Easter Chocolate Layer Cake

Name: Easter Chocolate Layer Cake
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 35 min
Yield: 12 serves
Cuisine: Australian
Ingredients: 4.5 cups plain flour; 3 cups caster sugar; 3/4 cup Organic Times Cocoa Powder; 3 tsp Organic Times Baking Powder; 3 tbsp apple cider vinegar; 3 tsp vanilla extract; 1 cup light olive oil; 3 cups cold water; 200 grams Organic Times Dark Chocolate Drops; 180 mL thickened cream; 150 gram Organic Times Unsalted Butter; 3 cups Organic Times Icing Sugar; 1 tbsp milk; 1 Organic Times Dark Chocolate Easter Egg; 1 packet small Easter eggs

Chocolate, chocolate and more chocolate!
Well, at Easter time you can never have too much chocolate.
This festive Easter Chocolate Layer Cake by Shelley Judge is delicious layers of sponge, ganache and buttercream and is sure to impress your family and friends.

Shelley Good Eats
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Cool Time: 2 hours
Serves: 12 serves

Ingredients

Chocolate Cake

4.5 cups plain flour
3 cups caster sugar
3/4 cup Organic Times Cocoa Powder
3 tsp Organic Times Baking Powder
3 tbsp apple cider vinegar
3 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup light olive oil
3 cups cold water

Ganache

200 grams Organic Times Dark Chocolate Drops
180 mL thickened cream
150 gram Organic Times Unsalted Butter
3 cups Organic Times Icing Sugar
1 tbsp milk
1 Organic Times Dark Chocolate Easter Egg
1 packet small Easter eggs

Method

Cake

Preheat oven to 160 Degrees Celsius.
Line 3 round 8-inch baking tins.
In a large bowl whisk flour, sugar, cocoa and baking powder.
In a jug or small bowl, whisk together vinegar, vanilla, olive oil and water.
Then combine the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients until fully combined.
Pour batter into the prepared cake tins.
Bake in the oven for 20-25minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean.
Cool completely before icing.

Ganache

Heat the cream in a small saucepan until it just starts to bubble around the edge of the pot.
Remove from heat and stir in finely chocolate drops.
Leave for 10mins before whisking with a fork to fully combine the cream and chocolate.
Then allow to cool completely (30mins-1hr).
Meanwhile make the buttercream:
Beat butter in a mix master for 5mins until light and fluffy.
Add in the icing sugar, ½ cup at a time beating in between.
Once all sugar has been added beat in 1 tbsp milk and beat on high for 2 mins until smooth.
Add in 1/2 - 2/3 cup cooled chocolate ganache until you reach your desired colour.

Assembly

Place one chocolate cake on a plate, top with ¾ cup buttercream and spread to the edges.
Place another cake on top and press down slightly to remove air bubbles. Repeat this step once more.
Then top the final layer with remaining buttercream.
For the Easter decorations, heat a large knife with boiling water then carefully slices the large Easter eggs in half.
Place half of the egg in the centre of the cake and fill with little Easter eggs.