Chocolate cake to celebrate the Queen's 90th birthday
It’s Queen Elizabeth’s 90th birthday today so Phil Vickery will be baking her bespoke chocolate cake she’s had made every year - using the official royal recipe. We’ll even speak to her former Royal Chef Darren McGrady who has passed it on.
Recipe taken from Eating Royally, Recipes and Remembrances From a Palace Kitchen
Serves: Serves approximately 10
Ingredients
The sponge6 egg yolks2 eggs115g/4 oz caster sugar 55g/2 oz plain flour25g/1 oz cocoa powder55g/2 oz melted butter
The topping and filling
600ml/1 pint double cream450g/1 lb dark chocolate
Preheat the oven to 180c
8 inch sponge tin greased and lined with parchment paper.
Method
At least 6 hours before baking the cake prepare the filling. Melt 230g/8 oz of the chocolate and bring to the boil 300ml/½ pint of the cream.
Pour the cream onto the chocolate and whisk it until smooth, then refrigerate until set.
Turn on the oven to 180 degrees and set a pan (large enough to hold a mixing bowl) half full of hot water on the stove and bring the water to a boil. Line a 8 inch sponge tin with parchment paper and grease.
In a mixing bowl add the eggs, yolks and sugar and whisk together. Place over the bowl of hot water to allow the mixture to heat up.
Sieve the flour and cocoa and set aside.
Whisk the egg mixture until it doubles in volume and then fold in the butter and flour mixture. Spoon the mix into the 8 inch cake tin and bake for about 20 minutes until the sponge springs back when pressed.
Remove from the oven onto a cooling wire and make the topping while the sponge cools.
Melt the remaining 230g/8 oz of chocolate and bring to the boil the remaining ½ pint of cream. Pour the cream onto the chocolate and whisk it until smooth and then set aside off the heat.
Slice the sponge into three discs and spread the filling onto the bottom two discs and re-assemble. Add the remaining chocolate mix to the hot topping and whisk in.
Place the sponge back onto the cooling wire and ladle the topping over the sponge allowing it to run down the sides. Cool the cake for at least 2 hours before decorating with chocolate and serving.