- Sponges:
- Pre-heat the oven to 180C and line the base of/grease 2 baking tins
- In a large mixing bowl whip the butter to incorporate air, the lighter the colour the more air added. Cream in the sugar.
- Add the eggs in gradually to prevent the mixture curdling, mixing well to ensure a fluffy cake.
- Sift the flour with the baking powder a few times before adding to the wet ingredients. Fold in the flour gently making sure to not overwork the mixture or knock any of the air out.
- Divide the mixture evenly into two bowls. To one add the vanilla extract and set aside.
- Melt the chocolate in a bain-marie and add to the second bowl of mix along with the coca powder.
- In one tin pour the vanilla mix and the over tin pour the chocolate mix.
- Bake for 20mins, until a skewer comes out clean.
- Leave to cool
- Caramel Buttercream:
- Whip the butter until it lightens in colour to add air.
- Slowly incorporate the icing sugar
- Stir in your desired amount of caramel sauce
- (If your icing is too stiff you can add a teaspoon of milk to make it softer)
- Chocolate Frosting:
- In a bowl whisk the icing sugar, butter and hot water together until smooth with no lumps
- Flavour with the coca powder
- Italian Meringue:
- In a large bowl slightly whist the egg whites into a froth
- In a small saucepan gently heat the sugar and water until it bubbles. Continue to heat until the sugar starts to brown slightly. Be careful not to overcook as the sugar burns easily.
- Slowly add the heated sugar into the egg whites down the side of the bowl whilst constantly whisking.
- Whisk until the mixture cools. It should be glossy and hold peaks.
- Assembling the cake:
- Once the sponges have cooled, cut them in half to make 4 thinner layers (2 vanilla, 2 chocolate)
- Smudge a small amount to icing onto the cake board before placing the first vanilla layer. Spread the a third of the chocolate icing.
- Place a chocolate layer on top. Before spreading another layer of chocolate frosting. (Here the chocolate icing can be replaced with Bischoff spread to enhance the s’mores flavours)
- Add the second vanilla layer, spreading the last of the chocolate frosting before topping with the last chocolate sponge.
- Using a small amount of the caramel buttercream do a thin crumb coat before leaving to chill in the fridge for 30 mins.
- Decorating the cake:
- Use the caramel icing to cover the cake
- Make your ganache by heating your cream in a saucepan, before pouring over the chocolate and mixing. As the ganache cools it will thicken.
- Pour your ganache into a piping bag and use it to draw a drip affect round the sides of the cake.
- Add your meringue to a piping bag. Pipe mall swirls around the top of cake and a scallop detail around the base.
- The finish gently blowtorch the meringue to give it the toasted affect of smores.