Chocolate spider web cake
Serves: 10-12
Prep time: 25 minsTotal time: 
Recipe photographed by Tara FisherRecipe by Jenna Leiter
Chocolate spider web cake
Serves: 10-12
Prep time: 25 minsTotal time: 
See more recipes
Nutritional information (per serving)
Calories
669Kcal
Fat
40gr
Saturates
25gr
Carbs
69gr
Sugars
51gr
Fibre
4gr
Protein
8gr
Salt
0.9gr
Sainsbury's magazine
Our team of trained chefs and skilled food writers love cooking up everything from innovative seasonal recipes or clever shortcuts, to step-by-step guides and classic recipes for friends and readers alike.
Sainsbury's magazine
Our team of trained chefs and skilled food writers love cooking up everything from innovative seasonal recipes or clever shortcuts, to step-by-step guides and classic recipes for friends and readers alike.
Ingredients
For the dark chocolate sponge
- 250g plain flour
- 25g cornflour
- 400g caster sugar
- 150g cocoa powder, sifted
- 2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
- 225g unsalted butter, softened, plus extra for greasing
- 250ml buttermilk
- 2 large eggs
- 225ml fresh coffee, cooled to room temperature
For the chocolate ganache
- 300g dark chocolate (50% cocoa solids)
- 300ml double cream
To decorate
- 3 white marshmallows
Step by step
Get ahead
Make the cake, including decoration, up to 2 days in advance. The sponges can also be frozen, or kept for up to 2 days in an airtight box, before decorating.
- Preheat the oven to 180°C, fan 160°C, gas 4. Grease 2 x 23cm round cake tins and line the bases with baking paper.
- Combine the flour, cornflour, sugar, cocoa powder and bicarbonate of soda in a large mixing bowl and mix well. Add the butter and buttermilk and continue to mix on medium speed for 2-3 minutes.
- In a small bowl, whisk the eggs and coffee together. Gradually to the cake mix, whisking until just combined.
- Divide the batter between the two prepared tins and bake for 35-40 minutes, until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Leave the cakes in their tins for 10 minutes, then carefully turn them out onto wire racks and leave to cool completely.
- To make the ganache, finely chop the chocolate and place into a medium heatproof bowl. Gently heat the cream in a small saucepan until it just comes to the boil, remove from the heat and pour over the chopped chocolate. Leave for 30 seconds, then gently stir to combine. Leave to cool and thicken slightly, stirring occasionally.
- Spread a thin layer of ganache over one of the layers, then place the second layer on top. Pour over a quarter of the remaining chocolate ganache. Spread evenly over the top, nudging it down the sides. Using a palette knife, spread another quarter of the ganache around the sides, so that the ganache fully covers the cake. Put in the fridge to set for 15 minutes, then repeat with the remaining ganache, and again chill in the fridge for 15 minutes, so that you end up with a thick, set ganache that covers the cake evenly.
- Once the ganache has set, place the marshmallows in a bowl and microwave on high for about 20 seconds, until just melted. Allow the marshmallows to cool just a little, so that you can get sticky cobweb-like strands from it – test the consistency by dipping your thumb and index finger into the marshmallows and open and close your fingers until the marshmallows become stringy. Once stringy, make a web over the top and sides of the cake, dipping your fingers back into the marshmallow mixture as necessary.
