Celebration Sponge Cake
Celebration Sponge Cake
- Preparation time 135 mins
- Serves 24 people
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Nothing says celebration quite like this decadent vanilla sponge cake with chocolate icing filled with M&Ms. Jaws are sure to drop when you drop by a friend's with this quadruple layer cake.
And the vibrancy of the mini M&Ms as you cut open the cake is the perfect accompaniment to the news of lockdowns becoming a thing of the past.
So whether you're celebrating a birthday, anniversary, or just the fact that you can go out and spend time with a group of mates - this easy to master sponge cake should be part of your celebrations.
Ingredients
Sponge Cakes
- 8 eggs, at room temperature
- 1 ⅓ cups (295g) caster sugar
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 ⅓ cups (200g) self-raising flour
- ⅔ cup (100g) plain flour
Icing
- 300g dark chocolate, chopped
- 375g unsalted butter, chopped, at room temperature
- 2 tbsp milk
- ⅓ cup (35g) cocoa powder
- 2 cups (320g) icing sugar mixture
- 2 x 145g packets mini M&M’s
Method
Sponge Cakes (make 4 cakes)
- Preheat oven to 180°C/160°C (fan-forced). Grease two 20cm diameter round cake pans. Line bases and sides with baking paper, extending paper 3cm above pan edges.
- Place 4 of the eggs in a large bowl of an electric mixer. Using the whisk attachment, beat for 5-6 minutes on high speed, until very thick and pale. Add half the sugar, 1 tbsp at a time, beating between each addition. Beat in half the vanilla.
- Sift half of each of the flours, twice onto a sheet of baking paper then sift again over egg mixture. Add 1 tbsp boiling water. Gently fold to combine. Do not stir. Divide evenly among prepared pans.
- Bake for 20-22 minutes, or until golden brown and sponge slightly shrinks away from pan sides. Immediately turn out onto a wire rack lined with greased baking paper. Allow to cool.
- Repeat Steps 2, 3 and 4 with remaining ingredients to make two more sponge cakes.
Icing
- To make icing, place chocolate in a large heatproof bowl. Sit bowl over a saucepan of simmering water. Stir until melted and smooth. Remove. Cool for 10 minutes.
- Beat butter in a large bowl of an electric mixer until pale and creamy. Add chocolate and beat until combined. Beat in milk. Gradually add cocoa and sugar, beating until smooth.
To assemble
- Place one sponge cake onto a serving plate. Spread with ⅓ cup of the icing. Using a 9cm round cutter, cut out the centre from two of the remaining sponge cakes. Sandwich together, with ⅓ cup of the icing and place on top of sponge cake on plate. Fill hole with M&M’s.
- Spread ⅓ cup of icing over top of cake and invert remaining sponge cake on top to enclose M&M’s. Spread remaining icing over top and side.
- Coarsely chop ⅓ cup of M&M’s and press onto icing around the base of cake. Scatter 1-2 tbsp over the top of cake. Refrigerate until required.
Notes
- Sponge cake is best served on day of being made.
- Use fresh eggs at room temperature.
- Don’t skip on the sifting process! This incorporates air which is essential for good rise.
- For the best results, gently sift the sugar and flour onto the egg mixture when making the batter to preserve as much air as possible.
- When cooling the cake, ensure the baking paper is greased before turning out the sponge to prevent it from sticking.
- Use any candy or popcorn to fill cake.
- Sponge cake cut-outs can be frozen and enjoyed at a later stage or simply top with whipped cream, jam and fresh berries.
Nutritional Information
- Serving size 92g
- Energy 1740kJ 416kcal
- Protein 4.7g
- Total fat 20.4g
- Saturated fat 12.2g
- Carbs (total) 52.2g
- Carbs (sugar) 40.4g
- Sodium 101mg
- Fibre 1.1g
All nutrition values are per serve.