Happy Easter everyone! I hope your Sunday has been filled with good food, laughter and a little bit of indulgence. Ours certainly was. I usually do most of the cooking in the family, and I genuinely love it, whether I’m creating our favourites or testing new ideas for the blog. But every now and then, it’s lovely to take a backseat. Today was one of those rare occasions when my husband took over the kitchen for Easter Sunday dinner. I got to put my feet up for a bit, which was bliss…but only for so long. I soon got a bit itchy, so he happily delegated pudding duty to me. And instantly, I knew what I wanted to make: a Sticky Toffee Chocolate Cake with an Easter twist.
Why Sticky Toffee Chocolate Cake?
There’s something about this cake that feels so comforting. The rich, fudgy chocolate sponge paired with the glossy sticky toffee sauce is simply irresistible. To give it that extra special Easter touch, I added a sticky toffee swiss meringue buttercream and, of course, decorated it with mini Easter eggs. The kids were thrilled! I was quite proud of how it turned out, both in looks and taste. Half of the cake vanished in minutes.
This Sticky Toffee Chocolate Cake is a brilliant addition to your baking repertoire. It’s perfect for Easter, birthdays, gatherings, or a cosy weekend cake. Change up the decoration depending on the occasion, and you’ve got a versatile, show-stopping treat.
How to make the chocolate fudge sponge
One of the best things about this sponge is how simple it is to make. You don’t need a stand mixer – though I used mine out of convenience, a whisk or spatula works perfectly fine.
Ingredients
- Dark chocolate: I always go for chocolate bars rather than chips. Bars feel more “pure” to me, chips often have stabilisers to help them hold their shape.
- Butter
- Coffee: Just a bit of coffee really brings out the richness of the chocolate without making the cake taste like coffee. I used a Lavazza capsule, dissolved in boiling water.
- Greek yoghurt: I mixed mine with a splash of milk to loosen it up. Yoghurt gives the sponge that moist, velvety texture I love. You could use buttermilk or sour cream if you prefer, but I like to use whatever I have on hand.
- Eggs: I used four large ones.
- Dry ingredients: cake flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and baking powder. I use cake flour in most of my bakes when I want a soft, light texture. If you can’t get hold of cake flour where you are, it’s easy to make a substitute, just ix 110g plain flour with 2 tablespoons of cornflour and it’ll give you the same effect.
- Light brown sugar: I always reduce the sugar in my recipes. One of the reasons I started baking in the first place was to avoid overly sweet cakes. I like my cakes to be sweet enough, but not sickly, just the right balance to let all the other flavours shine through.
Method
Start by preheating your oven to 140°C fan (or 150-160°C without fan). You’ll need three bowls or jugs:
- First bowl: Melt the chocolate and butter in the microwave (about 1 minute), stir, then mix in the hot coffee.
2. Second bowl: Whisk together eggs, yoghurt and milk mixture.
3. Third bowl: Combine your dry ingredients using a whisk or the paddle attachment of a stand mixer.
Now, pour the mixtures from bowl one and bowl two into the dry ingredients. Mix everything together until smooth, your batter will be thick and luscious.
Grease and line two 8-inch baking tins. Divide the batter evenly between them, level the tops, and bake for around 40 minutes.
I usually check at the 35-minute mark because ovens vary. Use a skewer to test the centre. If it comes out clean, you’re done!
Once baked, let the cakes cool for 10 minutes in the tins, then transfer to a wire rack. If you’re not assembling straight away, wrap them in clingfilm and pop them in the freezer for later or for an hour to cool completely.
Making the sticky toffee sauce
This sticky toffee sauce is straightforward. You only need four ingredients: dark brown sugar, butter, golden syrup and double cream.
Heat them gently in a saucepan, stir until everything has melted together, bring to a boil, then simmer for a minute. That’s it! Let it cool completely before using.
Sticky toffee Swiss meringue buttercream
I used my go-to Swiss meringue buttercream recipe in the Fluffy and Moist Pistachio Cake, but I left out the usual two tablespoons of milk. Instead, I added five tablespoons of the sticky toffee sauce to bring in that gorgeous flavour. The result is a smooth, silky buttercream with just the right amount of stickiness and richness.
Assembling and decorating the cake
Here’s where you can really have fun and get creative. Since it was Easter, I went with a festive theme.
