Best 4 Chocolate Pastel Easter Cake With A Chocolate Vermicelli Nest Recipes

EASTER EGG NEST CAKE

Steps:

• For the cake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a large metal mixing bowl (about 10 1/2 inches in diameter) with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.
• Combine the cake mix, eggs, oil and 1/2 cup water in a large bowl. (The water and oil is less than what the box instructions call for.) Mix with an electric mixer on medium speed until fully combined, about 2 minutes. Pour the batter into the prepared bowl and bake until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean, 45 to 50 minutes. Let cool for 15 to 20 minutes in the bowl, then remove from the bowl and let cool completely on a cooling rack, about 2 hours.
• For the nest: Meanwhile, spray the same bowl you used to bake the cake in with nonstick cooking spray.
• Melt the butter and marshmallows together in a large pot over low heat, stirring frequently. Add the white chocolate and cinnamon and stir until fully combined. Add the brown and yellow food coloring and mix until blended. Add the chow mein noodles and mix until all the noodles are coated with the marshmallow mixture. Transfer the mixture to the prepared bowl and quickly press into the bowl to form a nest shape. If your hands start to stick, spray them with cooking spray (Caution: the mixture is hot, but you have to work quickly or it will harden; you can wear gloves for this step if necessary). Let cool about 2 hours.
• Remove the nest from the bowl and line the bowl with plastic wrap, letting some plastic wrap hang over the edge of the bowl. Place the nest back in the bowl, over the plastic wrap. Store in the refrigerator until ready to use.
• For the eggs: Place the white chocolate in a small microwave-safe bowl. Heat in 30-second increments, stirring after each, until melted, 1 1/2 to 2 minutes. (Do not overheat.) Divide the melted chocolate into 2 bowls. Whisk 6 drops blue food coloring and 5 drops green food coloring into one bowl until a robin's egg blue color is created.
• Gently push the pointed end of a skewer into the bottom of each chocolate egg, slightly off-center (do not hit the seam of the egg, or the egg will split along the seam). Gently dip the egg into the blue chocolate and turn until the egg is evenly coated. Lift the egg out of the blue chocolate and hold above the bowl to allow excess to drip off. Push the flat end of the skewer into a foam block or container of sugar or salt to allow the egg to dry undisturbed. Repeat this process to dip 4 more eggs into the blue chocolate. Dip the remaining 5 eggs in the white chocolate in the same manner. (If at any point the melted chocolate becomes too thick, microwave for 30 seconds more to loosen.) Set the eggs aside to harden for 1 hour.
• Remove the eggs from the skewers and place on a paper towel-lined tray.
• Combine 4 drops green food coloring and 4 drops blue coloring with 1 tablespoon water in a small spray bottle. Lightly spritz the green mixture onto the eggs in a speckled pattern. Allow the eggs to dry again for 1 hour.
• For decorating: Spread 1 can of the cream cheese frosting into the nest, leaving the outer border unfrosted.
• Slice 1 1/2 to 2 inches off of the flat side of the cake so that it will fit well inside the nest. Using a spoon, remove some cake to hollow out a depression in the top (the flat side) of the cake, leaving a 2-inch border intact along the outer edge of the cake.
• Place the cake hollowed-side up into the frosted nest. Fill a pastry bag fitted with a large tip with the remaining cream cheese frosting and frost the top of the cake; spread evenly using an offset spatula or a spoon. Sprinkle the toasted coconut over the top of the cake, making sure to coat completely. If not using immediately, refrigerate. (Let the refrigerated cake come to room temperature for 1 hour before serving.)
• Using the excess plastic wrap, pull the nest cake out of the bowl and place on a cake stand or platter. Arrange the eggs in the nest, then decorate with mint sprigs and edible flowers, and serve.

