The sponge for this cake contains no eggs or butter: sparkling mineral water and oil make it light and moist. It is paired with a fruity cream made from pear purée, vanilla custard and butter.

You will still need some time: the sponge and the pear custard have to cool completely before everything comes together. The upside is that the cake is perfect for making the day before.

Chocolate Cake with Pear and Vanilla Cream

An egg-free chocolate sponge made with spelt flour, filled with fruit spread, pear slices and pear and vanilla cream.

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Prep Time 1 hour hr

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Cooling and chilling time 7 hours hrs 30 minutes mins

Total Time 9 hours hrs

Servings: 12 pieces

Course: Dessert

Ingredients Equipment Instructions Notes

Ingredients

  

For the dough

• 270 g spelt flour type 630
• 30 g cocoa powder unsweetened
• 190 g sugar
• 1 sachet vanilla sugar bourbon vanilla sugar
• 1 pinch salt
• 1 sachet baking powder cream of tartar baking powder
• 300 ml water sparkling mineral water
• 75 ml vegetable oil neutral-tasting, plus a little for the tin

For the pear and vanilla cream

• 1 can pears approx. 455 g drained weight, reserve the juice
• 60 g cornflour
• 1 sachet vanilla sugar bourbon vanilla sugar
• 250 g butter at room temperature, or a vegan alternative
• 50 g icing sugar

You will also need

• 150 g raspberry jam or sour cherry fruit spread
• 1 tsp cocoa powder for dusting

Equipment

• 1 springform tin 26 cm diameter
• 1 mixing bowl
• 1 saucepan
• 1 blender or hand blender
• 1 hand mixer

Instructions

 

Chocolate sponge

1. Preheat the oven to 180 °C (conventional, top and bottom heat). Line the base of the springform tin with baking paper and lightly grease the sides.
2. Mix the spelt flour, cocoa, sugar, vanilla sugar, salt and baking powder in a bowl.
3. Add the sparkling water and oil and quickly stir to a smooth, fairly runny batter.
4. Pour the batter into the tin and bake for about 30 minutes.
5. Leave the sponge to cool in the tin for at least 3 hours.

Pear and vanilla cream

1. Drain the pears, reserving the juice. Roughly dice about 250 g of the pears and set the rest (approx. 200 g) aside.
2. Blend the diced pears with 350 ml pear juice until smooth. Make up any shortfall with water.
3. Bring about two thirds of the purée to the boil in a saucepan.
4. Stir the cornflour and vanilla sugar into the remaining purée until smooth, whisk into the boiling purée and simmer for about 1 minute.
5. Leave the pear custard to cool to room temperature for at least 3 hours, stirring occasionally.
6. Beat the room-temperature butter with the icing sugar for 1–2 minutes until creamy. Add the custard a spoonful at a time until you have a smooth cream.

To finish

1. Remove the sponge from the tin and cut in half horizontally. Place the bottom layer on a cake plate and spread with the fruit spread.
2. Cut the remaining pears into thin slices and arrange them on top. Spread about 450 g cream over them.
3. Place the top layer on it. Cover the top and sides of the cake with the remaining cream.
4. Chill for at least 4 hours.
5. Just before serving, dust with cocoa and cut into 12 slices.

Notes

The nutritional values are rough estimates for 1 of 12 pieces, calculated with butter. The original recipe gives approx. 444 kcal per piece.

Tips & Notes

Same temperature: The butter and pear custard should both be at room temperature when you combine them, otherwise the cream may curdle.

Pear juice: You need 350 ml liquid for the purée. If there isn’t enough juice in the can, top up with water.

Vegan: With a vegan butter alternative the whole cake is vegan – the sponge already is.

Fruit spread: Sour cherry goes well with chocolate, raspberry is a little fresher.