Chocolate Easter cake
- Preparation and cooking time
- Prep:
- Cook:
- plus cooling time
- Easy
- Serves 10 - 12
Ingredients
- 175ml extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for the tins
- 2 eggs
- 175ml soured cream
- ½ tsp instant coffee granules, used to make 170ml coffee, slightly cooled
- 250g plain flour
- 90g cocoa powder
- 2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 125g caster sugar
- 125g light brown soft sugar
ICING
- 250g salted butter, softened
- 100g soured cream, at room temperature
- 550g icing sugar, sifted
- 70g hazelnut chocolate spread (we used Bonne Maman)
- chocolate Matchmakers and mini chocolate eggs, to decorate
Method
- STEP 1
Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Oil and line two deep 20cm cake tins. In a jug, whisk together the eggs, soured cream and coffee until combined. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa, bicarb, baking powder and a large pinch of salt. Stir in both sugars, breaking up any lumps.
- STEP 2
Whisk the wet ingredients into the dry until smooth and combined. Divide the mixture between the two tins and bake for 25-30 mins or until risen and a skewer comes out clean. Cool completely in the tins.
- STEP 3
To make the icing, scrape the butter into the bowl of a stand mixer. With the whisk attachment, whip the butter until very pale and aerated. Scrape in the soured cream and whisk until combined. Whisk in the icing sugar a large spoonful at a time, then add the hazelnut spread. Whisk until it forms peaks, then transfer to a piping bag with a large round nozzle.
- STEP 4
Lift one of the sponges onto a serving plate or turntable. Pipe half of the icing onto the sponge, then gently put the other layer on top. Pipe the remaining icing on top, then smooth over the surface and create a swirl. Decorate with the chocolate matchsticks and mini eggs.
