The classic cakes are always the best, like this easy to cook Chocolate Victoria Sponge Cake. How to make a simple chocolate cake mix using basic ingredients of butter, sugar, eggs, flour and cocoa powder.
Two-tier British chocolate sandwich filled with chocolate buttercream frosting. Perfect homemade birthday cake, afternoon treat or just an excuse to get baking.
Uk measurements and time are given for baking in the oven in two, 7 inch, 8 inch or 9-inch sandwich tins or one single deep cake tin and cut in half.
How to make Chocolate Victoria Sponge Cake
We give you all the advice you will need to make this chocolate version of the British classic Victoria sponge cake.
Follow along the video to see how simple it is to make this homemade sandwich cake.
If using two 8 inch sandwich tins jump on down to the recipe card to get started.
Jump to Recipe
Or continue reading for other cake tin sizes or how to adapt this recipe to make a similar two-layered sandwich cake from only one deep cake tin.
Victoria sponge ingredients
A traditional British Victoria sponge cake is made with equal measure ingredients of egg, sugar, butter, and flour. With a buttercream and jam filling. Often sliced and served as part of an afternoon tea, with a cup of tea.
It is believed to be one of Queen Victoria’s favourite cakes; you can read more about the history of the Queen’s cakes here.
To give our Victoria sponge a delicious chocolate taste, we simply replace some of the flour in the cake mix with cocoa powder.
Skip the jam and add melted chocolate in with the buttercream. It creates a light, fluffy chocolate cake.
How to upscale and downsize cake recipe
We have used two 8 inch (20cm) loose bottom sandwich cake tins for this recipe. We have also worked out the ingredient weights to downsize this chocolate cake into a small 7 inch or upsize into large 9-inch sandwich tins.
I have worked out the measurements below for other size tins. I have based this on the average large egg size.
For the most accurate results, weigh your eggs first (with shell), then match the amount of the other ingredients to your eggs. Simple!
All our American friends…… sorry for no cup conversions here……. but this is one recipe that really needs accurate measurements! It’s time to invest in some scales!
Two Sandwich Tins
Size >
▼ Ingredients ▼
7 inch
18 cm8 inch
20 cm9 inch
23 cmEggs (large)2 eggs3 eggs4 eggsSugar130 g190 g250 gButter130 g190 g250 gFlour100 g145 g190 gCocoa Powder30 g45 g60 gIngredients for different tin sizes
Chocolate Buttercream filling
The Victoria sandwich cake traditionally only has buttercream in the centre of the two layers, “hence the name sandwich cake”.
This single layer of buttercream keeps the cake from being too rich and sickly.
Cake size >
▼ Chocolate Buttercream filling
for in between two cake layers ▼
7 inch
18 cm8 inch
20 cm9 inch
23 cmButter100 g130 g160 gIcing Sugar175 g230 g285 gChocolate50 g70 g90 gHow much buttercream do I need?
If you wanted to add buttercream frosting on the top of the cake, double the above buttercream ingredients.
Or triple for a extra rich chocolate frosting coating to cover inside, on the top and around the sides.
Can I cook a two layer sponge cake in one cake tin?
The chocolate Victoria sponge cake is best when baked in two matching size sandwich tins. It will create two even-sized and flat (not domed) layer cakes perfectly cooked light and fluffy cakes ready in 20 – 25 minutes.
If you only have one deep cake tin instead of two sandwich tins, you can still make this two-layered chocolate cake.
It will, however, take more time to bake in the oven, have a more domed top, and the sponge cake will not be as light and fluffy.
The extra time needed to cook the cake will overbake the tops and sides of the cake.
You will also need to cut the cake in half yourself once cooled before adding the frosting, which will take more time and effort than baking in two sandwich tins from the start.
Use the below chart to calculate the time for cooking different size cakes in one deep cake tin or two sandwich tins; we have also included how many slices the chocolate cake can be cut into.
Cooking time for the round cake tin7 inch
18cm8 inch
20cm9 inch
23cmTwo even sized sandwich cake tins 20 minutes22 minutes25 minutes1 deep cake tin cut into two once cooled45 minutes 50 minutes60 minutesAmount of slices it will cut into6-1010-1410-18
How to create level cakes
In order to achieve a level cake without the dreaded doming in the middle, we highly recommend using Wilton baking strips
They help give us perfectly cooked, even layered sponges every time. The Wilton bake-even strips can be used on any sized tins.
Simply wet them down whilst preparing the chocolate cake mix, then pop the wet baking strips around the outsides of the cake tin.
They work by keeping the sides cool preventing the sides from cooking too quickly which can create an undesired dome in the middle of the cake.
I brought the baking strips as I was fed up that every cake I cooked ended up flat around the edges and risen in the middle.
I was not sure if it would work and was pleasantly surprised that they did! They are reusable, I use them on every cake I bake!
How to serve
We usually keep it simple with a dusting of icing sugar to finish this cake.
In all honesty, this chocolate Victoria sponge is great served sliced by its self. However, you could add some cream for extra richness if serving for a dessert?
This simple chocolate cake recipe could also be made ahead and covered with fondant icing for a birthday cake.
Storing chocolate cake
Wrap in cling film, large zip lock bag or in a sealed cake box. Make sure no air can get to it. The chocolate cake with buttercream is best kept at room temperature for up to 3 days.
Or for longer life store in the fridge for up to 5 days, but bring back to room temperature before serving.
Frequently Asked Questions?
Chocolate Victoria Sponge Cake
Try a twist on a British classic, with this Chocolate Victoria Sponge Cake. How to make a simple homemade chocolate cake mix using basic ingredients of butter, sugar, eggs, flour and cocoa powder. Two tier chocolate sandwich cake filled with thick chocolate buttercream frosting. A easy to cook birthday cake, afternoon treat or just an excuse to get baking.Uk measurements and time given for baking in the oven in two loose base 8 inch sandwich tins.Check out blog post for ingredients and cooking time for two 7 inch or 9 inch cake tins or making chocolate cake in a single deep cake tin to cut into two after it is cooked.
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Prep Time 38 mins
Cook Time 22 mins
0 mins
Total Time 1 hr
Course Afternoon Tea, Cake, Dessert, Party
Cuisine British
Servings 10 People
Calories 512 kcal
Equipment
Wilton Bake Even Baking Strips
8 inch Round Baking Parchment – 20cm
Ingredients
US CustomaryMetric
1x2x3x
Chocolate Victoria Sponge Cake
- 3 Large Eggs Room temperature
- 190 grams Butter Room temperature (Stork or margerine can be used instead)
- 190 grams Caster Sugar
- 145 grams Self-raising flour
- 45 grams Cocoa powder
Chocolate Buttercream filling
- 130 grams Butter Room Temperture
- 230 grams Icing sugar plus extra for dusting on top
- 70 grams Cooking Chocolate We use milk chocolate but you could use dark if preferred.
Instructions Assemble Chocolate Victoria Sponge
Nutrition
Calories: 512kcalCarbohydrates: 57gProtein: 6gFat: 32gSaturated Fat: 20gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 125mgSodium: 253mgPotassium: 170mgFiber: 3gSugar: 42gVitamin A: 881IUCalcium: 32mgIron: 2mg
Keyword 8 inch sandwich tin, Basic cake recipe, British cake, chocolate buttercream, Chocolate Cake, Chocolate Sandwich Cake, Chocolate Victoria Sponge, Classic cake, homemade cake, UK measurements
We hope you enjoy this cake as much as our family do! Please ask us any questions, leave us a comment and share your cake with us on social media!
Our Lemon Drizzle Cake is another fantastic British cake recipe to try for next time.
