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If there's one thing Easter is all about for me, it's chocolate! So I've made this rich Easter Chocolate Cake that's perfect for celebrating with. It's a chocolate sponge filled and topped with plenty of chocolate buttercream, and I've decorated the top with crushed flake bar and mini eggs to create an Easter nest appearance. Even if it's not Easter this is a great classic chocolate cake recipe that you can make any time of year and decorate with any chocolate of your choice. Pretty much everyone loves a good chocolate cake, and this Easter Chocolate Cake would be perfect to serve to your friends and family for dessert after a delicious meal.

Ingredient Tips & Equipment Information

Make sure all your ingredients (particularly the butter and eggs) are at room temperature before you start baking.
I used a baking spread for the cake and unsalted butter for the buttercream.
You can use any cocoa powder for this cake, of course the better quality it is, the better flavour it will have. Also do make sure you are using cocoa powder and not a hot chocolate powder.
If you can't get hold of Flake Bars, you can use a potato peeler to grate a bar of chocolate over the cake. Or use ready made chocolate curls or sprinkles.
Although I provide cup measurements, I highly recommend weighing your ingredients out using digital kitchen scales*. It is the most accurate way to measure ingredients and will ensure the best results. Digital scales are very low cost and can be purchased for around £12 ($16.50) .
For teaspoon (tsp) and tablespoon (tbsp) measurements, please use measuring spoons* and not the type of spoons you eat with. Again this will ensure accuracy and provide the best results.

For the full recipe with measurements, head to the recipe card at the end of this post.

How to make Easter Chocolate Cake

To make the cake, mix the butter and sugar together, then whisk in the eggs and milk. Add self raising flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and bicarbonate of soda and whisk in gently.

Divide the mixture between the cake tins. Bake for 35-40 minutes and leave them to cool fully.

To make the buttercream, mix the butter on it's own for a few minutes, then add the cocoa powder, icing sugar and milk, and mix until smooth. Pipe the buttercream onto the bottom layer, then add the second sponge and pipe the remaining buttercream on top. Start by piping rosettes of the same height all over the top of the cake. Then pipe a taller border to create the "nest". Cover the nest section with the crushed Flake bars, and add lots of Mini Eggs in the centre.

How long does the Easter Chocolate Cake last for and can you freeze it?

The cake will keep in an airtight container for 3 days in a cool place. You can freeze the sponges either alone, or decorated (you can freeze the mini eggs but they will loose their pastel matte apperance when defrosted). Once the sponges are fully cool, wrap them well with cling film or put them in an airtight container with some baking paper between them. You can freeze the buttercream on it’s own in a tub, or you can decorate the cake and freeze it fully assembled. To do this and avoid damage to the decoration, freeze it either in an airtight container. Or let it freeze solid on a cake board or plate, then wrap in cling film. Remove the cling film when you take it out to defrost it, if you don’t it could damage the decoration as it defrosts and softens. You can also freeze slices of the cake, again well wrapped in cling film or in airtight containers.

Can this cake be made in different size cake tins?

If you would like to make this cake in different size tins, please check my Conversion Guide to find out how to adjust the recipe.

Can this recipe be made into cupcakes?

I don't have an exact cupcake version of this recipe, but you might like my Easter Nest Cupcakes or my Chocolate & Caramel Easter Nest Cupcakes.

Can you make the cake with plain/all purpose flour?

Self raising flour, which is very commonly used in the UK where I am based, already contains a raising agent and a little salt too. Therefore if you want to swap it for plain or all purpose flour, you will need to add some additional baking powder and also a little salt if you like. Some people like to add salt to cake recipes and some don't, so I'll leave that up to you as it won't affect the bake. The general advice is to add 2 teaspoons baking powder (a measuring teaspoon, not the kind you stir your coffee with) per every 200g plain or all purpose flour. So for this recipe you'd need to add 3 teaspoons baking powder. Please note, I have not tested this recipe using plain or all purpose flour.

Can the cake be made gluten or dairy free?

Yes! For gluten free you can replace the self raising flour with a gluten free self raising flour blend. If you only have a gluten free plain flour blend, you will need to add additonal baking powder. The general advice is to add 2 tsp baking powder per 200g flour, so for this recipe you'd need to add 3 teaspoons baking powder. You may also like to add ½ tsp xanthan gum for better texture. For a dairy free version, use a dairy free baking spread and dairy free milk for the cake. For the buttercream, I recommend Flora Plant or the Stork Baking Block for the buttercream, as they give the best texture. You will also need to decorate it with dairy free Mini Eggs, like Doisy & Dam. Please do check the labels for everything you use to make the cake if you are serving it to someone with an allergy or intolerance.

Do you need an electric mixer to make this recipe?

While you can absolutely make this recipe with a wooden spoon and some elbow grease, I do recommend using an electric mixer for the best results. The cake will be lighter and fluffier when made with an electric mixer. The buttercream will also be smoother. You don't have to use an expensive stand mixer either, you can get electric hand whisks for as little as £10!

More tips for making Easter Chocolate Cake:

You can decorate this cake with any Easter chocolates!
If you can't find Flake bars you could grate a chocolate bar using a fine grater or a vegetable peeler, or buy some chocolate curls or sprinkles.
You can spread the buttercream onto the cake if you don't want to pipe it.

Troubleshooting

If you have any questions about this recipe, or if something went wrong and you need help, please use the comment form below and I will get back to you. You can also get in touch with me on my Twitter, Instagram or Facebook. I'd love to hear from you!

Recommended equipment & ingredients*

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