Nothing says Easter more than eggs, so lets give credit back to the source and lay them in a nest – only this nest is made from chocolate and noodles! This undeniably easter-y chocolate cake is by Amanda of Chew Town. We’re delighted to share it with you here at Queen as one of our all time favourite Easter cakes!

Prep:
40 min
Cook:
1 hr 10 min
Serves:
12

Ingredients

Chocolate Yoghurt Cakes

  1. 1 ½ cups (225g) plain flour

  2. ¾ teaspoon bicarbonate soda (baking soda)

  3. ½ cup (60g) cocoa

  4. ½ cup (80g) brown sugar

  5. ½ cup (125ml/g) Woolworths Gold Greek Yoghurt – Madagascan Vanilla Bean

  6. 1 tsp Queen Vanilla Bean Paste

  7. 1 tablespoon instant coffee

  8. Pinch of sea salt

  9. 3 large eggs

  10. 200g melted butter

Filling

  1. 200g Woolworths Gold Hand Finished Chocolate and Hazelnut Meringue (1/2 a pavlova required)*

  2. 1 cup (250ml) thickened cream

  3. 2 tablespoons (35g) caster sugar

  4. 1 tsp Queen Vanilla Bean Paste

Ganache Topping

  1. 110g dark chocolate

  2. 25g unsalted butter

Egg Nest

  1. 20g vermicelli noodles

  2. 60g dark chocolate

  3. 110g packet of small easter eggs

Method - Cake

  1. Step 1

    Preheat oven to 160C (fan forced). Grease and line two 18cm round cake pans.

  2. Step 2

    Combine flour, bicarb soda, cocoa and brown sugar in a bowl, and stir in coffee, yoghurt, vanilla bean paste, eggs and melted butter. Divide the mixture evenly between the two pans and smooth the top. Bake for 1 hour and 10 minutes, or until a skewer inserted comes out clean. Remove from oven and set aside to cool completely.

Method - Nest

  1. Step 1

    While the cakes are cooling, make the nest. Break up the vermicelli noodles into small pieces and place in a bowl. Melt the chocolate in the microwave in short bursts then pour over the vermicelli noodles and mix till well combined. Take the chocolate coated noodles, and press into a small bowl lined with cling film. Place a smaller bowl on top and place in the fridge to harden.

Method - Filling

  1. Step 1

    Remove the cakes from the tins, and using a serated bread knife held horizontally, evenly cut the tops of the cakes to level.

  2. Step 2

    To make the filling, break up 200g meringue into pieces and set aside. Place cream in a bowl and whip with a hand mixer until soft peaks form. Add the sugar to the bowl and whip again till soft peaks form. Stir in the meringue filling and vanilla bean paste then sandwich the filling between the two cakes.

Method - Ganache

  1. Step 1

    To make the ganache, melt the butter and chocolate together in the microwave in short bursts, stirring until completely combined and pour over the top of the cake. Remove the nest from the fridge, and take it out of the bowl mold. Place it on top of the cake over the ganache and fill it with the chocolate eggs. Serve immediately.

Thanks to our friend Amanda of Chew Town for the recipe and photos. See the original on the Chew Town blog.

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