Thin Old Fashioned Chocolate Cake

Our answer

Nigella's Old Fashioned Chocolate Cake (from FEAST) is an extremely popular chocolate sponge cake with a rich chocolate ganache frosting. The sponge itself usually rises well and there should be enough batter to fill two tins approximately 1/4-1/3 full each. We just wonder if larger sandwich tins were used as the quantity of batter is sufficient for two 20cm/8-inch diameter round cake tins. Larger tins would mean that the batter would be a thinner layer and it would look as if the cake did not rise as well.

The ingredients include baking powder and bicarbonate of soda as the leavening agents. The agents become less active over time so check that they are still in date. They should be measured as accurately as possible using 1 teaspoon (5ml) and 1/2 teaspoon (2.5ml) spoons. Using too much raising agent could cause the cake to rise up in baking but then sink quite a bit on cooling, and too little would mean the cake does not rise properly.