Weekend bake Easter cake

Create this chocolate showstopper for Easter Sunday tea to delight all the family

SERVES 12 READY IN 1 HR 30 MINS, PLUS COOLING

FOR THE CAKE ● 100G COCOA POWDER ● 240G SELF-RAISING FLOUR ● 1½TSP BAKING POWDER ● ¼TSP BICARBONATE OF SODA ● 240G BUTTER, SOFTENED ● 400G CASTER SUGAR ● 1TSP VANILLA EXTRACT ● 4 EGGS AT ROOM TEMPERATURE FOR THE BUTTERCREAM ● 200G WHITE CHOCOLATE ● 250G BUTTER, SOFTENED ● 500G ICING SUGAR, SIFTED ● 2-3TBSP MILK TO DECORATE ● 1 WHITE CHOCOLATE EGG, SPLIT IN HALF, AND SMALLER CHOCOLATE SPECKLED EGGS YOU WILL NEED ● 2 X 25CM ROUND BAKING TINS, GREASED AND LINED WITH BAKING PAPER

1 Preheat the oven to 180C/gas 4. Mix the cocoa powder with 400ml boiling water and leave to cool.

2 Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda and ¼tsp salt into a bowl; set aside. Cream together the butter, sugar and vanilla. Mix in 1 egg and then a third of the flour mix. Repeat with the remaining eggs and flour. Fold in the cooled cocoa.

3 Divide the mixture into the tins and bake for 30-40 mins or until a cocktail stick inserted into centre comes out clean. Loosen the edges with a knife and leave to cool for 20 mins. Turn out onto a wire rack.

4 For the buttercream, melt the chocolate in the microwave. Cream the butter, add the icing sugar gradually and beat until fluffy.

Add the chocolate and beat until combined, adding milk to loosen the buttercream, if needed.

5 Spread buttercream on top of the bottom cake and place the other on top, then cover the entire cake. Put Easter egg halves on top (like ears) and scatter on chocolate eggs.