A decadent and fun Easter Egg Nest Cake decorated with sugar-coated chocolate Easter eggs. Gluten-free recipe and nut-free recipe.
Easter Cake
This is a chocolate cake which I love to make when we have guests over, and this Easter cake is an extra chocolatey version which will make both adults and children swoon.
Easter Egg Nest Cake
The recipe for this Easter Egg Nest Cake is based on the Chocolate Cloud Cake from Nigella Lawson’s Nigella Bites which has the inclusion of Cointreau for a liqueur kick and is simply decorated with whipped cream and a dusting of cocoa powder.
But Nigella also offers an Easter version in her book, Feast, a child-friendly version whereby the alcohol is replaced with vanilla, the cake is swathed in a decadent chocolate cream, and this elegant concoction is then adorned with pastel-coloured, sugar-coated chocolate Easter eggs.
Gluten-Free Easter Cake
Whether you are making the original or Easter version, this is the perfect cake to make for anyone who has a gluten intolerance as it does not contain any flour. Hence, this Easter cake recipe is gluten-free.
The absence of flour also guarantees that the cake will be tender and moist within, rich with chocolate flavour.
Easter Cake Recipe
The chocolate intensity of the cake depends much on the type of chocolate that you use.
Nigella specifies using “best quality dark chocolate” which I interpret as meaning chocolate with minimum 70% cocoa solids, but I think 60% and upwards is fine (I used 68%).
The dark chocolate might not sound kid-friendly but there is also sugar in the batter to sweeten things a bit.
Make-Ahead Tips
This Easter cake also happens to be perfect for entertaining as it can be made the night before serving, remaining moist and even improving during this time.
The cream can be whipped in advance and kept in the fridge and spread onto the cake just before serving, but as this is a relatively quick and easy task, I often do this in the moments before serving.
When making the chocolate cream, make sure that the melted chocolate has not cooled too much, otherwise it will seize upon making contact with the cream and will not incorporate properly. The time taken to whip the cream just after you have removed the melted chocolate from the heat should be sufficient.
And owing to the cream topping, you should keep any leftover cake in the fridge.
Sugar-Coated Easter Eggs
If you can’t find sugar-coated Easter eggs where you live (I used Cadbury’s brand which I picked up on a recent work trip to the US), some raspberries or chopped strawberries would look just as welcoming.
Be prepared for second helpings.
PrintEaster Egg Nest Cake
- Prep Time: 30 mins
- Cook Time: 40 mins
- Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
- Yield: Serves 8 to 12
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: British
A decadent and fun Easter Egg Nest Cake decorated with sugar-coated chocolate Easter eggs. Gluten-free recipe.
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RateIngredients
For the Easter Cake
- 250 g (8 oz) dark chocolate (semi-sweet chocolate), 60-70% cocoa
- 125 g (1 stick plus 1 tablespoon) unsalted butter
- 6 eggs, separated
- 175 g (3/4 cup) caster sugar (superfine sugar)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the chocolate frosting
- 125 g (4 oz) dark chocolate (semi-sweet chocolate), 60-70% cocoa
- 250 ml (1 cup) double cream (heavy whipping cream)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 300 g (10 oz) packet of sugar-coated chocolate eggs
Instructions
For the Easter Cake
- Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F) (without fan).
- Line the bottom of a 9 inch (23 cm) springform cake tin with baking paper, but do not grease the sides of the tin.
- Melt the chocolate with the butter in a bain-marie (or a heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water). Set aside to cool slightly.
- Whisk 4 egg whites (keep the eggs yolks for later) until firm, then gradually add 100 g (1/2 cup) of sugar and whisk until the egg whites are glossy and have firm peaks.
- In a separate bowl, whisk 2 whole eggs with the reserved egg yolks, together with the remaining 75 g (1/4 cup) sugar.
- Fold in the vanilla extract and melted chocolate.
- Add a spoonful of the whisked egg white mixture and mix briskly.
- Then fold in the remaining egg white mixture, about one-third at a time.
- Pour the mixture into the cake tin and bake for 35-40 minutes, or until the cake is no longer wobbly in the centre.
- Leave the cake to cool on a wire rack.
For the chocolate frosting
- Melt the chocolate in a bain-marie (or a heat-proof bowl over a pan of simmering water).
- While the chocolate is cooling, whip the cream until it is firm but not stiff – it should be soft enough to spread.
- Fold in the vanilla extract and melted chocolate.
- Cover the cake with the chocolate cream and decorate with the chocolate eggs.
Kitchen Notes
MAKE-AHEAD TIPS
I often make the cake the night before serving and leave it (unfrosted) on the counter overnight. The cake will sink in the middle and crack as it cools.
STORAGE
Due to the cream in the chocolate frosting, any leftover cake should be kept in the fridge.
RECIPE CREDIT
This recipe has been adapted from Feast by Nigella Lawson.
OVEN TEMPERATURES
All recipes on this website state temperatures for a regular oven (i.e. a conventional oven without fan). If you have a convection oven with a fan, please consult the manufacturer’s handbook on how to adjust the temperature and baking time accordingly.
CONVERSIONS
To convert from cups to grams, and vice-versa, please see this handy Conversion Chart for Basic Ingredients.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: Nutritional info per slice
- Calories: 526
- Sugar: 40g
- Sodium: 45mg
- Fat: 36g
- Carbohydrates: 46.4g
- Fiber: 4.1g
- Protein: 7.3g
- Cholesterol: 139.5mg
Update
This recipe was first published on 9 April 2012. It has been updated with more comprehensive recipe notes.
