makes
6
prep
40 minutes
cook
15 minutes
difficulty
Ace
makes
6
serves
preparation
40
minutes
cooking
15
minutes
difficulty
Ace
level
Ingredients
- 100 g (1½ cups) shredded coconut, to coat
Sponge Layers
- melted butter, to grease
- 4 eggs, at room temperature
- 165 g (¾ cup) caster sugar
- 2 tbsp boiling water
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 100 g (⅔ cup) self-raising flour, sifted
- 2 tbsp cocoa powder mixed to a paste with 60 ml (¼ cup) boiling water and cooled
Custard cream
- 1 tbsp cornflour
- 1 tbsp custard powder
- 2 tbsp caster sugar
- 200 ml milk
- 20g butter, cubed
- 1 egg yolk
- 1½ tsp natural vanilla essence or extract
Chocolate glaze
- 50 g dark chocolate, chopped
- 2 tsp vegetable oil
Cooling time 20 minutes
Chilling time 2½ hours
Instructions
To make the custard cream, sift together the cornflour and custard powder into a small saucepan. Add the sugar and then use a balloon whisk to gradually stir in the milk. Place the saucepan over a medium heat and cook, stirring frequently, until the mixture boils and thickens. Remove from the heat and stir in the butter, egg yolk and vanilla until well combined. Pour into a medium bowl, cover the surface of the custard directly with a piece of plastic wrap and set aside to cool (this will take about 2 hours).
To make the sponge layers, preheat oven to 180°C (160°C fan-forced). Brush two 16 x 26 cm shallow cake tins with a little melted butter to lightly grease and then line the base and two long sides of each with one piece of non-stick baking paper.
Use an electric mixer with a whisk attachment on high speed to whisk the eggs and sugar in a large bowl until the mixture is very thick and pale (this will take 5-8 minutes). Lift the whisk out of the mixture and draw a figure eight, if the trail stays on the surface long enough for you to finish drawing then the mixture is ready. If not, continue to whisk for a further minutes and then test again.
Combine the boiling water and oil. Sift the flour over the egg mixture. Immediately pour the warm water and oil mixture down the side of the bowl and use a spatula to fold until just evenly combined (be careful not to overmix).
Pour half of the mixture into one of the prepared cake tins. Add the cocoa paste to the mixture still in the bowl and fold together until just combined. Pour into the second cake tin. Gently tap the tins on the bench top three times to settle the mixture. Bake in preheated oven for 12-15 minutes or until the cakes spring back when lightly touched in the centre and start pulling away from the sides of the tins. Stand the cakes in the tins for 2 minutes before turning onto a wire racks to cool completely.
To assemble, use a 6 cm round cutter to cut each of the Sponge cakes into 6 rounds. Place the round cutter over a chocolate sponge. Top the chocolate sponge round with about 1 tbsp of the Custard cream and then cover with around of plain sponge. Remove the pastry cutter. Repeat with the remaining chocolate and plain sponge rounds and 1 tbsp of Custard cream for each cake to make 6 layered cakes in total. Spread the sides of the cakes with the remaining Custard cream. Roll the sides of the cakes in the coconut to coat and place on a serving plate. Place in the fridge while making the Chocolate glaze.
Place the chocolate and oil in a heatproof bowl. Place over a saucepan of simmering water, stirring occasionally, until melted and smooth. Carefully spread about 1 tsp of the Chocolate glaze over the tops of each of the cakes to cover. Return the cakes to the fridge for 30 minutes or until the Chocolate glaze is set. Serve chilled.
Baker’s tips
• These cakes will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days.
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Photography by Alan Benson. Styling by Sarah O’Brien. Food preparation by Tina McLeish.
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Cook's Notes
Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.
