Chocolate Mayonnaise Cake Recipe

Chocolate mayonnaise cake is moist, flavourful and so simple to make! Using mayonnaise in a cake might sound strange – but trust us, it works! The main ingredients of mayonnaise are eggs and oil, which are both common cake ingredients. The story goes that this American cake was invented by a Hellman’s salesperson many years to boost sales! Chocolate mayonnaise cake is moist and fudgy so more of a dessert than a tea cake, and you should eat it as soon after it’s cooled as you can. If you use vegan mayonnaise then the sponge of this cake will be suitable for vegans.

Ingredients

• 30g cocoa powder
• 1tsp vanilla extract
• 160g mayonnaise
• 200g self raising flour
• 200g caster sugar
• 1tsp baking powder

For the filling and topping:

• 100g hazelnuts
• 150g caster sugar
• 300ml double cream
• ½ 220g jar Bonne Maman hazelnut praline caramel (or other caramel sauce)

You will need:

• 2 x 20cm sandwich tins, base and sides lined with baking parchment

Method

1. Heat the oven to 180C. Whisk together the cocoa powder and 200ml boiling water until smooth then leave to cool. Then mix everything else together well using an electric hand whisk then gradually add the cocoa mixture. Divide between the cake tins then bake for 20-25 mins. Cool in the tins.
2. To prepare the topping, put the hazelnuts on an oiled piece of foil. Melt the sugar until you have a caramel, then pour over the nuts and leave to cool. Then blitz to a fine praline in a food processor. Lightly whip the double cream then stir in the caramel sauce, reserving 2tbsp. Spread half on the base cake, drizzle over the 2tbsp sauce, top with the other cake and spread the remaining cream over. Sprinkle the praline around the edge.