Ahhhh, just when (sadly) Easter is winding to a close, Easter Monday is nearly over, and our eggs and hxb have been greedily enjoyed you post this and give me just the extra easter boost I need, how lovely and kind you are!! Now you say that you make this cake when you have guests, can I hope you’ve had a lovely friend filled easter with people to share this gorgeous decadence with? I do hope so and if you have they’re lucky lucky people.,
I’ve not made this cake yet but you inspired me with the raspberry or strawberry idea. We have a big dinner coming up for parents and their friends and I’ve been tossing ideas back and forth for dessert (being so near bakewell i was thinking Nigella’s cranberry bakewell tart from HTE) but suddenly I’m thinking proudly presenting this beauty ablaze with berries, so beautiful.
Another beautiful inspiring post and not least because of your stunning photos.
Julia, you are so lovely 🙂 I made this cake yesterday for when we had some friends over for afternoon tea. I think I’m guilty of overloading their little boy with too much chocolate – he was possibly on a sugar high by the time they left our place! Our friends really enjoyed this cake and I made sure they took a few slices home with them 🙂
I’m surprised that you’ve never made this cake! I think you will love it – it’s easy to prepare and always impresses. I’ve made the Chocolate Cloud Cake a few times and have decorated it with raspberries on top of the whipped cream. But raspberries with chocolate cream would be even more decadent! Please let me know what you end up making … I’m curious about the Cranberry Bakewell Tart because that’s something I’ve always wanted to try but have never made.
I hope you have had a lovely Easter this year – I know from your FB page that you have certainly been eating well 🙂
Hi,
WOW! What a cake! Looks irresistable! 😛
I just wanted to let you know that I nominated you for the versatile blogger award. Check out my post to nominate the bloggers that you follow and enjoy. Take care
Johanna
http://www.meandmysweets.blogspot.com
Oh thank you, Johanna! That is so sweet of you to pass this award to me 🙂 Tack så mycket!
What a gorgeous Easter cake! I love the egg topping, such a gorgeous way to decorate it. I love the raspberry idea too. I have yet to try Nigella’s Cloud Cake, but I will soon thanks to your recommendation. I always adore Nigella’s recipes, especially anything chocolate.
Happy belated Easter!
Happy belated to Easter to you, also!I love this Easter version mainly because of the Easter egg decoration, but I have to admit that it makes slicing the cake a bit difficult, LOL! Nigella’s Chocolate Cloud Cake remains one of my most repeated recipes and I hope you will get a chance to try it soon 🙂
I love this cake Thanh, and all it’s variations! I’ve made one laced with Chambord and decorated with raspberries and more Chambord whipped into the cream, one with pears, a coffee one. Gawd I lurve Nigella’s cloud cakes! Genius recipe made to tweak & personalise. Your eggies look positively psychedelic in this piccie too – American ones must have more food colouring than ours which are much paler pastels!
Wow, you really have experimented a lot with this cake! I have to say that I have also changed the liqueur here and there, depending on what dishes I had served beforehand. I’m glad that you’ve also tried it with raspberries – it’s such a classic combination with chocolate.
And I didn’t notice that the eggs were brighter in colour! I’ve just looked at photos of the same cake I made last Easter using eggs which I bought in the UK and the pink is much paler … These Cadbury’s Easter eggs are made in the US by Hershey’s under licence, something which I quickly identified upon eating them as I find Hershey’s chocolate has a distinct taste and sweetness.
This is so cute!!!
HAppy Easter!
Thanks, manu! Happy belated Easter to you as well!
That is one cake i can have to myself! and can be made ahead?! done!
This cake can absolutely be made ahead of time, and be even better for it 🙂
Great looking cake. Shame Easter is over, but then again …
Well I only managed to sneak this cake into Easter … I missed out on making hot cross buns and all the rest. But as you say … 😉
Happy Easter. The cake looks so beautiful.
Absolutely perfect. I love those little mini eggs, although highly addictive.
Oh I agree but, luckily, we only indulge once a year at Easter 🙂 Now if only I could find sugar-coated dark chocolate eggs …
I made this yesterday for a lunch today.
It was amazing and one of the best chocolate cakes I had. I made the original Nigella cloud cake recipe with Cointreau and orange in the base, followed by the above for the topping layer adding a further dash of Cointreau rather than vanilla to the topping. I made a layer of white chocolate curls in the nest and added milk chocolate easter eggs.
Hi Rachelle,
Thank you for your comment. I love how you decorated this cake – white chocolate curls with milk chocolate eggs sounds so lovely! As the sugar-coated eggs are hard to come by where I live, I think your idea is a beautiful alternative. Thanks for sharing!
One of my favourite recipes from Nigella!
★★★★★
Oh my gosh I need to try ASAP! This is delicious. Thanks for the recipe!
★★★★★
This is the cake that keeps giving! The best gluten free chocolate cake at anytime of the year! For birthdays I just whip plain double cream and top it with raspberries and for Easter, when I stopped in London I bought some Cadbury candied eggs two months ahead of Easter for the very purpose of making this cake! Thank you Thanh for the recipe! I miss your chocolate birthday cakes!
Thanks, Pammy! So glad you have enjoyed this recipe xxx
Beautiful cake for Easter!
★★★★★
I made this cake for my colleagues today and it was devoured instantly. Such a beautiful looking cake and so delicious!
★★★★★
Love this Nigella recipe! I try to make it every Easter too, even though there is always so much chocolate at this time of the year. But it’s such a beautiful cake to look at and eat.
★★★★★
Love this recipe!
I make this cake every Easter, although it was hard to find the sugar-coated eggs this year. I started to panic! But all good now 🙂 Can’t wait to make this cake again today.
★★★★★