Mary Berry’s chocolate cake recipe has surprising ingredient that makes it taste delicious

While it can be difficult to bake for those who are dairy-free, whether they suffer from an allergy or intolerance. But luckily, former Great British Bake Off judge has shared a dairy-free chocolate cake that will delight even those who do include dairy in their diets.

Mary first published the in her 2024 book Mary’s Foolproof Dinners and has since re-shared it on her website. Introducing the she shares that it’s taken a while to perfect, writing: “After several goes at trying to make a really good, moist, dairy-free chocolate cake, we think this is a winner.” This called for coconut cream and sunflower oil as surprise substitutes for dairy.

Mary Berry’s Dairy-free Chocolate Cake

Ingredients (Serves eight)

• 175g (6oz) self-raising flour
• One tsp of baking powder
• One tsp of bicarbonate of soda
• Two tbsp of cocoa powder, sifted
• 150g (5oz) caster sugar
• Two eggs
• Two tbsp of golden syrup
• 150ml (¼ pint) sunflower oil, plus extra for greasing
• 160ml (5½fl oz) coconut cream
• Four tbsp of apricot jam, warmed
• 30g (1oz) dairy-free white chocolate, coarsely grated

For the icing:

• 160ml (5½fl oz) coconut cream
• 3 × 85g bars of dairy-free milk or dark chocolate, broken into pieces

Method

Start by preheating your oven to 180°C/160°C Fan/Gas 4. Then, grease two 20cm (8in) loose-bottomed sandwich tins and line the base with non-stick baking paper.

Then measure out the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, cocoa powder, and caster sugar. Pour into a large bowl and mix well. In a jug, whisk together the eggs, syrup, oil, and coconut cream until combined. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ones and whisk together using an electric whisk until they are well combined.

Divide the batter between the two prepared tins and bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes, or until well risen and springing away from the sides of the tins. When finished, remove from the oven, turn out onto a wire rack, peel off the baking paper and leave to cool.

While the cake is cooling, start preparing the icing by placing the coconut cream and dairy-free chocolate in a bowl and melting them over a pan of simmering water, ensuring that the bottom of the bowl does not touch the water. Stir until runny and then set aside to cool, placing in the fridge if needed, until it reaches a thick spreading consistency.

Place one cake layer on a plate, spreading half the apricot jam on top. Cover with half the icing and sandwich the second half on top. Then, cover with the remaining jam and icing.

Finish by sprinkling the white chocolate gratings around the edges of the cake until they form a thick ring pattern. Then ,cut into slices and serve to guests.