SPRING FLORAL BASKETS

These require a bit of time and skill, but are worth it to create something impressive for Easter. You’ll need to make the handles and flowers ahead of time.

Makes 6

For the handles and flowers

250g pack ready-to-roll white sugar paste

Yellow, green, pink and blue food colour paste or gel (from supermarkets)

Sugar pearls in various sizes (from cake decorating shops or online) Edible glue (available as above)

For the cakes

200g (7oz) butter, softened, plus extra for greasing

200g (7oz) caster sugar

4 large eggs

200g (7oz) self-raising flour Finely grated zest of 2 lemons

For the syrup

Juice of 2 lemons

50g (1¾oz) caster sugar

For the lemon curd icing

250g (9oz) butter, softened 500g (1lb 2oz) icing sugar, plus extra for dusting

1tbsp lemon curd

Line a baking tray with parchment. In a bowl, colour 75g (2¾oz) of the sugar paste with a little yellow gel. Roll into 12 thin sausages 15cm (6in) long, then twist 2 of these together and bend into a handle shape that will fit the size of the mould you’ll bake the cakes in (see below). Repeat so you have 6 handles. Place on the lined tray and leave to set at room temperature for 2-3 days.

The day before you bake the cakes, make the flowers. Divide the remaining sugar paste into 4 and colour as desired. On a surface dusted with icing sugar, roll out one piece at a time very thinly. Use 1-2cm (½-¾in) cutters to cut out flower and leaf shapes, pressing them into the palm of your hand to ‘cup’ the shape slightly. Attach sugar pearls for the centres, using dabs of edible glue, then place on kitchen paper to dry overnight.

To make the cakes, preheat the oven to 180°C/fan 160°C/gas 4. Butter 6 x 8cm (3¼in) pudding moulds and line the bases with baking parchment. In a bowl, beat

This is a fabulous showstopper Easter cake. The sponges can be baked a few days ahead or frozen for up to a month, then decorated on the day you want to serve.

Serves 10

For the cake

2tsp instant coffee

2tbsp cocoa

100g (3½oz) chocolate (60-70% cocoa solids), finely chopped 150ml (5fl oz) buttermilk

1tsp vanilla bean paste or extract 250g (9oz) self-raising flour

1tsp baking powder

1tsp bicarbonate of soda

175g (6oz) unsalted butter, really soft, plus extra for greasing 300g (10½oz) light muscovado sugar

3 large eggs, lightly beaten

For the buttercream

150g (5½oz) unsalted butter, softened

2tbsp cocoa

250g (9oz) icing sugar

For the glaze

40g (1½oz) unsalted butter, cubed 200g (7oz) chocolate (60-70% cocoa solids), finely chopped 2tbsp golden syrup

To decorate

150g (5½oz) honeycomb pieces or bars, broken into shards

(or try making your own – see panel below)

Mini chocolate eggs

Preheat the oven to 180°C/fan 160°C/gas 4 and butter and line the base and sides of 2 deep, 18cm (7in) round cake tins with baking parchment. Combine the coffee and cocoa in a bowl and pour 200ml

(7fl oz) boiling water over. Stir well, then add the chopped chocolate and stir until melted. Add the buttermilk and vanilla.

In another bowl sift the flour, baking powder and bicarbonate of soda. Whisk the butter and sugar with a hand-held electric whisk or stand mixer until pale and fluffy. Slowly add the beaten eggs with 1-2tbsp of the flour mixture. Now fold in the chocolate mixture and remaining flour using a spoon. Divide the mixture between the 2 tins and bake for 30-35 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean. Cool for a while in the tins, then turn out onto a wire rack. Remove the paper and leave to cool completely while you make the buttercream.

In a bowl, beat the butter, cocoa and icing sugar until fluffy. Slice each cake in half horizontally, so you have 4 sponges. Spread a third of the buttercream over the first one, top with the second and repeat until you have 4 tiers, leaving the top plain.

To make the glaze, melt the butter, chocolate and 100ml (3½fl oz) water in a pan, stirring. Remove from the heat, add the syrup and mix well. Working quickly, spread the glaze over the top and sides of the cake. Just before serving, sprinkle the cake with honeycomb, piling it higher around the edges to create a hollow in the centre for your ‘nest’, then fill with chocolate eggs.