White & dark chocolate cake

White & dark chocolate cake

For big celebrations this cake is a must, four layers of moist sponge, lashings of chocolate ganache and the crunch of Maltesers

Difficulty and servings

Moderately easy

Cuts into 12 slices

Preparation and cooking times

Preparation time

Prep 30 mins

Cook time

Cook 30 mins

Freezable

Cake only

Method

  1. Heat oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4. Butter and bottom-line 2 x 20cm sandwich tins. For the cake, break the white and dark chocolate into two small bowls, then melt in the microwave on High for 1 min or over a pan of simmering water. Put everything else, except the coffee and vanilla, into a large bowl, then beat until creamy.
  2. Divide the mixture in two, then add the coffee and melted dark chocolate to one bowl, and the vanilla and melted white chocolate to the other. Stir until mixed through, then tip into the tins. Bake for 20-25 mins until risen and slightly shrunk from the sides of the tins. Cool in the tins for a few mins, then turn onto a wire rack.
  3. For the ganache, heat the cream in a pan, then break the dark chocolate into a large bowl. Once the cream is just boiling, pour it onto the chocolate, then leave for 5 mins. Stir until smooth, then leave until thickened and cool. Split the cakes in two across the middle (a bread knife works well), layer up the pieces, alternating white and dark layers, and sandwiching, then topping them with the ganache.
  4. To decorate, spoon the melted white chocolate into a piping bag with a fine nozzle (or use a sandwich bag and snip off the end instead). Zig-zag the white chocolate over the cake, then finish with a scattering of white Maltesers. Serve on its own or for dessert with pouring cream. Best eaten on the day, but keeps in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Try

Make it for Easter

If you want to give this cake a special Easter touch, you could arrange eleven Maltesers around the top in a ring to make a simnel cake of sorts

Per serving

565 kcalories, protein 7.0g, carbohydrate 51.0g, fat 39.0 g, saturated fat 22.0g, fibre 1.0g, sugar 37.0g, salt 0.62 g

Recipe from Good Food magazine, April 2008.

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Latest comments and suggestions

Results 1-20

  • Binder photo Fiona

    20 March 2008

    Fiona commented on this recipe

    Madethis for the boss' birthday cake and everyone was very impressed. The flavour and texture was fantastic

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  • Binder photo Fiona

    20 March 2008

    Fiona rated this recipe

    5 stars

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  • Binder photo starman

    20 March 2008

    starman commented on this recipe

    I would say that the cake needs to be cooked a little longer than 20-25 mins. I checked mine after 20 mins and it was still uncooked in the middle, and then it sunk because Id opened the oven too soon. I have to say it was very tasty once it was cooked but unfortunately didn't look great!

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  • Binder photo Angela

    21 March 2008

    Angela rated and commented on this recipe

    4 stars

    We loved it, but I would agree that it needs longer to bake. Left the second cake in for 30mins which worked well in my oven. Could make this recipe as an adult dessert by sprinking cut layers with Tia Maria...yum!

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  • Binder photo JennieLucas

    22 March 2008

    JennieLucas rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    With you all there, definately needs longer to cook. (I thought it was my oven!) Very tasty though.

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  • Binder photo Katrin

    22 March 2008

    Katrin rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    Super texture and flavour, everybody loved it! Have already been asked to make it for a birthday party next week.

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  • Binder photo minky babe

    23 March 2008

    minky babe rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    I was asked to make this for my daughters 16th party and it went down a storm.looks fab as a centre piece for afternoon tea

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  • Binder photo Maria

    24 March 2008

    Maria commented on this recipe

    Made this as it looked so fab in the magazine. the receipe was very easy to follow. As I dont like coffee in any shape or form I left this out of the chocolate part of the cake but it still tasted ok. However I wont be making this again for the simple reason that I didnt like it! Neither did my two young sons who demolish 75% + bars of chocolate

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  • Binder photo ilze

    25 March 2008

    ilze rated this recipe

    4 stars

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  • Binder photo littlemisshappy145

    25 March 2008

    littlemisshappy145 rated and commented on this recipe

    4 stars

    I made this and it was delicious, and i baked it for 25 minutes. I found it a very dense cake but the ganache was delicious. I left out the coffee and it still tasted great. Great cake A**

