August 15, 2022
Chocolate School Cake!
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A deliciously yummy chocolate school cake with a really easy-to-make chocolate cake, icing, and homemade chocolate custard!
Oh, helloooo, you utterly delicious recipe that I just cannot get enough of already. Honestly, this chocolate school cake is a little life-changing for me, because I am just obsessed and I would like to eat it all day every day!
As always, this was a recipe that had been endlessly requested, so here it is! It’s a yummy chocolate version of the ever classic school cake recipe that is already on my blog
Classic Bakes
Now I have nearly 700 recipes on my blog, and many many more in my first book and second book, but classic bakes often win out above anything and I cannot blame you for that. There is something about the simplicity and classic flavours that will just give you a whack of nostalgia and it’s all you want to eat.
I am all for so many delicious recipes and baking ideas, but there is something about what you used to eat when you were younger, such as the classic school cake, butterfly cupcakes, jammy coconut cake, rhubarb, and custard-themed bakes and so on – they are all just so scrumptious.
This beauty comes under the ever-amazing category of school-related bakes from your past, that you will want to recreate asap.
Cake
The cake is simple as always as it should be; it’s basically a chocolate victoria sponge-style recipe because that’s all you need to create something this good. It comes under the idea of a classic bake for me where you don’t need anything fancy at all, and it’s often ingredients that are already in the cupboard.
- Butter – As always with a classic sponge, you can use a block of proper unsalted butter at room temperature, or you can use a baking spread!
- Sugar – Caster sugar is my go-to for a cake like this as it’s often the sugar that’s most used for people, but light brown sugar would work well, also!
- Flour – I use self-raising flour because you want the raising agent to create a lighter texture that is delightful
- Cocoa – The cocoa powder is obviously fairly important because it’s the quickest and easiest way to get to a chocolate-based bake.
- Vanilla – The vanilla is optional, but I find it so so delicious in this bake.
Baking
I tend to cream my butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, and then add the other ingredients. Some people do the all-in-one method, but I find this can be risky because if your butter is too cold for example, you could end up with a split mixture or lumps of butter throughout the mix which is then hard to fix.
For a cake like this, it’s not small… but that’s okay, as it’s only one layer! I use a classic 9×13″ traybake tin because it’s the ideal size, and the amount of cake mix is ideal.
You never want a cake like this to be in too small a tin as the cake slices are going to be too deep, whereas the 9×13″ is perfection.
You want to bake the cake until there is no cake mix on a skewer that you poke into the middle of a cake so that you know it’s not going to sink or anything once taken out of the oven. Another method to test if you are still unsure is to listen to the cake; if it’s making a bubbling or crackling sound, it still needs a bit longer in the oven.
Icing
When I was originally making this cake, it didn’t have icing… and that may be what some people are expecting. I found when it came to a chocolate school cake, some had it plain with the chocolate custard as that is often enough, but others had a simple icing.
I decided to do a chocolate school cake recipe WITH icing so if you want to make it, you can, or you can just leave it off. It’s such a simple icing though it’s worth trying as it’s just so so SO easy to make!
A normal water icing consists of icing sugar and water, and that’s it. I use the addition of cocoa powder to make a rich and delicious-looking icing that is still sweet and tasty, with a sprinkling of sprinkles all over of course. Let this set somewhat, and then portion and enjoy.
Custard
So when it comes to custard, you can 1000000% cheat and buy a shop-bought custard – we don’t judge here at Jane’s Patisserie (sometimes, you just don’t have the time to make something from scratch and that is totally okay.
An easy way to make a chocolate custard is to buy a shopbought custard whether it’s a fresh one from the chilled aisle, or a long-life custard is to heat it up in a pan, and add chopped chocolate! You can let the chocolate melt into the custard and it leaves it thick and delicious.
If you want to make your own, however, this custard is so easy to achieve and I make it so often now.
- Milk – You need to use FULL-FAT milk to achieve the thick goodness of the custard.
- Egg yolks – when you make a custard from scratch it is a classic to only use egg yolks as you want the richness of the yolk (the white has no place here)
- Sugar – I use caster sugar because it’s what I used in the sponge, but again you can use light brown soft sugar if you fancy.
