MAKE OUR COVER RECIPE

Mini egg cake

This is a great Easter cake to make with kids, as it’s made all in one bowl and spread with buttercream. Make the icing and sponge a day ahead – just keep it well-wrapped and chilled. Cuts into 16 Prep 1 hr 15 mins plus cooling and chilling Cook 45 mins uniced

250g butter, softened, plus extra

melted butter for the tin

250g self-raising flour, plus extra

for dusting

225g golden caster sugar, plus 2 tbsp 2 oranges, zested and juiced

5 large eggs

1 tsp baking powder

FOR THE ICING

150g butter, softened

500g icing sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

180g full-fat soft cheese

360g mini chocolate eggs, to decorate

1 Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Butter a bundt tin or fluted cake ring (at least 2.5-litre capacity). Dust with flour, shaking off the excess. Beat the butter, flour, 225g sugar, orange zest, eggs and baking powder and a pinch of salt using an electric whisk until smooth. Spoon into the tin. Smooth the surface. Bake for 35 mins until a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean with a few dry crumbs attached.

2 Combine the orange juice with the remaining 2 tbsp caster sugar in a pan, and cook over a medium heat until the mixture is a loose syrupy consistency. Prick the warm cake all over with a skewer, then pour over half the syrup, pouring over the rest once it has been absorbed. Leave the cake to cool in the tin for 15 mins, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

3 Meanwhile, make the icing. Beat the butter with half the sugar and the vanilla until smooth and fluffy. Add the rest of the sugar and the soft cheese, and beat until combined – don’t overbeat, or it will turn runny.

4 Spread a thin layer of the icing over the entire cooled cake, taking care to get into all the crevices, then chill for 20 mins to set (if you are short of time, you can put it in the freezer). Spread the remaining icing over the cold cake in an even layer. Once iced, the cake will keep chilled for three days. Bring to room temperature before decorating. Arrange the chocolate eggs in circles around the edge. PER SERVING 600 kcals, fat 30g, saturates 18g,

carbs 75g, sugars 63g, fibre 1g, protein 6g, salt 0.8g