In need of a show stopping Easter cake? This is the perfect indulgent and sophisticated chocolate cake to serve up for your Easter celebrations.
Ingredients- for the cake
- 200g caster sugar
- 225g Quicke’s Cow's Whey Butter
- 6 eggs
- 300g self raising flour
- 40g cocoa powder
Ingredients- for the ganache
- 250ml double cream
- 150g dark chocolate (about 70% cocoa solids), broken into squares
- 50g Quicke’s Cow's Whey Butter cut into small pieces
- Chocolate shavings for scattering as decoration
Ingredients- for the Nests
- 100g Milk chocolate
- Vermicelli noodles
- Small bowl
- Cling film
- Half a pack of Love Cocoa Salted Caramel Good Eggs
Method - For the cake
1. Pre-heat the oven to 180°C/Fan 160°C/gas 4. Grease two sandwich tins then line the base of each tin with baking parchment.
2. Add the Quicke’s Cow's Whey Butter and sifted sugar to a bowl and beat using an electric whisk until pale in colour. Before adding the eggs and beating carefully.
3. Next add the sifted flour and cocoa powder and carefully mix until thoroughly blended.
4. Divide the mixture evenly between the two tins and level out.
5. Bake in the pre-heated oven for about 30-40 minutes or until well risen and the tops of the cakes spring back when lightly pressed with a finger. In the meantime, start the ganache for the outside.
6. For the ganache, bring the cream to the boil and pour over the chocolate in a bowl, leave for 2 minutes then stir well to melt. Leave to cool for 5 minutes, then add the butter, stirring everything together. Then chill for about 30 minutes; the ganache needs to be the texture of chocolate spread.
7. Once the sponges are cool enough, remove from the tins, peel off the parchment and finish cooling on a wire rack.
8. When completely cold, spread a thin layer of chocolate ganache filling on top of one half of the sponge and top with the other.
9. Spread the ganache thinly all around the two sandwich bases till completely covered.
10. Top with the grated chocolate shavings and the chocolate nest.
Method - for the nests
1. Melt chocolate carefully in the microwave in 60 second intervals at 50% power. or over a bain marie, carefully not to burn the chocolate
2. Break noodles into 4-5 inch long pieces.
3. Place into a bowl, and pour melted chocolate on top. Toss noodles to coat- this does get messy and you'll need to use your hand to help evenly spread the chocolate over the noodles.
4. Line a bowl with cling film and press noodles into the bowl. Cover the outside of a smaller bowl with cling film and press onto the centre of the bowl with the chocolate noodles.
5. Place nest in the fridge to harden for 15-20 minutes.
6. Carefully remove and fill with Love Cocoa Salted Caramel Good Eggs and top on cake