Could this just be the secret to the best Easter treat you can make. Don’t you just love traybake cakes! This easy chocolate Easter traybake is quick and easy to make. It is chocolaty and it’s made for sharing!
Its easy-to-slice nature makes it an ideal choice for parties, bake sales, or any gathering with friends and family. And it is also easy to store and transport if required.
So if you are on the hunt for a delicious Easter cake that will impress your friends and family ? Look no further than this easy traybake cake. A fabulous simple chocolate cake topped with a not too sweet, luscious white chocolate buttercream and simply decorated with some mini chocolate easter eggs scattered on top.
With the festive chocolate mini egg decorations on top, this cake is the perfect centrepiece for your Easter holiday table.
A great bake to make with children
It is also a fun recipe to make with Children who will just love decorating the top. Although if they are anything like mine when they were younger, you may have to keep the mini eggs for decorating hidden until the last minute or they might just disappear.
Not just for Easter
Best of all this simple chocolate cake can be served for any occasion and as it is so easy to make it would be rather a shame to only serve it at Easter time. There are lots of other ways to decorate the cake So keep scrolling for alternative decoration ideas if you are serving it at other times of the year.
Ingredients
In order to make the perfect chocolate traybake cake, you'll need a few key ingredients.
For the chocolate cake
- Cocoa Powder
- Butter – I tend to use lightly salted butter as that is what I have in the fridge. If you use unsalted butter add a pinch of salt. The butter must be soft and at room temperature
- Caster Sugar – I use golden caster sugar for most of my baking. It’s the same as normal caster sugar, but it’s unrefined, It is a little more flavoursome with light caramel tones.
- Self-raising flour – (US = self-rising flour)
- Baking powder – is used in this recipe in addition to the self-raising flour as the cake is made using the all-in-one method
- Eggs – medium preferably free range
- Milk – use whichever milk you have to hand skimmed semi or full fat are all fine in this instance
For the white chocolate buttercream
- White Chocolate – Choose cooking chocolate from the baking aisle rather than dessert chocolate from the sweet aisle. They tend to be more stable and easier to use in baking and frostings.
- Butter
- Icing sugar – (US = confectioner’s sugar)
- Vanilla extract – Make sure it is Vanilla extract not vanilla flavouring. Vanilla extract is made is made by extracting vanilla flavour from vanilla pods. Where as vanilla flavouring is made using artificial ingredients and has an inferior flavour.
- Milk – Again use what you have in the fridge its not critical whether it is full fat, skimmed or semi.
To Decorate
- Mini chocolate easter eggs
Cook's Tip
The flavour of cooking chocolate can vary and some are better than others so try to find a brand you like. My favourites brands for baking are Menier or Green and Blacks cooking chocolate. Or to get the best flavour with ease of use, try a mixture of 50% white cooking chocolate and 50% white dessert chocolate which I find works well.
Equipment
- Electric hand held or stand mixer – This cake is made using the all in one method which means the ingredients are beaten together to produce a smooth batter so an electric mixer will make this much easier than trying to beat by hand with a wooden spoon.
- Rectangular baking tin or roasting pan about 22x30 cm (9x12in).
- Baking parchment to line the tin.
You do not need any specialist equipment to decorate the cake.
To make the Chocolate Sponge Cake
First, make sure all of your ingredients are at room temperature before you begin baking. This will ensure that all the ingredients combine fully and the cake rises evenly and has the best texture possible.
It is particularly important that the butter is soft and at room temperature. If you prod it with your finger it should yield without any resistance but should not be so soft that it has began to melt.
Next, be sure to measure your ingredients accurately, especially the flour and baking powder. Too much or too little of either can drastically affect the final outcome of your cake. Use measuring spoons and fill level unless otherwise stated.
Step 1 Place all the ingredients for the cake in a mixing bowl.
Step 2 Beat until you have a smooth batter.
Step 3 Spoon into the prepared tin and spread level.
Step 4 Bake until risen and springy to the touch.
To make the White Chocolate Buttercream
White chocolate buttercream is easy to make but if you are making it for the first time it is worth reading my white chocolate buttercream post for detailed step-by-step instructions
Easy to decorate and complete the cake
It couldn't be simpler and can be done by anyone without fancy equipment!
The cake is decorated by spreading the buttercream frosting over the top and simply swirling it with a knife. Then sprinkling with the mini Easter eggs.
