Indulge in a slice of pure decadence with this Whittaker’s Chocolate and Cherry Cloud Cake, topped with a heavenly whipped ganache. Imagine the perfect harmony of a rich chocolate sponge, tangy morello cherries, and a creamy, airy ganache! Yumm! Each bite brings together the luxurious texture of whipped cream cheese, the smooth sweetness of milk chocolate, and a soft sponge that melts in your mouth. Finished with edible nasturtium flowers, this show-stopping cake is as beautiful as it is delicious – ideal for a special occasion or when you simply want to treat yourself.
- Servings Makes about 12 slices
- Prep Time 120 minutes
- Cook Time 15 minutes
Ingredients:
Chocolate Sponge Cake:
- 4 large eggs, room temperature
- 180g / 3/4 cup caster sugar
- 4g / 1 tsp flaky sea salt
- 95g / ½ cup + 2 Tbsp plain flour
- 40g / ¼ cup + 2 Tbsp cocoa powder
- 16g / 2 tsp baking powder
- 25g butter, melted + extra for greasing
Cherry Filling:
1 jar / 680g pitted morello cherries
Whipped Ganache:
- 250g Whittaker’s creamy milk chocolate, chopped
- 250ml / 1 cup cream
- 375g traditional cream cheese, room temperature
- 50g / ⅓ cup icing sugar
Decoration:
- Edible nasturtium flowers (optional)
Method:
- Preheat oven to 170°C bake. Grease two 20cm cake tins with butter. Line the base of the tin with a round of baking paper.
- For the chocolate sponge cake, whisk the flour, cocoa and baking powder together. Set aside.
- Add the eggs, sugar and salt to a large bowl. Using electric hand-held beaters, beat on high speed for 8-10 minutes, until light, fluffy and the mixture holds a figure of eight. Sift over half of the dry ingredients and gently fold it through the beaten eggs, before adding the second half and folding through. Fold through the melted butter (be careful not to knock the air out of the mixture as you fold the ingredients through).
- Divide the mixture between the two cake tins and spread gently into an even layer. Bake for 15 minutes, or until the sponge is risen and springs back to the touch. Set aside to cool completely in the tins.
- For the cherry filling, add the jar of cherries, liquid included, to a medium pan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat. Simmer for 20-25 minutes, until the liquid has reduced by about half. Remove from heat and strain the cherries through a sieve, reserving the syrup. Set both aside to cool.
- For the whipped ganache, add the chocolate to a microwave-safe bowl along with the cream. Microwave in 30 second bursts, until melted and smooth. Set aside in the fridge to cool completely. Once cold, add the cream cheese and icing sugar. Using an electric beater, beat together for 1-2 minutes, until light and fluffy (don’t over-beat).
- Once the cakes have cooled completely, use a large serrated knife to cut each cake into two even layers.
- Place the first cake layer down on a serving plate or cake stand. Brush over about a quarter of the cherry syrup. Spread over a quarter of the whipped ganache, then spread it evenly over the cake. Scatter over a quarter of the cherries. Place a second cake layer on top. Repeat the process with the remaining cherry syrup, whipped ganache, cherries and cake layers.
- Decorate the cake with the edible nasturtium flowers, if desired. Serve the cake at room temperature.