Bird's Nest Easter Cake
Moist chocolate cake covered in a rich chocolate buttercream and topped with a gaggle of chocolate eggs. Perfect for an Easter treat.
- Prep time
- 15 min
- Cook time
- 25 min
- Yield
- 4 servings
- Difficulty
- MEDIUM
Ingredients
Quantities are shown as originally provided.
- 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (not dutch processed)
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 2 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil (or canola oil, or melted coconut oil)
- 2 large eggs at room temperature
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup freshly brewed (strong, hot coffee)
- 2 sticks unsalted butter room temperature
- 5 cups confectioners' sugar
- 1 1/2 cups unsweetened cocoa powder
- 5-6 tbsp heavy cream
- 2 tsps pure vanilla extract
- 1/2-3/4 tsp salt to taste
- 1 cup semi sweet chocolate (melted and cooled)
Instructions
- 1
For the Cake
- 2
Butter and flour 6 four inch pans. (You can use larger pans and just cut the cakes down to size if you don't have 4 inch pans.) Preheat oven to 350F.
- 3
In a large bowl whisk together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, salt, baking powder and soda.
- 4
Beat the eggs, oil, buttermilk and vanilla together in a separate bowl.
- 5
Add the wet mixture to the dry and mix until just combined. Stir in the hot coffee last.
- 6
Distribute the batter evenly to the pans. and bake for about 25 minutes or until the centers are baked.
- 7
For the Buttercream
- 8
Beat the butter until light and fluffy. Mix in the confectioners' sugar, cream, cocoa powder, vanilla, salt and melted chocolate.
- 9
For the Assembly
- 10
Cut the cake down into a nest shape. Cover with buttercream and smooth. Pipe "twigs" with a number 4 tip. Place the chocolate eggs in the nest and serve.