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  • Binder photo JOOLES

    27 March 2008

    JOOLES commented on this recipe

    Well after reading everyones comments im defenetly going to make this on Sat. It looks totally yum and really easy to make. I'll be back to let you all know how it went. Just one question, i dont want to sound silly, but i take it when you add the coffee it is dry coffee and not addeed to hot water before adding to the cake?? Can anyone help....:-)

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  • Binder photo Midas

    27 March 2008

    Midas rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    I made this cake for Easter Sunday and although I'm not a huge chocolate fan, my family loved it. I must admit that I didn't have the problem of the cake sinking because it needed longer cooking but I did find that the white chocolate cake cooked more quickly than the dark one so that although the dark one was perfect when it came out the white one was not as light as it had been slightly over cooked. I used different brands of white and dark chocollate and I wonder if this was the reason? The white choc maltezas made a lovely extra touch I thought.

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  • Binder photo Midas

    27 March 2008

    Midas commented on this recipe

    For Jooles. No, Jooles you do add water. To make it really strong I just used a tablespoon of instant coffee, added a couple of tablespoons of boiling water to make it dissolve and then measured out a tablespoon of the strong stuff! Hope you enjoy it!

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  • Binder photo JOOLES

    27 March 2008

    JOOLES commented on this recipe

    Thanks Midas that was really helpful. Cool now im ready to rock 'n' roll, will let you know how it went. Im gonna make it on Sat. :-)

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  • Binder photo Italiana

    29 March 2008

    Italiana commented on this recipe

    To all of those that are still debating whether to bake this cake and are chocoholics.......ITS FANTASTIC! Bake it! With the melted chocolate added to the sponge mixture it really makes the sponge extremely moreish......I followed the recipe to the letter and used the chocolate they recommended however, I couldn't find the white maltesers and used 'milkybar white moments' instead...still very nice!!

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  • Binder photo Tanyabk

    30 March 2008

    Tanyabk commented on this recipe

    Hi All, I really want to make this cake but in the recipe it refers to vanilla yet this is not in the ingredients listing that I can see.. how much do I need? Can anyone advise?

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  • Binder photo JOOLES

    31 March 2008

    JOOLES commented on this recipe

    I made the chocolate marble cake in the end as i had all the ingrediants in and diddnt want to go out as it was horrible weather. It was totally yummy, i will make this one some time tho.

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  • Binder photo zebrazebra1971

    31 March 2008

    zebrazebra1971 commented on this recipe

    My sister had some difficulty with this one but after 5 attempts and a few revisions or teh process, it was lovely

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  • Binder photo Sarah

    01 April 2008

    Sarah rated and commented on this recipe

    4 stars

    I made this over Easter for my son's birthday cake. I didn't use the coffee & topped the cake with Cadbury's mini eggs. Cooking time was spot on but the ganache didn't thicken as much as I was expecting, I followed the recipe so I'm not sure what I did wrong? My son & all his friends enjoyed it, there was none left for me to try!

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  • Binder photo Claire Helen

    02 April 2008

    Claire Helen rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    My four year old and I made this fantastic cake. It was easy to make and very impressive to look at and everyone enjoyed it, adults and children alike. it did take longer to cook than the given time.

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Difficulty and servings

Moderately easy

Cuts into 12 slices

Preparation and cooking times

Preparation time

Prep 30 mins

Cook time

Cook 30 mins

Freezable

Cake only

Gorgeous centrepiece

Ingredients

  • 175g butter , softened, plus extra for greasing
  • 100g white chocolate (we like M & S or Green & Black's with real vanilla)
  • 100g dark chocolate (70% cocoa)
  • 3 eggs
  • 100ml whole or semi-skimmed milk
  • 175g caster sugar
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 200g self-raising flour
  • 2 tbsp very strong coffee (instant is fine)
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract

FOR THE GANACHE AND TO DECORATE

  • 284ml pot double cream
  • 200g dark chocolate (70% cocoa)
  • 50g white chocolate , melted
  • small bag white chocolate Maltesers (optional)
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Per serving

565 kcalories, protein 7.0g, carbohydrate 51.0g, fat 39.0 g, saturated fat 22.0g, fibre 1.0g, sugar 37.0g, salt 0.62 g

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