White Chocolate & Lemon Easter Nest Cake

DIFFICULTY
Easy Easy
PREP TIME
Under 30 Min. Under 30 Min.
COOK TIME
Under 1 Hr. Under 1 Hr.
SERVES
8-10 8-10
White Chocolate & Lemon Easter Nest Cake
Making for a lighter and brighter change to typical Easter bakes, this white chocolate and lemon sponge cake is sure to have your guests stunned with its edible easter nest filled chocolate eggs for all the share.
Main INGREDIENTS
  • Chocolate
FOR THIS RECIPE WE LOVE TO USE
Toughened Non-Stick Shallow Casserole with Glass Lid
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Toughened Non-Stick Shallow Casserole with Glass Lid
Ingredients
Method

Ingredients

FOR THE CAKE
  • 235g unsalted butter
  • 235g caster sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla essence
  • 1 lemon, juice & zest
  • 235g self-raising flour
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 4 large eggs
  • 100g white chocolate, roughly chopped
FOR THE BUTTERCREAM
  • 50g unsalted butter
  • 100g lemon curd
  • 250g icing sugar
FOR THE NEST
  • 100g white chocolate
  • 50g vermicelli noodles
  • 100g chocolate mini eggs
TO DECORATE
  • White chocolate curls
  • Lemon zest
YOU WILL NEED
  • Small Pyrex bowl
  • Clingfilm

  • Method

  • 1
    Preheat the oven to 190°C/ Fan 170°C/ Gas Mark 4
  • 2
    In a food mixer, beat together the butter, sugar, and vanilla until light and fluffy. Add the lemon zest and juice and beat again for 30 seconds - the mixture will split but this is okay.
  • 3
    In a bowl combine the flour and baking powder. Crack an egg into the butter lemon mixture followed by a spoonful of flour. Beat vigorously for approximately 20 seconds until completely incorporated into the mixture. Repeat with the remaining eggs.
  • 4
    Sprinkle in the remaining flour and beat just until combined. Using a metal spoon, gently fold in the white chocolate.
  • 5
    Lightly grease the Toughened Non-Stick 24cm shallow casserole before pouring in the cake batter. Place in the preheated oven and bake for 35 - 40 minutes until a skewer comes out clean when inserted into the centre of the cake. If the cake is browning too much and is not cooked through, simply cover with foil and return to the oven for the remaining cook time.
  • 6
    Once baked, remove the cake from the oven and allow to fully cool in the casserole placed on a wire cooling rack.
  • 7
    In the meantime, make the buttercream and nest. Combine all the buttercream ingredients in a food mixer and beat until light and fluffy. Place in the fridge until ready to assemble.
  • 8
    To make the edible nest, melt the white chocolate either in a heatproof dish over a pan of simmering water, or gently in short intervals in the microwave. When the chocolate in melted, break the noodles into approximately 10cm strands and stir through the chocolate until all covered.
  • 9
    Line the inside of a small bowl with clingfilm. Spoon the noodles into the bowl, spreading them up the sides creating a nest shape, ensuring there is a bevel in the middle of the nest to hold the eggs. Place in the fridge until set.
  • 10
    When the cake is cooled and ready for assembly, spread the lemon buttercream over the top of the cake. Sprinkle the parameter of cake with chocolate flakes and lemon zest.
  • 11
    Remove the set nest from the bowl and clingfilm. Place the nest in the middle of the cake and finish by filling with chocolate mini eggs.
  • 12
    Cook’s Notes
  • 13
    Make sure your sponge is completely cooled before icing and decorating - this may take at least a couple of hours so make your sponge well in advance.