- Flour – This may sound weird, but it’s important as it helps thicken the custard and make it delicious.
- Flavour – Again, I use a little vanilla because yum
- Chocolate – I decided to use an equal split of milk chocolate and dark chocolate to get a good balance, but you can use all of one or all of another.
Tips and Tricks
So after all of that, you should be able to make a deliciously easy chocolate school cake with no worries (but as always, any questions? leave them below in the comments!).
- This is the cake tin I use
- This is the cocoa powder I use
- This is the dark chocolate I use
- This is the milk chocolate I use
The most important thing with a bake like this, especially if you are involving your kids over the summer holidays, is HAVE FUN!!! Jane x
Chocolate School Cake!
Ingredients
Cake
- 400 g unsalted butter
- 400 g caster sugar
- 8 medium eggs
- 325 g self raising flour
- 75 g cocoa powder
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Icing
- 400 g icing sugar
- 50 g cocoa powder
- 4-5 tbsp water
Sprinkles
- chocolate sprinkles
Chocolate custard
- 4 egg yolks
- 30 g caster sugar
- 30 g plain flour
- 300 ml full-fat milk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 50 g milk chocolate
- 50 g dark chocolate
Instructions
For the Cake
- Preheat your oven to 180C/160C Fan and line a 9x13" Traybake tin with parchment paper.
- Beat together your butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
- Add in the eggs, self raising flour, cocoa powder and vanilla extract and beat again until combined well.
- Pour into the tin and bake in the oven for 45-50 minutes, or until baked through.
- Once baked, let the cake cool fully in the tin.
For the Icing
- Add the icing sugar and cocoa powder to a medium sized bowl, and gradually add the water, mixing well each time, until a thick icing paste is made.
- Carefully spread the icing over the cake evenly.
Sprinkles
- Sprinkle over your favourite chocolate sprinkles!
Custard
- Add the egg yolks, sugar, and flour to a large pan and whisk until smooth. Start to heat the egg yolk mixture on a low heat
- Pour in the milk gradually whilst whisking, and pour in the vanilla extract
- Whilst whisking continuously, heat the mixture to a simmer and let it simmer for several minutes until it starts to thicken
- Once starting to thicken, add the milk chocolate and dark chocolate and let this melt whilst still stiring
- Continue to heat the custard until you reach your desired consistency
- Serve with the cake immediately if you want it hot, or let it cool for cold custard!
Notes
- I recommend using a 9x13" Traybake tin for this recipe.
- This cake will last for 3-4 days once made.
- For a 9" square tin - I would recommend a 5 egg/250g sugar/butter/200g flour/50g cocoa mixture. Baked for 35 minutes
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J x
© Jane’s Patisserie. All images & content are copyright protected. Do not use my images without prior permission. If you want to republish this recipe, please re-write the recipe in your own words and credit me, or link back to this post for the recipe.
Can I use the egg weighing method with this cake,, like with the plain school sponge? I notice that this one had 8 eggs instead of 7. Thank you
Can some of the custard be frozen please? X
Can this cake be put in freezer for 3 weeks
Yes!
How much icing sugar, cocoa powder and butter do I use to make chocolate buttercream for this recipe?
Hi Jane
Can the custard be made in advance and reheated?
Yes!
Hi Jane,
I’m going to use this recipe to make a sheet cake to turn into a 2 layer number can,
My sheet pan is 16x12in so how much more would I add to get the correct amount of mix
Thank you
Hey. Can this cake be frozen?
Yes, it can be!
Hi I want to make the smaller version I see the lower amount of ingredients for the cake but what about the icing how much less of everything for it please and thank you
Hi Jane, I’m making a 70th number cake 7 vanilla & 0 chocolate, for my sister next month and wondered if this recipe and your vanilla tray bake would be suitable to use or could you recommend a different recipe of yours for it please. Thank you 😊
I’ve git 2 of your books an waiting to order the new one x
If I was to substitute for gluten free flour what would the measurements be? Would I also require xanthum gum?
Hi Jane! I would like to make this sponge into a chocolate coconut sponge similar to the jammy coconut sponge. Do I add the same amount of coconut (125g) to this mixture and leave the rest of the ingredients the same? x
Hi Jane,
Could I use chocolate buttercream for this cake instead? If so, could you tell me measurements please?
