Chocolate Easter Cakes

Easter holidays are here, so here's the perfect excuse to make something sticky and sweet with our great value baking ingredients. Get the kids involved! These little chocolate cakes are airy, light and delicious, made extra special with the addition of mini eggs - a seasonal chocolate treat.

This recipe is by our fab foodie friend Caroline Chilton-Bates. Find and follow her on facebook @privatechefcarolina or instagram @chefcarolina_uk

For the cake
200g Caster sugar
200g Unsalted butter
4 Large Eggs
200g Self raising flour
½ tsp Baking powder (seems slightly odd, but believe us it does work)
2tbsps Cocoa powder
½ tsp Vanilla extract
2 tbsps milk

For the butter cream
100g Milk chocolate pistoles
200g Butter
400g Icing sugar
5 tbsps Cocoa powder
2 tbsps Milk

For the chocolate shards (optional)
50g Dark chocolate pistoles
25g Milk chocolate pistoles

To Decorate:
Mini eggs of choice

Making the cakes
1. Heat the oven to 190°C/170°c fan. Grease either 2 x 20cm sandwich tins and line with parchment, or if you have them, small loose leaf individual tins (or use muffin cases).

2. Cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, either with electric beaters or in a freestanding mixer.

3. Add the eggs one at a time while blending, then add the self-raising flour, baking powder, cocoa powder, vanilla and milk. Mix until combined.

4. Pour into your prepared tins/ cases, only filling to 2/3 full (they will rise!)

5. Bake for 20 mins (12 -15 if in smaller tins) until a skewer comes out clean when inserted.

6. Leave to cool in the tin for 10 mins then turn out onto a wire rack.

Making buttercream & chocolate shards
1. Melt the chocolate in the microwave (10 secs at a time) until melted and leave to cool for 5 mins.

2. Blend the icing sugar and butter in a blender until smooth. Add the remaining ingredients including the chocolate and blend until all combined and smooth. Put into a piping bag

3. If using, melt the chocolate for the nests as above and spread out onto parchment or a baking mat using a palette knife and leave to cool. Once cool cut into thin shards with a knife.

To assemble

Spread a thin layer of butter cream across the top of the cakes then carefully pipe the butter cream around the outer edges to form a raised nest effect. Decorate with shards. Place the chocolate eggs in the middle, pushing down a little to secure them. Arrange on a plate and serve.

Enjoy! Don't forget to tag us on instagram @somerset.foodie or facebook @SomersetFoodie if you make these at home...

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