Nutty Chocolate Hazelnut Cake

This is actually the second time that I have made this sponge. The first time I made it, I lined the side and the bottom of the cake pan. It shrank tremendously after cooling, and I really mean tremendously. The cake became really dense and not spongy at all. Perhaps, it is due to the eggs separation method used in the recipe. It is more of a method of making chiffon cake where you are not supposed to grease or line the pan. I believe the recipe would make a very good chiffon cake.

Anyway, as I love the taste of the cake, so I gave the recipe another try. This time, I only lined the bottom of the pan and inverted the pan while cooling down. The results are better, but because the cake bottom was lined, the bottom shrank quite a bit and pulled the baking paper away from the bottom of the pan. If I try the recipe again, I will use a pan with removable base and will not grease and line the pan or bake it as chiffon cake.

So far, I think beating whole eggs together is still the best method, as blogged in Chocolate Sponge Cake. Or maybe I should still use this recipe but making it differently.


Forgot to take picture of the whole cake, here's what left
of the cake when I remembered.

Sponge cake

Ingredients:

• 6 egg yolks
• 20g sugar
• 80g milk
• 46g corn oil
• 100g cake flour
• 20g corn flour
• 4 tbsps ground hazelnut
• 6 egg whites
• 60g sugar

Method:

1. Line the bottom of an 8in round cake pan.
2. Sift cake flour and corn flour together. Set aside.
3. Beat egg yolks and 10g sugar until sugar is dissoved.
4. Add in oil and milk and stir well. 
5. Add in flour mixture followed by ground hazelnut and mix well. Set aside. 
6. Whisk egg whites with 30g sugar till soft peak forms.
7. Take 1/3 of the egg whites and mix into the egg yoks batter, make sure it is well mixed.
8. Take another 1/3 of egg whites and Fold into egg yolk batter slowly.
9. Repeat till the egg whites are finished and pour the batter into the side of pan (to get a flat top) and make sure that batter is level.
10. Bake at 180'C preheated oven for 35 minutes or till cook. 
11. Invert the pan immediately and let cool.

Chocolate ganache

Ingredients:

• 100g dark chocolate, with 70% cocoa mass
• 58g whipping cream (chilled)
• 174g whipping cream (chilled)
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• Some nuts (coarsely chopped) eg. pecans, walnuts, almonds, etc.

Method:

1. Melt the chocolate with the 58g whipping cream. Mix well and let it cool.
2. Whip 174g whipping cream until you see traces of beater's mark on the cream.
3. Mix in the chocolate mixture and vanilla and continue to beat a few more seconds till stiff peak.

Assembly:

1. Cut the cake into 3 layers.
2. Take 1 layer of the cake. Spread 1/4 of the cream on top of the cake.
3. Take another cake layer and place it on top of the first layer.  
4. Spread another 1/4 of the cream on top of the cake. Repeat until finish. I didn't cover the side. So, you need to trim the side to make it look nice.
5. Sprinkle the nuts on top of the cake.
6. Refrigerate to chill the ganache.
   

   I am submitting this post to Aspiring Bakers #18: Layers of Love (April 2012) hosted by Sam of Sweet Samsations.