Chestnut Cake

Ingredients:

Chestnut Paste

  • 400g cooked chestnut
  • 80g dark brown sugar
  • 1tbsp vanilla extract
  • 250g water

Chocolate Crunch Base Layer

  • 200g plain flour
  • 200g caster sugar
  • 55g cocoa powder
  • 100g butter

Sponge Cake

  • 3 eggs
  • 80g caster sugar
  • 80g self raising flour
  • 25ml milk
  • 25g unsalted butter

Vanilla Cream

  • 150g double cream
  • 1.5tsp vanilla extract
  • 15g caster sugar
  • 15 cooked chestnuts

Equipment:

  • 20cm cake pan
  • Blender
  • Electric mixer
  • Sieve
  • Piping nozzles
  • Piping bag
  • Spatula
  • Mixing bowls

Prep time:

1.5hrs

Cooking time:

50mins

Steps:

Chestnut Paste

  1. Put 400g of cooked chestnut, 80g of dark brown sugar and 1tbsp of vanilla extract into a small pan. Boil over medium heat until the texture is slightly smoother.
  2. Transfer the mixture into a blender, add 250g of water and blend until smooth.
  3. Sieve the mixture to obtain smooth chestnut paste.

Chocolate Crunch Base Layer

  1. Mix 300g of plain flour, 300g of caster sugar and 80g of cocoa powder.
  2. Add 150g of melted butter to the mixture and mix to a crumble.
  3. Press the crumble down onto the cake pan lined with baking paper to form a flat surface.

Sponge Cake

  1. Preheat the oven to 140°.
  2. Separate 3 eggs into egg yolk and egg white.
  3. Whisk 3 egg white with an electric mixer whilst adding 80g of sugar gradually until you get a stiff peak.
  4. Add 3 egg yolks one at a time into the meringue, beat on medium speed.
  5. Sieve 80g of self raising flour into the mixture, mix well using a spatula.
  6. Add 25ml of milk into 25g of melted butter in a small bowl, mix well.
  7. Transfer a spoonful of the batter into the bowl of milk and butter, mix before pouring the mixture back into the batter.
  8. Transfer the batter to the cake pan with the chocolate crunch base layer. First bake at 140° for 40mins, then bake at 150° for another 10mins.

Vanilla Cream

  1. Add 15g of sugar and 1.5tsp of vanilla extract into 150g of double cream, whisk with an electric mixer until you get a firm peak.

Assembling the Cake

  1. Cut the sponge cake into 3 layers with the bottom layer still attached to the chocolate crunch.
  2. Spread a thin layer of vanilla cream on the bottom layer of the sponge cake.
  3. Cut 15 chestnuts in halves and place them evenly on the bottom layer of the sponge cake. Spread vanilla cream on top so that the top surface is flat.
  4. Place a layer of sponge cake on top of the vanilla cream and chestnut layer.
  5. Spread 2/3 of the chestnut paste onto the sponge cake layer.
  6. Place another layer of sponge cake on top.
  7. Spread vanilla cream onto the side of the cake.
  8. Pipe the rest of the chestnut paste onto the top of the cake in whichever style you prefer.
Tips
  • Chestnut paste leftover could be used to make mont blanc and other desserts, or just enjoy it on its own!
  • If you have some extra chestnuts left, feel free to decorate the chestnut cake with some on the top.