Easter Egg Nest Cake

Ingredients

For the cake

• 250g best quality chocolate, chopped
• 125g unsalted, softened butter
• 6 eggs, 2 whole, 4 separated
• 175g caster sugar, 75g for yolk mixture, 100g for the whites
• 1 tsp real vanilla extract

For the topping

• 125g best quality chocolate, chopped
• 250mls double cream
• 1 tsp real vanilla extract
• little Easter eggs, e.g. Cadbury’s mini eggs

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees. Line the bottom of a 23cm springform cake tin with baking parchment, but do not grease the sides.
2. Melt the chocolate with the butter and then set aside to cool slightly.
3. Whisk the 4 egg whites until firm, then gradually add the 100g of sugar and whisk until the whites are holding their shape and peak, but not stiff.
4. In another bowl, whisk the two whole eggs and four egg yolks with 75g of sugar and the vanilla extract. Then gently fold in the chocolate mixture. Fold into this the eggs whites.
5. Pour into the tin and bake for 35-40 minutes or until the cake is risen and cracked and the centre is no longer wobbly on the surface.
6. Cool the in its tin. As it cools the cake will crack and form a crater in the middle. Don’t worry, this is supposed to happen!
7. To finish the cake, carefully remove it from the tin and place it on a dish or cake stand. Melt the chocolate for the topping and leave it to cool a little.
8. Whip the cream until it is firming up and aerated, but still soft. Then add the vanilla extract and fold in the melted chocolate.
9. Fill the crater of the cake with the chocolately cream, so it looks a bit like a nest (i.e. messily!) and then decorate with the chocolate eggs.