This delicious chocolate Easter egg cake is made with a rich chocolate cake layered with a sweet and tangy cream cheese frosting, covered in sprinkles and decorated with a chocolate nest on top. It’s a decadent, fun dessert that is easy yet impressive!
This chocolate Easter egg cake is an indulgent treat worthy of being the centerpiece for any Easter celebration! It combines the rich flavor of a chocolate cake with a smooth and creamy cream cheese frosting that is topped with a festive egg nest!
I love Easter! It is more relaxing and Italians even have a saying “Natale con i tuoi e Pasqua con chi voi” (Christmas with your family and Easter with whoever you want). I love spending time with both friends and family, treating them to homemade Easter eggs, Easter egg tiramisu and even Italian Easter bread breakfast casserole.
This Easter cake recipe is my latest addition and it is so fun to decorate! Truth be told, you can make this classic chocolate cake recipe any time of the year and decorate it as you wish. It’s perfect for entertaining or just a weekend dessert!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Impressive yet simple: This chocolate Easter egg cake will wow family and friends but is actually simple to make!
- Flavorful: Two layers of a rich, moist chocolate cake pair perfectly with a sweet and tangy cream cheese frosting for a decadent cake that is the best chocolate Easter dessert!
- Celebratory: Festive chocolate Easter egg candies sit in a chocolate nest on top of the cake making this perfect not only for Easter but any spring occasion!
Chocolate Easter Cake Ingredients
- Sugar: Granulated sugar adds sweet taste.
- Cake flour: This results in a cake with a light and tender crumb. Pastry flour can also be used.
- Baking staples: Baking powder, baking soda and salt.
- Unsweetened cocoa powder: A good quality unsweetened cocoa powder is best to use.
- Large eggs: Two whole eggs at room temperature add moisture and binding.
- Milk: I prefer to use whole milk or 2% milk.
- Vegetable oil: Using vegetable oil instead of butter also adds to a tender crumb in the cake.
- Vanilla extract: Adds rich taste.
- Boiling water: This helps thin out the batter. Use coffee to enhance the chocolate taste.
- Cream cheese frosting: Softened butter, full fat cream cheese, powdered sugar, vanilla extract, cream and salt.
- Chocolate sprinkles: To decorate the outside of the cake.
- Chocolate nest: Bran stick cereal, broken pretzels or dried chow mein noodles and dark chocolate.
- Candy eggs: To fill the nest, you will need some chocolate Easter eggs or candies of choice like jellybeans.
Substitutions And Variations
- Coconut: Instead of making an egg nest, you can sprinkle the cake with coconut mixed with melted chocolate. Melt chocolate with butter over a double boiler, mix well with sweetened coconut, press into the sides and top of the cake.
- Frosting: Instead of cream cheese frosting, try a chocolate buttercream frosting, this chocolate cake mocha frosting or even my frosting from Nutella frosted chocolate cupcakes.
- Type of pan: For a kid-friendly idea, bake the cake in a bunny shaped pan.
- Decorations: Instead of a chocolate nest, decorate the cake with Peeps, they would look so cute if you used a few colors!
- Garnish: Use chocolate Easter eggs, Cadbury mini eggs or even Cadbury eggs that have been halved.
Tip: I recommend placing the cake in the refrigerator after frosting, for about 5-10 minutes to stiffen up the frosting some before applying the sprinkles. This way the frosting isn’t too soft and getting on your hands when applying the sprinkles. Then, press the sprinkles into the sides and top of the frosting.
How To Make a Chocolate Easter Egg Cake
FOR THE CHOCOLATE CAKE
- 2 cups sugar
- 1¾ cups cake/pastry flour
- ¾ cups unsweetened dutch processed cocoa powder
- 1½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 large eggs (room temperature)
- 1 cup milk (room temperature)
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 1 cup boiling water
FOR THE CREAM CHEESE FROSTING
- ½ cup butter softened
- 4 ounces cream cheese (room temperature)
- 5 cups powdered sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup cream (whole, whipping or heavy cream) at least 30% fat content
TOPPING
- 1-2 cups chocolate sprinkles
FOR THE CHOCOLATE NEST
- ½ cup bran stick cereal, broken pretzels or dried chow mein noodles
- 3½ ounces dark chocolate melted
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FOR THE CHOCOLATE CAKE
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In a large bowl whisk together the sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt then add the eggs, milk, oil and vanilla beat for 2 minutes on medium speed, then add the boiling water and stir to combine (do not beat, batter will be thin). Pour into the prepared cake pans and bake for approximately 30-35 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool 10 – 15 minutes in cake pans then remove to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.
