The sponge cake for this recipe is the same as for my Victoria Sponge cake, again made in a rectangular baking tray. This means the cakes aren't too rich and over-chocolately, and the chocolate buttercream is flavoured with orange to give it a lighter taste reminiscent of Spring/Summer. This is then covered in chocolate sprinkles and whatever little Easter goodies you like to give the 'nest' effect.
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Ingredients
For the sponge:
110g butter/margarine
110g caster sugar
2 large eggs
110g self-raising flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the buttercream:
100g icing sugar
50g butter/margarine
1 teaspoon orange extract
2 teaspoons good quality cocoa powder (I used Green & Blacks)
To decorate:
Chocolate sprinkles
Chocolate eggs
2 teaspoons good quality cocoa powder (I used Green & Blacks)
To decorate:
Chocolate sprinkles
Chocolate eggs
-Preheat the oven to 180C(160C fan oven)/350F/Gas Mark 4.
-Grease and line a deep rectangular 20cm x 30cm baking tray.
-Cream the butter and caster sugar together with a wooden spoon until light and fluffy.
-Beat in the eggs, one at a time.
-Sift the flour and baking powder into a separate bowl, then gently fold a third of this at a time into the mixture using a metal spoon, until you have a smooth batter.
-Fold in the vanilla extract.
-Cream the butter and caster sugar together with a wooden spoon until light and fluffy.
-Beat in the eggs, one at a time.
-Sift the flour and baking powder into a separate bowl, then gently fold a third of this at a time into the mixture using a metal spoon, until you have a smooth batter.
-Fold in the vanilla extract.
-Pour the mixture into the baking tin, gently smoothing the top with the back of a spoon.
-Bake for about 25-30 minutes until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean, and the cake is a light golden brown colour.
-Leave to cool.
-Using an 8 cm round cutter, cut about 6 rounds from the cake (there will be cake left over for nibbling!)
-Make the chocolate buttercream. Cream together the butter and sugar, then add the cocoa powder and orange extract and continue to stir until smooth.
-Cover each cake with buttercream. I'm not the best at this at all so it ended up looking very messy; this actually works for this recipe though, as it gives the 'nest' effect straight away.
-Now time to get decorating! Use a mixture of dark and milk chocolate sprinkles on the top and sides of the cakes, leaving a small space in the centre to place the chocolate eggs.
-Add any other decorations that you fancy.
-Bake for about 25-30 minutes until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean, and the cake is a light golden brown colour.
-Leave to cool.
-Using an 8 cm round cutter, cut about 6 rounds from the cake (there will be cake left over for nibbling!)
-Make the chocolate buttercream. Cream together the butter and sugar, then add the cocoa powder and orange extract and continue to stir until smooth.
-Cover each cake with buttercream. I'm not the best at this at all so it ended up looking very messy; this actually works for this recipe though, as it gives the 'nest' effect straight away.
-Add any other decorations that you fancy.
Those look so cute!
ReplyDeleteThank you! :)
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