Go Back
+ servings
chocolate genoise filled with chocolate cream
Print Recipe
4.47 from 82 reviews

Chocolate Genoise, Chocolate Sponge Cake

Eileen Gray
Light as a feather Chocolate Genoise (chocolate sponge cake). This cake will absorb lots of syrup for an extra layer of flavor and moisture. I like to add a bit of rum to the syrup, but you can use vanilla or coffee, whatever flavor you'd like. This classic cake is especially delicious with whipped cream or mousse.
Prep Time30 minutes
Bake Time30 minutes
Total Time1 hour
Servings:12 servings

Ingredients

  • 4 ounces unsalted butter (8 tablespoons)
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 2 ounces Dutch process cocoa powder (½ cup)
  • 4 ounces boiling water (½ cup)
  • 8 large eggs
  • 8 ounces granulated sugar (1 cup)
  • 5 ounces cake flour (1 cup plus 2 tablespoons, see note)

Assembly

  • 1 ½ cups simple syrup (a double batch flavored with liquor or extract of your choice.)
  • Filling & icing of your choice

Instructions

  • Line the bottom of two 8" cake pans with a parchment round, or butter and flour the bottom of the pan only. Preheat the oven to 350°F350 °F (don't use the convection setting).
  • Melt the butter in a small saucepan, cook until the milk solids sink to the bottom of the pan and become brown. Drain the butter into a small bowl, leaving the milk solids in the pan. Stir the vanilla into the browned butter and set aside.
  • Place the cocoa into a small heat proof bowl. Pour the boiling water over the cocoa and whisk until smooth. Set aside to cool.
  • Put the eggs & sugar in a mixer bowl. Set the bowl over a pan of simmering water (don't let the bowl touch the water) and whisk until the eggs are lukewarm. Put the bowl onto the mixer and whisk until the eggs are tripled in volume.
  • Sift half the flour over the egg mixture and use a balloon whisk to fold, repeat with the remaining flour. Pour the cocoa into the browned butter and whisk until smooth. Whisk 2 cups of the egg batter into the cocoa/butter mixture and whisk to combine. Use the whisk to fold the cocoa/butter mixture into the batter just until combined. Divide the batter evenly between the pans.
  • Bake until the cake springs back when pressed in the center, about 30 minutes. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes before turning out onto a cooling rack. Cool completely before filling and frosting.

Assembly

  • Trim the top of the cake to level, if desired, split each cake into two layers.
  • Brush the layers generously with syrup before filling & icing.

Video

Notes

If measuring the flour by volume use the “dip & sweep” method. That is, dip the measuring cup into the flour bin, overfill it, then sweep away the excess.

Nutrition

Serving: 12slice | Calories: 351kcal | Carbohydrates: 61g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 129mg | Sodium: 69mg | Potassium: 154mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 50g | Vitamin A: 395IU | Calcium: 32mg | Iron: 3mg