CHOCOLATE MALT NEST CAKE

Steps:

• Make the cake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter two 9-inch round cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper, then butter the parchment. Dust the pans with flour and tap out any excess.
• Whisk the flour, malted milk powder, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl. Beat the butter and sugar in a separate large bowl with a mixer on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 6 minutes. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, then beat in the vanilla. Reduce the mixer speed to low; beat in the flour mixture in three batches, alternating with the buttermilk. Beat until smooth, about 1 more minute.
• Divide the batter between the prepared pans; tap on the counter to remove any air bubbles. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the centers of the cakes comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes. Transfer to a rack; run a knife around the edges of the cakes and let cool 10 minutes, then turn out the cakes onto the rack to cool completely. Discard the parchment.
• Meanwhile, make the frosting: Whisk the milk, malted milk powder, flour, cocoa powder and salt in a small saucepan until combined. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, whisking, until the mixture is thick like pudding, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and press plastic wrap directly onto the surface. Refrigerate until completely cool, about 11/2 hours.
• When you¿re ready to assemble the cake, finish the frosting: Remove the malted mixture from the refrigerator and whisk until creamy. Beat the butter and sugar in a large bowl with a mixer on medium-high speed until fluffy, about 8 minutes. Add large spoonfuls of the malted mixture, beating 1 to 2 minutes after each addition and scraping down the bowl as needed (the frosting will look separated). Continue beating until the frosting comes together and is light and fluffy, about 3 more minutes. (Do not chill!)
• Assemble the cake: Place 1 cake layer on a platter. Spread with 1 heaping cup of the frosting. Top with the second cake layer. Cover the top and side with more frosting, then build up a ring around the top of the cake with the remaining frosting to create a nest. Refrigerate the cake until the frosting firms up, about 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, make the topping: Toss the shredded wheat in a large bowl with the melted butter, then add the sugar and toss again. Spread in a single layer on a baking sheet and bake at 350 degrees F until lightly browned, about 15 minutes. Melt the chocolate in a large microwave-safe bowl in 20-second intervals, stirring, until smooth, 1 to 2 minutes. Let cool slightly, then stir in the shredded wheat mixture until completely coated. Press the topping all over the top and side of the cake. Refrigerate until set, at least 30 minutes or overnight. Fill the nest with candy eggs.

CHOCOLATE NESTS

Steps:

• Melt the chocolate and coconut oil in a bowl in the microwave 2 to 3 minutes. Coat the pretzel sticks in the chocolate and arrange them into nests on a parchment or wax paper-lined surface. Refrigerate for 10 minutes to set, then add the chocolate egg candies.

EASTER NEST CAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Oil and line two 20cm round cake tins. Add the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, bicarb, sugar and a large pinch of salt to a bowl. Mix with a whisk, squeezing any large lumps of sugar through your fingers, until you have a fine, sandy mix.
• Whisk the oil with the buttermilk in a jug. Stir in the vanilla and eggs, then pour the wet ingredients into the dry and mix until there are no more streaks of flour. Divide the mixture between the tins and bake for 25 mins. Test the cakes by inserting a skewer into the centre - if there is any wet mixture on the skewer, return the cakes to the oven for 5 mins more, then check again. Leave the cakes to cool in the tins for 15 mins, then transfer to wire racks to cool fully.
• Next, make the nest. Clean one tin and line it with some oiled baking parchment. Put the marshmallows and butter in a heatproof bowl and microwave on high for 1 min, stirring halfway through (or heat gently in a pan on the hob). Continue microwaving in 20-second blasts until you get a runny mixture. Stir in the cocoa, pretzels and shredded wheat until well combined. Tip the mixture into your lined tin and use the back of your spoon to create a nest shape. Leave to cool at room temperature for a few hrs, or chill in the fridge if you need it to set faster.
• To make the icing, beat the butter, cocoa, icing sugar and milk together until smooth, adding a splash more milk if the mixture is too stiff. Assemble the cake by stacking the sponges with icing in between, topping with more icing and the nest. Fill your nest with as many chocolate eggs as it will hold, then serve. It may be easier to cut the cake if you remove the nest - you can then chop the nest into chunks and serve alongside the cake.