This School Chocolate Sponge & Chocolate Custard Recipe is inspired by the classic British school dinner pudding so many of us grew up with. Think soft, slightly squidgy school chocolate sponge, served hot and covered in thick, glossy chocolate custard – but made better with real melted chocolate for extra moisture and flavour. It’s everything you remember from school dinners, just richer, softer and far more indulgent than the original.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
If you grew up eating chocolate sponge and custard at school, this recipe is guaranteed to bring back memories. It’s everything you loved about school dinner pudding – soft sponge, hot custard and pure comfort – but made better with real chocolate, richer flavour and a perfectly moist texture.
- Pure nostalgia – tastes just like the school chocolate pudding you remember
- Extra moist sponge thanks to real melted chocolate
- Proper chocolate custard that’s thick, pourable and full of flavour
- Simple ingredients you probably already have at home
- Perfect for feeding a crowd – sliceable, reheatable and freezer-friendly
Step by Step- How to make School Dinner Chocolate Sponge Custard
Step One
- Cream butter and sugar until pale and fluffy.
- Beat in the eggs and extra yolk, one at a time.
Step Two
- Mix in melted chocolate and vanilla.
- Sift together flour, cocoa, and salt.
Step three
- Spread into the tin and level gently.
- Bake 25 minutes, until just set but still soft in the centre.
- Skewer should come out with moist crumbs, not clean.
Tips for the Best School Chocolate Sponge & Custard
These simple tips will help you get that perfect school chocolate sponge and chocolate custard every time – soft, moist and just like the school dinners you remember (but better).
- Don’t overbake the sponge – This is a pudding, not a cake. A skewer should come out with moist crumbs, not clean.
- Bake it slightly under – The sponge will continue to set as it cools and once the custard is added.
- Use real chocolate, not just cocoa – Melted dark chocolate adds moisture and prevents the sponge drying out.
- Let the custard thicken fully before adding chocolate – This stops the chocolate interfering with the cornflour and gives a smoother result.
- Serve everything hot – School pudding is all about heat – hot sponge, hot custard, no waiting.
FAQS- School Chocolate Sponge Cake & Chocolate Custard
Got questions? These are the most common things people ask when making school chocolate sponge and chocolate custard, from baking times to getting the custard just right.
Can I make this ahead of time?
Yes. The sponge can be baked a day ahead and reheated gently. Make the custard fresh or reheat it slowly with a splash of milk.
Why is my sponge dry?
School-style sponges dry out quickly if overbaked. Bake for 22- 25 minutes, not until fully firm.
Can I use milk chocolate instead of dark?
You can, but the custard and sponge will be much sweeter and lighter in colour. Dark chocolate gives the most “school dinner but better” flavour.
How thick should the chocolate custard be?
It should be thick but pourable, coating the back of a spoon and flowing slowly over the sponge.
Can I freeze this?
The sponge freezes well. The custard is best made fresh, as cornflour custard can change texture once frozen.
Is this the same as old-school chocolate pudding?
It’s inspired by it – same vibe, same texture – but upgraded with real chocolate for better flavour and moisture.
Why Traditional School Chocolate Custard Didn’t Use Eggs
If you remember school chocolate custard as shiny, pourable and always served very hot, there’s a reason for that. Traditional school dinner chocolate custard was made without eggs, using cornflour to thicken it instead.
This made it far easier for busy school kitchens to cook in big batches and keep warm without it splitting or scrambling. It’s also why school custard had that unmistakable glossy look and thinner texture, perfect for being poured generously over sponge puddings. This recipe stays true to that familiar school dinner style, just with the addition of real chocolate for a richer, more indulgent flavour.
If you love this School Chocolate Sponge Cake Recipe, then check these ones out…
Scroll down to get the full recipe
Ingredients
School Chocolate Sponge & Chocolate Custard (serves 4)
Chocolate Sponge
- 175g unsalted butter, soft
- 175g caster sugar
- 3 medium eggs + 1 extra yolk
- 140g self-raising flour
- 15g cocoa powder
- 100g dark chocolate (50–60%), melted and cooled
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 4 tbsp whole milk
- Pinch of salt
Chocolate Custard
- 500ml whole milk
- 100ml double cream
- 2 tbsp cocoa powder
- 60g caster sugar
- 4 tbsp cornflour
- 120g dark chocolate (50-60% cocoa), finely chopped
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
Chocolate sponge
- Grease and line a 20cm square tin.
- Cream butter and sugar until pale and fluffy.
- Beat in the eggs and extra yolk, one at a time.
- Mix in melted chocolate and vanilla.
- Sift together flour, cocoa, and salt.
- Fold the dry ingredients into the batter, alternating with milk.
- Spread into the tin and level gently.
- Bake 22-25 minutes, until just set but still soft in the centre.
- Skewer should come out with moist crumbs, not clean.
Chocolate custard
- Heat milk and cream in a saucepan until steaming (not boiling).
- In a bowl, whisk cocoa, sugar and cornflour with a splash of cold milk.
- Pour the hot milk over the cocoa mixture, whisking constantly.
- Return everything to the pan and cook on medium heat until thick.
- Remove from heat, stir in chocolate and vanilla until glossy.
- If custard is too thick, loosen with a splash of hot milk. If it's too runny, make a cornstarch slurry, with 1 tbsp cornstarch and 2tbsp cold water, mix until combined. Pour into the custard, keep stirring until thickened.
