Quick Chocolate Sponge Cake With Creamy Topping

Preheat oven to 180ºC (355ºF).

Separate eggs, making sure not to get any yolk mixed into the egg whites. Place whites and yolks in separate medium bowls.

Slice butter and add to the yolks. Add half of the sweetener, if using. In a separate bowl, mix flour, unsweetened cocoa powder, and baking powder.

Put remaining sweetener (if using) in the bowl with the whites. Beat on high speed until stiff peaks form. At this stage, the tips of the egg whites will curl ever so slightly when the beaters are lifted. (Don’t lift beaters unless it’s turned off.)

Beat yolk and butter until it has a light yellow color. Then add dry ingredients, alternating with water.

Fold egg whites into flour mixture. (To properly fold, use a wooden spoon or a spatula to cut vertically through the mixture. Move the spoon around the bottom of the bowl and bring it back up, carrying some of the mixture from the bottom up to the surface.)

Line a 10 x 8 ¼ inch (25cm x 21cm) baking tray using parchment paper or cover it with some butter and flour. Spread batter evenly onto prepared baking tray and bake for about 30 minutes. (Baking time always depends on your oven.)

Whilst cake is baking, prepare topping. Pour whipping cream, vanilla extract and honey into a medium sized bowl and whisk until stiff. Don’t leave it out in a warm place—set it aside in the fridge and only take it out when cake is ready and cooled.

When cake is completely cooled (about half a hour after removing from the oven), spread whipped cream topping on it evenly. As a final touch, sift unsweetened cocoa powder on top. Place in the fridge for an hour before serving.