Chocolate Box Celebration Cake Recipe

This gorgeous Easter cake recipe would make the perfect centre piece to any Easter celebration!

HOW TO MAKE CHOCOLATE BOX CELEBRATION CAKE

Ingredients

• 375g butter
• 375g dark chocolate
• 6 free-range eggs
• 225g caster sugar
• 125g self-raising flour, sifted
• 110g ground almonds

For the frosting:

• 225g butter, at room temperature
• 450g dark chocolate
• 150g icing sugar
• 30g cocoa powder

For the decoration:

• A selection of chocolate eggs or sweets, or both
• Around 100 chocolate cigarellos (from chocolatetradingco.com) or thin chocolate finger biscuits (optional)
• Ribbon (optional)

You will need:

• 2 x 20cm square cake tins (or use one and bake in 2 batches), oiled and lined with baking parchment

Method

1. Heat the oven to 180C, gas 4. Melt the butter and chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water. Cool. Beat the eggs and caster sugar with an electric whisk until pale and thick. Add the chocolate mixture, then fold in the flour and almonds. Divide between the cake tins and bake for 50 minutes to 1 hour or until cooked through. Cool in the tins for 5 minutes then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
2. To make the fudgy chocolate frosting, melt the butter and chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water. Allow to cool for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, sieve the icing sugar and cocoa powder into a separate bowl. Add them gradually to the chocolate mix, beating with an electric mixer.
3. Once the cakes are cooled, sandwich them together with some of the frosting, and transfer to a board or plate. With a palette knife, spread more icing around the edges of the cake. (Cover it thoroughly if making a simpler versiontat's frosted all over). Add a thin layer to the top then stick the chocolate cigarellos around the cake. Tie with a ribbon and fill the top with chocolate eggs and/or sweets of your choice.