Chocolate Genoise

How to make a delicious, fluffy, light chocolate genoise with this easy, foolproof recipe. A chocolate genoise sponge is perfect to make cake layers and other homemade baked goods.

Jump to:

• What is a Genoise?
• More Sponge Cakes
• Ingredients et substitutions
• How to make chocolate genoise cake
• Cake ideas with this cake
• Storage and freezing
• Tips and Tricks
• You will also love
• Chocolate sponge cake
•  

What is a Genoise?

The chocolate genoise is a soft sponge cake with a light and airy texture and is part of basic recipes in French pastry where it is used for entremets and other desserts.

Like the classic genoise recipe, we love this cake for its ultra-soft texture in desserts like the Black Forest, to make a cake layer and other delicious cakes.

Very easy to make, this recipe of chocolate sponge cake is made of only 4 ingredients, eggs, sugar, cake flour, cocoa powder and especially it is made without baking powder as the eggs are whipped for a long time to give it this light texture.

Follow this delicious recipe and my tips to have a perfect chocolate genoise cake for all your homemade cakes for a birthday and other occasions to enjoy.

More Sponge Cakes

Ingredients et substitutions

Here is an overview of the ingredients you will need and possible substitutions to make this chocolate genoise recipe at home, scroll down the page to see the quantities in the recipe card.

• Eggs: Use fresh eggs and especially at room temperature to have a high sponge cake.
• Sugar: A white granulated sugar is preferable or a flavored sugar like cane sugar.
• Flour: White wheat flour such as cake flour, or like here a mixture of flour and cornstarch for a lighter cake.
• Cocoa: For the chocolate version, use only unsweetened cocoa powder.

Materials: Use a 8 inches / 20 cm aluminum cake pan and a stand mixer or powerful electric mixer to make the mixtures.

Option

• Baking powder: Optionally, you can add half a sachet of baking powder to make the cake rise or one 1 teaspoon of baking soda.
• Flavoring: A pure vanilla extract is essential to flavor the recipe.
• Salt: A small pinch of salt to bring out the flavors.
• Butter: Some recipes contain extra unsalted butter to make the chocolate cake more flavorful. Melted butter is incorporated at the end of the preparation.

⚠️ You will find the quantities and complete instructions in the recipe card at the end of the page.

How to make chocolate genoise cake

1 - Whip eggs and sugar

1. Place the room-temperature eggs, sugar and vanilla extract in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment.
2. Process on medium-high speed for about 10 - 15 minutes until the whipped egg mixture doubled or tripled in volume.

Tip: This step is important as the recipe does not contain baking powder, it is the whipped eggs that will give the sponge cake its height and airy texture.

Double boiler: You can also place the bowl over a pan of simmering water heated over medium heat and whisk with an electric hand mixer for about 10 minutes until the sugar is completely dissolved.

2 - Add dry ingredients

1. In a bowl, sift together the dry ingredients, cake flour, unsweetened cocoa powder, and pinch of salt.
2. Then pour the dry ingredients mixture through a fine sieve onto the egg batter.
3. Using a spatula, gently fold the flour mixture into the cake batter in a circular motion from the inside to the outside until they are completely incorporated.

3 - Baking

1. Preheat oven to 329°F / 165°C and prepare an 8 inches 20 cm round cake pan lined with parchment paper.
2. Pour the chocolate sponge batter into the prepared pan.
3. Bake in the oven at half-height for about 30 to 40 minutes until puffed.
4. Allow the cake to cool slightly in the pan before carefully removing it from the pan and let them cool completely on a cooling rack.

Tip: Be careful not to overcook the cake or it will be dry in the mouth. Dip the blade of a knife or a toothpick into the center of the cake, it should come out clean, otherwise, extend the baking time by 5 minutes.

Cake ideas with this cake

This chocolate genoise sponge is delicious with a very soft and fluffy texture and is perfect in all kinds of desserts:

• Black Forest with cherry and whipped cream
• Layer cake for a birthday party
• Dessert in a glass jar
• Entremets and chocolate mousse with ganache.
• With whipped cream and red fruits
• With chocolate ganache

Storage and freezing

At room temperature: The chocolate genoise can be stored at room temperature, for 3 to 5 days, under a tea towel, covered with plastic wrap or in an airtight container.

In the freezer: When the chocolate cake is completely cooled, you can keep it in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Thawing: Let it thaw gently at room temperature overnight.

Tips and Tricks

To make the most of this recipe and avoid sponge cake failures such as: "sponge cake that doesn't rise", "sponge cake that collapses after baking" or "sponge cake that isn't fluffy", follow these tips:

1. Room temperature eggs, essential for a fluffy sponge cake, fresh and room temperature eggs rise better. 
2. Whisk the eggs at medium-high speed to incorporate air into the eggs until they triple in volume.
3. Sift dry ingredients before adding to eggs
4. Gently fold in the dry ingredients with a spatula just until the batter is smooth.
5. Line the pan with baking paper, at least in the bottom of the pan, for easier removal from the pan.
6. Do not open the oven door during baking to avoid the thermal shock that could cause the chocolate sponge cake to fall apart.
7. Soak the genoise with sugar syrup, compared to other sponge cake recipes, the genoise is drier and it is advisable to moisten it a little.

You will also love

• Genoise sponge

Print