Chocolate Cake

Begin preparations for the cake:

1. Chocolate Spread and/or Ganache

2. Chocolate sponge cake

3. Chocolate sauce, thinned with hot water or coffee for syruping.

You can prepare these a day in advance prior to assembling the cake.

With everything ready, we move on to the fun part—assembling the cake:

- Cut the sponge cake into 3 equal layers.

- Place the first layer (which was the top of the sponge) on a plate lined with baking paper along the edges.

- Generously soak with chocolate sauce.

- Spread a thick layer of chocolate cream (either quick spread or ganache).

Repeat these steps for each layer of sponge cake, ensuring to coat the edges, and the cake is nearly complete.

The quick chocolate cream is excellent for icing the edges and finishing the top as it remains shiny and very smooth, pleasantly surprising in its effectiveness.

Allow the cake to chill for several hours to enhance the flavors.

After this time, level it if necessary, and remove the paper edges—leaving the plate clean and beautiful, ready for final decorations.

Create decoratively topped mounds using ganache cream, if possible.

Now, the optional part—chocolate decorations:

- I melt chocolate in the microwave or in a double boiler.

- Line a surface or baking tray with parchment paper.

- Drop half a teaspoon of melted chocolate on the paper and create designs with a toothpick.

I made about 23 stars for one cake and a chocolate strip to create spirals.

Let cool for approximately an hour.

After this period, the chocolate will have hardened, and you’ll find that the designs easily separate from the paper.

Arrange the decorations around the cake edges, place a few on the top center, and optionally make chocolate spirals (cut 1 cm slices from the hardened chocolate strip and gently twist them into spirals; if they harden too much, leave them at room temperature until softened for better shaping).

This is how the cake looks when fully decorated and finished.

Enjoy!