Start by placing one sponge layer on your cake stand. Spread a generous layer of buttercream, drizzle over some sticky toffee sauce and then pop the second sponge on top. I originally considered leaving it as a naked cake, so I piped a nice edge pattern with the buttercream… but then changed my mind and went for a semi-naked finish instead.
Smooth a light layer of buttercream around the sides and top, letting the sponge peak through for that rustic, homemade look. I added sticky toffee drips, piped some simple swirls on top, and finished off with mini Easter eggs.
Final thoughts
This Sticky Toffee Chocolate Cake went down as an absolute treat in our house, and I hope it will be in yours too. It’s easy enough to make but looks and tastes like something really special.
The Sticky Toffee Chocolate Cake is perfect for any occasion or no occasion at all, just one of those bakes that always hits the spot.
Let me know if you give this recipe a go! And don’t forget to check out the Cake section on the blog for more delicious ideas.
Happy baking and enjoy your Sticky Toffee Chocolate Cake.
Sticky Toffee Chocolate Cake – A Perfect Easter Treat.
Description
This Sticky Toffee Chocolate Cake is everything you want in a comforting bake—fudgy, rich chocolate sponge layered with smooth sticky toffee buttercream, finished with a glossy drizzle of homemade toffee sauce. It’s the kind of cake that feels indulgent but familiar, and it never lasts long in our house. Whether you’re dressing it up for Easter with mini eggs or keeping it simple for a weekend treat, it’s a proper crowd-pleaser that’s as lovely to look at as it is to eat.
Ingredients
For the Chocolate Fudge Sponge
For the Sticky Toffee Sauce
For the Sticky Toffee Swiss Meringue Buttercream
Instructions
-
Make the Sponge
- Preheat oven to 140°C fan (150-160°C without fan). Grease and line two 8-inch cake tins.
- Melt the chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl (microwave 1 minute). Stir, then mix in the hot coffee. Set aside.
- In a second bowl, mix eggs, yoghurt and milk together. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine cake flour, cocoa, baking powder and baking soda.
- Add the wet mixtures to the dry and stir until fully combined. The batter will be slightly thick.
- Divide between the tins and bake for 35-40 minutes. Check with a skewer - it should come out clean.
- Cool in the tin for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack. Wrap and freeze for an hour or use straight away once fully cooled.
-
Make the Sticky Toffee Sauce
- In a saucepan, combine sugar, butter, golden syrup and double cream over low heat.
- Stir continuously until melted, then bring to a gentle boil.
- Simmer for 1 minute, remove from heat and cool completely.
-
Make the Sticky Toffee Swiss Meringue Buttercream
- Heat egg whites and sugar in a metal bowl over simmering water, stirring until 70°C.
- Whisk mixture in a stand mixer until firm peaks form and bowl cools to room temperature.
- Gradually add softened butter while mixing.
- Add sticky toffee sauce then beat on low for 10 minutes to remove air bubbles.
-
Assemble and Decorate
- Place the first sponge layer on a cake board or stand.
- Spread with buttercream and drizzle with toffee sauce.
- Add the second sponge layer and cover the top and sides with buttercream for a semi-naked finish.
- Add sticky toffee drips, swirl buttercream on top, and decorate with mini Easter eggs, or any theme you like!
Nutrition Facts
Servings 12
- Amount Per Serving
- Calories 795.18kcal
- % Daily Value *
- Total Fat 54.42g84%
- Saturated Fat 33.05g166%
- Trans Fat 0.25g
- Cholesterol 184.28mg62%
- Sodium 107.97mg5%
- Potassium 317.17mg10%
- Total Carbohydrate 72.44g25%
- Dietary Fiber 3.17g13%
- Sugars 53.29g
- Protein 8.29g17%
- Vitamin A 422.62 IU
- Vitamin C 0.11 mg
- Calcium 88.25 mg
- Iron 4.22 mg
- Vitamin D 0.63 IU
- Vitamin E 1.53 IU
- Vitamin K 5.32 mcg
- Thiamin 0.15 mg
- Riboflavin 0.27 mg
- Niacin 1.43 mg
- Vitamin B6 0.06 mg
- Folate 18.85 mcg
- Vitamin B12 0.33 mcg
- Phosphorus 148.99 mg
- Magnesium 66.66 mg
- Zinc 1.19 mg
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
Note
- Don't skip the coffee, it brings out the depth of the chocolate.
- If you don't have cake flour, use plain flour with cornflour to achieve that soft texture (110g cake flour with two tablespoons cornflour).
- The cake layers freeze beautifully if you want to make them ahead.