FOR THE CREAM CHEESE FROSTING
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In a medium bowl beat together butter and cream cheese on medium-high speed until creamy approximately 1 minute. Lower speed to medium and add the powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time, beat well after each addition. Add the salt, half and half and vanilla and beat until fluffy, about 3 minutes.
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To frost the cake, place the first layer on a large plate top side down, spread with approximately 1 cup of frosting, place the second cake top side down and frost with remaining frosting. Cover cake with sprinkles. Top with the nest and fill with mini chocolate eggs. Enjoy!
FOR THE CHOCOLATE NEST
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Mix bran cereal, broken pretzels or dried chow mein noodles with melted chocolate.
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Line a small bowl with parchment paper, and pour chocolate mixture into bowl, form into a nest shape and freeze, check after 10-15 minutes and reform if necessary, refreeze until firm.
You can melt chocolate in the microwave in short bursts, stirring between each, to avoid burning the chocolate. You can also use the bain marie method by placing chocolate in a large glass bowl placed on top of a pot of shallow boiling water (make sure the glass bowl doesn’t touch the water), and heat until chocolate is melted.
Tip: I recommend placing the cake in the refrigerator after frosting, for about 5-10 minutes to stiffen up the frosting some before applying the sprinkles. This way the frosting isn’t too soft and getting on your hands when applying the sprinkles. Then, press the sprinkles into the sides and top of the frosting.
You can make the cake layers and frosting separately and store until ready to assemble. Cake layers can be stored at room temperature for up to 2 days in an airtight container. Frosting can be made and stored in the refrigerator for up to a week or two.
Since this chocolate Easter egg cake is made with a cream cheese frosting it needs to be stored in the refrigerator. Store covered in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. Allow it to come to room temperature before serving for the best flavor and texture.
It is best to freeze the cake layers before decorating them. Cool completely then wrap the sponge cakes in plastic wrap then aluminum foil. Store frozen for up to three months. Thaw covered in the refrigerator then decorate as you wish.
Calories: 659kcal | Carbohydrates: 119g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 65mg | Sodium: 420mg | Potassium: 275mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 98g | Vitamin A: 512IU | Vitamin C: 0.03mg | Calcium: 83mg | Iron: 2mg
Expert Tips
- Check your cocoa powder: This cake recipe uses dutch processed unsweetened cocoa powder.
- DIY cake flour: To make cake flour, for every cup of all-purpose flour replace it with 2 Tablespoons of cornstarch.
- Room temperature ingredients: Will incorporate into the cake batter better. Bring milk and eggs to room temperature before making the cake. Same goes for the cream cheese frosting!
- Deeper chocolate taste: Substitute the some of the hot water with hot coffee.
- Avoid a messy plate when icing: Place parchment paper just under the edges of the Easter cake when frosting it that way the cake platter won’t get messy!
Recipe FAQs
What Is The Best Way To Evenly Distribute The Sprinkles On The Cake?
If you would like your cake to be covered evenly in sprinkles, place it on a plate over a pan fitted with a baking rack. Take a handful of sprinkles and run your hand up the side of the cake without touching the cake. For a visual, check out the Goodie Godmother how to decorate a cake with sprinkles.
Can I Make The Easter Chocolate Cake In Advance?
You can make the cake layers and frosting separately and store until ready to assemble. Cake layers can be stored at room temperature for up to 2 days in an airtight container. Frosting can be made and stored in the refrigerator for up to a week or two.
Can I use store-bought frosting instead of making it?
Yes, you can use store-bought frosting for convenience, but homemade cream cheese frosting usually has a better flavor and texture.
How To Store Leftover Cake?
Since this chocolate Easter egg cake is made with a cream cheese frosting it needs to be stored in the refrigerator. Store covered in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. Allow it to come to room temperature before serving for the best flavor and texture.
Can I Freeze Chocolate Easter Egg Nest Cake?
Yes, but it is better to freeze the cake layers before decorating them. Cool completely then wrap the sponge cakes in plastic wrap then aluminum foil. Store frozen for up to three months. Thaw covered in the refrigerator then decorate as you wish.
More Cake Recipes
If you are looking for a delicious and pretty Easter Cake I hope you give this Chocolate Easter Egg Cake a try and be sure to let me know what you think. Enjoy!
Updated from March 1, 2018.
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