Thank you.
Hi, how much custard does the custard recipe make, please?
Also, please can you create a recipe for Cadbury’s, Bournville & White Chocolate Trifle making it all from scratch. I think the mouse would be lovely layered in the 3 types of chocolate I have mentioned & the custard would be nicely made with chocolate also with either a chocolate Swiss roll or gooey chocolate brownies for the base.
I love your recipes and books.
Hiya i want to make this cake for my sons birthday, do you think i should bake 2 of these or would the one be thick enough to cut through the middle to make 2 layers? xx
Hiya! This is a fairly chunky sponge so should be okay to cut if chilled first – though if you’re worried, just bake a second sponge and you can freeze it for the future if you don’t use it! Hope this helps! x
Hi how much icing and coco powder do I need to use for the icing if am using a 9inch square tin?
Do you have a white chocolate recipe for this??
Can I use the egg weighing method with this cake, like with the plain school sponge? That one is lovely! I noticing that this one had 8 eggs instead of 7. Thank you
Hi, I absolutely love your recipes you have bought back my love for baking.
For the custard in this recipe can you use semi skimmed rather than full fat milk?
Thank you 😊 x
Hiya! Unfortunately this will make it quite thin – but if you don’t mind that, give it a go! Hope this helps! x
How do you store it? Air tight tupperware or card cake box?
Hiya! I usually store in air tight tupperware. Hope this helps! x
Hiya. Recipe looks great!
I wanted to make this but in 9 inch round tins.
Would this cake work with chocolate buttercream please?
Brilliant recipe
Hi Jane I just want to say I love your recipes, so tasty and easy to follow. would like to make this recipe in a 12”x 12” tin but I’m having trouble trying to work out how much to increase the ingredients by. What would you suggest? Thank you.
Hi Jane…loving your recipes as always. Can you recommend a fudge/ganache type topping for the chocolate school cake? So not a buttercream…not icing but ganache which sets really firmly which is spreadable but won’t run down the sides. Thank you
A water ganache is perfect for this cake. 500g of plain dark choc with 200g of cold water. Place in a microwavable plastic bowl and heat on medium in for 1 minute at a time. Once melted, whisk with a balloon whisk until smooth. Leave at room temp until it is a good consistency for spreading. It firm’s up well 👌
Jane you are killing me. If you keep making these things I’m going to be the size of a house haha! I’m loving this one – making it for my family today as pudding for after a Sunday roast! Perfect as always!
I never got to have the school chocolate cake and custard because I was dairy free at that age …. I’m still dairy free but I now eat butter, I’m also gluten free but that’s easily remedied in a recipe like this so I’m going to enjoy having something that I was never “allowed” before 😊
Any way to get measurements in ounces, rather than gram weight?
This sounds perfect to bake with my 2yr old, he loves baking! Quick question though, if I’m going to make the 9 inch square recipe, how much of the icing would I need?
Hi Jane
Love, Love , Love your bakes!!! I’ve bought both books now… !!
Where do you get the Chocolate Sprinkles from please? Xxx
Hiya! They are just from my local supermarket! Hope this helps! x
Hi Jane,
I thought you were GF now? Do you still taste bakes that aren’t like this one?
Looks amazing BTW!!
Jan 🙂
Hiya, I have never been gluten free – only tested to be a coeliac for a short while, once.
Hi Jane,
Thank you for all your great recipes! Quick question- if I only had large eggs how many would I use?
Hiya! I would use 6 large eggs. Hope this helps! x
Hi, for the square tin recipe – how much butter should I use?
Excited to make this for my chocolate mad boys!
Thanks x
I love all your recipes – every one I’ve ever done has been delish with so many comments about what a marvellous baker I am🤣🤣😉
I do have a question, though – are you able to choose the adverts that go into your blog, or do they just pop up willy-nilly?! There are always so many that appear on instagram etc, it would be nice to know which ones are trustworthy or not.
Hiya! All adverts on my blog are trustworthy, they are run through google and are responsive to your individual searches! Hope this helps! x