Mary Berry All In One Chocolate Cake​ Recipe

Mary Berry All in One Chocolate Cake is a classic British tea-time treat made with cocoa powder and golden caster sugar. This fluffy sponge uses the all-in-one method to combine soft butter, eggs, and milk into a rich, dark crumb.

The first time I made this, I worried that throwing everything in at once would make the sponge heavy. Now I always make sure the butter is incredibly soft, almost like a thick paste, so it blends without leaving streaks. This simple step prevents you from overworking the batter, which is what usually leads to a tough or flat cake.

The cocoa powder is doing more work than you’d think in this recipe. Without that extra splash of milk to balance the dry cocoa, the sponge would end up dry and crumbly rather than moist. I’ve tried a few versions of chocolate cake and this one from Mary Berry is the one I keep going back to because it produces a consistent, springy result every single time.

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Mary Berry All in One Chocolate Cake Ingredients

For the Chocolate Cake

• 4 large eggs
• 225g (8oz) self-raising flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 225g (8oz) caster sugar
• 225g (8oz) very soft butter or baking spread
• 50g (2oz) cocoa powder
• 30ml (2 tbsp) full-fat milk

For the Chocolate Buttercream Icing

• 100g (4oz) unsalted butter, softened
• 225g (8oz) icing sugar, sifted
• 25g (1oz) cocoa powder
• 15-30ml (1-2 tbsp) full-fat milk

How To Make Mary Berry All in One Chocolate Cake

1. Prepare the oven and tins: Heat your oven to 180°C (350°F/Gas Mark 4). Grease two 20cm (8in) round sandwich tins and line the bottom of each with a circle of greaseproof paper.
2. Combine all ingredients: Add the eggs, self-raising flour, baking powder, caster sugar, very soft butter, cocoa powder, and milk into a large mixing bowl. Make sure the butter is soft enough that a finger leaves a deep indent without any resistance.
3. Mix the batter: Beat all the ingredients together with an electric hand mixer on a slow speed for a few seconds. Increase the speed and mix for about 2 minutes until the batter looks smooth and glossy.
4. Divide the batter: Pour the mixture into your prepared tins, splitting the weight as evenly as you can. Level the tops with a spatula or the back of a metal spoon so they bake flat.
5. Bake the sponges: Place the tins on the middle rack and bake for 25-30 minutes. The cakes are done when they start to pull away from the edges of the tin and the centre feels springy.
6. Cool the cakes: Leave the sponges in their tins for 5 minutes before flipping them onto a wire rack. Peel off the greaseproof paper and let them sit until they’re cold to the touch.
7. Make the chocolate buttercream: Beat the softened butter in a bowl until it’s pale and creamy. Mix in the sifted icing sugar and cocoa powder, adding the milk a little at a time until the icing is light and easy to spread.
8. Assemble the cake: Spread half of the buttercream over the top of one sponge and place the second sponge on top. Cover the top of the cake with the rest of the icing, using a palette knife to make swirls.

Recipe Tips

• Check your butter consistency. If your butter is too cold, it won’t bond with the flour and eggs, leaving you with a lumpy batter and a greasy sponge. Take it out of the fridge at least four hours before you start or give it a very short blast in the microwave until it’s the texture of room-temperature margarine.
• Sift your dry ingredients. Cocoa powder and icing sugar are notorious for having stubborn lumps that won’t disappear during mixing. Pushing them through a fine sieve ensures your buttercream is silky and your cake batter stays smooth.
• Avoid opening the oven door. Do not peek at the cakes before the 25-minute mark. Opening the door too early lets the heat escape and can cause the middle of the sponges to sink before they’ve set.
• Store the cake properly. Keep this cake in an airtight tin at room temperature for up to three days. If you put it in the fridge, the butter in the sponge and icing will harden, making the cake feel dry and firm.
• Freeze the un-iced sponges. You can bake these layers ahead of time, wrap them tightly in clingfilm, and freeze them for up to a month. Defrost them fully at room temperature before adding the fresh buttercream.
• Watch the mixing time. Stop your electric mixer as soon as the batter looks uniform and glossy. Over-mixing develops the gluten in the flour, which results in a bready texture rather than a light sponge.

What To Serve With All in One Chocolate Cake

This cake is rich enough to serve on its own with a hot cup of English breakfast tea. If you want to turn it into a proper dessert, a generous dollop of double cream or a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream cuts through the cocoa beautifully.

Fresh raspberries or sliced strawberries added to the middle layer give a sharp contrast to the sweet buttercream. For a more indulgent treat, pour over a little warm chocolate ganache or double cream while the cake is still slightly fresh.

How To Store All in One Chocolate Cake

• Fridge: Store the iced cake in an airtight container for up to 4 days. If the weather is warm, the buttercream might get too soft, so keep it in the fridge but let it sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before eating. Cold temperatures can dry out the sponge, so a sealed tin is always better if the kitchen is cool.
• Reheat: This cake is best served at room temperature to keep the buttercream soft. If you have a day-old slice that has gone firm, you can microwave it for 10 seconds on medium power. This will soften the sponge and make the icing slightly gooey, but do not go longer or the buttercream will melt into a liquid.
• Freeze: Freeze the sponges without the icing for the best results. Wrap each cold layer in greaseproof paper and then a double layer of clingfilm for up to 3 months. To freeze an iced cake, open-freeze it on a tray for 2 hours until the icing is solid, then wrap carefully.

Mary Berry All in One Chocolate Cake Nutrition Facts

Per serving (1 of 12):

• Calories: 485
• Protein: 5g
• Fat: 28g
• Carbohydrates: 54g
• Sugar: 38g
• Sodium: 0.4g

FAQs

Why did my Mary Berry All in One Chocolate Cake sink in the middle?

This usually happens if the oven door was opened too early or if the baking powder was past its best. Make sure the oven is fully preheated to 180°C (350°F/Gas Mark 4) before the tins go in.

Can I use margarine instead of butter for this recipe?

Yes, a high-quality baking spread works very well for the all-in-one method and often results in an even lighter sponge. For the buttercream, however, real butter provides a much better flavour and a firmer set.

How do I know when the sponges are cooked through?

The edges will start to shrink away from the sides of the tin and the centre should feel firm but springy. You can also insert a skewer into the middle; if it comes out clean with no wet batter, the cake is ready.

Can I use plain flour instead of self-raising?

No, this recipe relies on the specific lift provided by self-raising flour and the extra baking powder. If you only have plain flour, you would need to add 2 teaspoons of baking powder for every 100g of flour to mimic the raising agents.

My buttercream is too stiff to spread, what should I do?

Mix in a teaspoon of milk at a time until the icing reaches a spreadable consistency. Be careful not to add too much at once or the buttercream will become runny and slide off the cake.

Try More Recipes:

• Mary Berry Sponge Roulade Recipe
• Mary Berry Apple Tarte Tatin Recipe
• Mary Berry Plum Tarte Tatin Recipe