https://www.cutoutandkeep.net/projects/curlywhirly-cake • Posted by Ebury Publishing
When Konditor & Cook opened in 1993, the dark chocolate cake was our most popular. Chocolate throughout, it was filled with a rich ganache. One of its biggest fans was a Mrs Simon of Sloane Square, who always bought it for family birthdays, until one Thanksgiving when she requested a vanilla filling instead of the customary ganache. And that’s when the Curly Whirly Cake was born – a dark chocolate sponge laden with creamy vanilla frosting. At the time, we also went through a Klimt-inspired wedding-cake period. Gold-leaf squares and decorative swirls were all the rage, and so it was that an everyday cake ended up with some pretty chocolate curly-whirly decorations. The Curly Whirly has topped the number-one spot ever since, and I hope this recipe will make it an equally staple part of your baking. Makes a 17cm cake
When Konditor & Cook opened in 1993, the dark chocolate cake was our most popular. Chocolate throughout, it was filled with a rich ganache. One of its biggest fans was a Mrs Simon of Sloane Square, who always bought it for family birthdays, until one Thanksgiving when she requested a vanilla filling instead of the customary ganache. And that’s when the Curly Whirly Cake was born – a dark chocolate sponge laden with creamy vanilla frosting. At the time, we also went through a Klimt-inspired wedding-cake period. Gold-leaf squares and decorative swirls were all the rage, and so it was that an everyday cake ended up with some pretty chocolate curly-whirly decorations. The Curly Whirly has topped the number-one spot ever since, and I hope this recipe will make it an equally staple part of your baking. Makes a 17cm cake
Heat the oven to 190°C/Gas Mark 5. Line two 17cm sandwich tins with foil or baking parchment.
Heat half the milk and half the soft brown sugar together in a saucepan until the sugar has dissolved, then add the chocolate and stir over a low heat until melted. Remove from the heat and leave to cool slightly.
Sift the flour, baking powder and cocoa powder together and set aside. Put the butter in a large bowl, add the remaining sugar and beat together until light and fluffy, using an electric mixer. Gradually add the beaten eggs, alternating each addition with a tablespoon of the flour mixture to prevent it splitting.
Fold in the rest of the flour, followed by the remaining milk, then add the still-warm chocolate milk. Mix until smooth; it will have a very runny consistency.
Divide the mixture between the 2 lined tins and bake for 20–25 minutes, until risen and firm to the touch. Remove from the oven and leave to cool in the tins.
Turn the cakes out of their tins and sandwich them together with about a quarter of the frosting. Spread a thin layer of frosting over the top and sides to bind any crumbs and then leave to set in the fridge for an hour.
Coat with the remaining frosting, smoothing it with a palette knife. Sprinkle with chocolate flakes or put the melted chocolate in a parchment piping bag and pipe patterns on the cake.