Vanilla Sponge Cake with Ginger Cream and Chocolate Glaze

The perfect cake recipe for a moist Ginger Cream Cake - quick, easy and ideal to make for unexpected guests and always a tea time winner.

Vanilla Sponge:
6.17 oz butter (175 g)
6.17 oz sugar (175 g)
3 eggs
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1 tsp. baking powder
6.17 oz all-purpose flour, unbleached (175 g)
1-2 Tbsp. milk, if necessary

Ginger Whipped Cream Filling:
1¼ cups heavy cream (300 mL)
large slice ginger, freshly grated

Chocolate Glaze:
1¼ cups heavy cream (300 mL)
2 Tbsp. golden syrup
1.7 oz butter (50 g)
8 oz (1 cup) chocolate 60-70%, chopped (225 g)

Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C, Gas Mark 4). Butter a spring-form pan and dust with flour.

For the Sponge:
Put the butter and sugar into the bowl and cream them using an electric mixer. Start on low speed and only speed up when the cream and butter really start to cream together. Then add one egg at a time while mixing. When the cream is a nice aerated texture stop.

Add a tsp. of vanilla extract and a tsp. of baking powder to it. Now add 175 g of flour through a sieve. Mix it together till it's a loose dough. If it becomes too firm add a little splash or two of milk. You know when you've got it right as it will slowly drop off the spoon when held above the container.

Take a non-stick, loose bottom cake tin, greese it with butter then coat it with flour on the bottom and sides to stop the sponge from sticking. Then put the dough into it. Flatten it out with the back of your spactular and tap the tin a few times to get rid of any air pockets by lightly dropping from a height of 2 or 3 cm.

Bake for 30-35 minutes.

For the Filling:
Now pour 300 mL of cream into a container and whisk it by hand till you have a nice light cream. Grate a piece of ginger then mix it into the cream. Put it in the fridge while you're waiting for the cake to bake.

Take the cake out of the oven and run a knife around the outside of the sponge cake then push it out of the metal container from the bottom.

For the Frosting:
While you are waiting for the cake to cool it's time to do the sweet chocolate coating. Pour 300 mL of double cream into a saucepan and add two Tbsp. of golden syrup then whisk. Chop the chocolate up really thinly so it melts quickly and add 50 g of butter. Boil the cream and pour it onto the chocolate and butter. Give it a really good stir.

Cut the cake in half and put two dollops of ginger cream on it. Put the top of the cake on it then pour the luxurious chocolate topping over it so it's thoroughly covered. Use the bottom of the ladle to spread it.