Condensed Milk Cocoa Sponge Cake

Decadent, spongy, chocolaty and moist cake made of high-quality cocoa and condensed milk. If you are looking for a light cake, this is not the one for you.  With a white chocolate filling and cocoa Buttercream topping, this cake can’t be denser and more heart-filling. Fix this cake and throw it in the oven, fill, top and chill then slice and enjoy a break from the world.

FYI: This cake tastes best when NOT shared. Mark my words, after your first slice, you will open the fridge door several times that day just to look at it and remind yourself that tomorrow you get to enjoy more of it just for you ;)

Prep Time: 30 Minutes          Cook Time: 40 Minutes

Filling and Topping Prep Time: 30 Minutes

Ready in: 3.5 to 4 Hours

Yield: 6 Slices

You will need:

1 Round Baking Tin, lined with greased parchment paper. If the tin is non-stick, grease it from all sides without using the parchment paper. Tin dimensions: 18cm wide, 7cm high

List of Ingredients:

-       -  ½ Cup (125gm) Unsalted Butter at room temperature

-        - ½  Cup (100gm) Light brown sugar

-        - 2 eggs

-        - 1/3 Can Condensed Milk (1 Can is 397ml)

-        - 1 teaspoon Baking Powder

-        - ¼ teaspoon Salt

-        - 1 Cup (120gm) Cocoa Powder, preferably 50% Cocoa or more

-       -  ¾ Cup (100gm) All-purpose Flour

For the White-Chocolate- Ganache Strawberry Filling:

-        - 50gm White Chocolate Chips

-        - 100ml Heavy Cream

-        - ½ kg Fresh Strawberries, Sliced. Divide the amount to 2 equal halves

For the Cocoa Buttercream Topping:

-       -  ¼  Cup (60gm, ) Unsalted Butter at room temperature

-        - A dash salt

-        - 3 tablespoons light brown sugar (optional, but the granulation adds an amazing crunch)

-        - 1/3 Cup (40gm) Cocoa Powder, preferably 50% Cocoa or more

-        - 1 Cup (125gm) Icing Sugar

-        - Cold milk to adjust consistency

Method of Preparation:

-        - Preheat the oven to 200°C.

-        - Cream the butter and sugar until pale, blend on medium-high speed if using the hand mixer.

-        - Add the eggs, one at a time. Don’t rush! Beat until pale and fluffy.

-        - Add the condensed milk, lower the hand mixer speed to low and continue beating.

-        - Add the dry ingredients together in a bowl, mix with your fingers then sift into the mixture.

-        - Using a wooden spoon, fold the dry ingredients carefully until there are no more flour lumps. DO NOT over mix.

-       -  Pour the mixture into the tin. Bake for 20 minutes then lower the temperature to 175, open the door and turn the tin to ensure equal distribution of heat, close and bake for 20 more minutes.

-        - After 40 minutes a skewer should come out clean. The top will be puffy and the cake will bounce back when slightly pressed with your index finger. If the skewer doesn’t come out clean bake for ten more minutes.

-        - Remove from heat, let rest for at least 30 minutes until cool then remove from the tin.

-        - In the meantime prepare the ganache by warming the cream then throwing the chocolate chips and stirring until melted. Let this mixture cool down for 20 minutes.

-        - Prepare the Buttercream by creaming the butter, salt, sugar if using, cocoa and 1/3 the amount of sugar together until consistent. This is a small cake so you can totally do it with your hands or with the hand mixer, you don’t really need the food processor for that. After this add the remaining amount of the icing sugar in small batches, mix with the wooden spoon until incorporated.

-        - It sometimes takes me up to 3 batches; I like my Buttercream airy and fluffy.  Stop when you reach the desired consistency. Adjust hard consistency with drops of cold milk or more sugar if too runny.

-        - Now, let’s slice the cake! I will assume you are a newbie so here is how you want to slice it.

-        First, use a serrated knife to cut and level the puffy top. To slice one cake into two layers, detect the center of the cake, and then slowly rotate the cake while following the center line with the knife and cut through the cake toward the center. After a few rotations you will have sliced the cake in two. Know more about cake slicing for beginners here and here.

-       -  Invert the top then spread the ganache on the bottom layer. Spread half the strawberry slices then cover with the top layer.

-       -  Using a spatula spread the Buttercream. I didn’t want to coat the sides because I wanted the white chocolate filling to show, I stored the remaining Buttercream in my freezer. However you can completely cover your cake from all sides, and this is actually better to keep it moist and make sure it stays like that, especially if you won’t serve it the same day.

-        - Spread the second half of the strawberry slices on top and chill for two hours before serving.

-        - Slice, serve and enjoy!

-        - Store the cake (covered) in the fridge up to a week.