For fun, I roughly chopped some of the eggs to give a more random finish. It’s virtually foolproof but looks really fun and attractive.
Alternatively, you could mark the cake into portions and top each portion with a single whole mini egg.
Top Tip
If you are going to transport the cake, decorate while still in the tin. Then either use the lining parchment to carefully lift the cake out and transfer it to a board to serve. Or carefully cut the cake while it is still in the tin.
How long will the cake keep for?
The cake will keep best uncut, so can be wrapped while still in the tin. Once cut it will keep in an airtight container for up to a week.
Can you freeze the traybake?
Yes, you can! This Easter chocolate traybake freezes well. Simply wrap well or place in an airtight container and put it in the freezer, where it will keep for up to 3 months undecorated.
Defrost at room temperature overnight (or for about 8 hours). Ice and decorate the cake when it is completely defrosted.
I have also frozen the cake decorated. The chocolate stabilises the buttercream but you may get a little colour bleeding into the frosting from the mini eggs.
Variations
I've used Cadbury’s chocolate mini eggs but you can use any small Easter chocolates. You can get mini chocolate eggs that have a shimmery gold finish which would give the cake a more sophisticated look.
For more intense chocolate flavour use easy chocolate buttercream or chocolate cream cheese frosting in place of the white chocolate buttercream
You can also add a handful of chocolate chips to the cake batter before baking.
And of course when it's not Easter there are lots of ways you can decorate the top why not try one of the following
- Substitute your favourite colourful sprinkles
- Drizzle with melted milk chocolate
- Sprinkle with crushed chocolate flake
- Dust lightly with cocoa powder
- Go to town with a selection of small chocolates
- Add some chopped nuts
No matter which decoration you choose, remember to have fun and get creative.
Let’s Bake
Creating a memorable Easter dessert doesn't have to be complicated or time-consuming. This homemade chocolate cake is a crowd-pleaser that's easy to make and even more delicious to eat. By following our simple ingredients, instructions, and decorating tips, you can impress your guests with a dessert that's both festive and flavourful.
Happy baking!
Easter Chocolate Tray Bake
Equipment
- Electric mixer
- 22x30cm (9x12in)
- baking parchment
- palete knife
Ingredients
For the chocolate cake
- 3 tablespoon cocoa powder
- 3 tablespoon hot water
- 175 g butter , softened (6oz)
- 175 g caster sugar (6oz)
- 225 g self-raising flour (8oz)
- 2 teaspoon baking powder
- 3 medium eggs
- 3 tablespoon milk
For the white chocolate buttercream
- 150 g white chocolate , broken into pieces(5oz)
- 200 g butter , softened (7oz)
- 225 g icing sugar , sifted (8oz)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1–2 tablespoon milk if required
To complete
- mini chocolate eggs
Instructions
To make the cake
- Preheat the oven to 180℃ (160℃ fan)/350°F/gas mark 4. Grease and line a 22x30cm (9x12in) roasting tin with baking parchment
- Mix 3 tablespoons of cocoa powder with 3 tablespoons of hot water to form a smooth paste.
- Place 175g (6oz) each butter and caster sugar in a large mixing bowl and add 225g (8oz) self-raising flour 2 teaspoons baking powder, 3 eggs and 3 tablespoons of milk. Then add the cocoa mixture. Beat well with an electric whisk for about 2 minutes until well blended.
- Spoon into the prepared tin and spread level. Bake in the centre of the oven for about 40 minutes until well risen and springy to the touch. Remove from the oven and leave to cool in the tin.
To make the icing
- Place 150g (5oz) white chocolate broken into pieces in a heatproof bowl and place over a pan of hot water. Stir until melted. Remove from the heat and set aside.
- Place 200g (7oz) butter in a large bowl and beat until light and creamy. Add half of the 225g (8oz) of icing sugar and beat on a low speed until combined. Then add the remaining icing sugar and whisk again until combined, before increasing the speed and beating for a minute or two.
- Add the cooled melted chocolate and beat until light and fluffy. Add the vanilla and beat in a little milk if required to get a soft spreadable consistency.
To Complete
- Spread the butter cream over the surface of the cake and swirl with a palette knife. Chop a few of the mini eggs if desired and then arrange the whole and chopped eggs over the surface of the traybake.
- Cut into about 20 pieces and serve.
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