Easter Showstopper Cake

First things first let’s make the sponge, preheat your oven to 180°C/160°C/Gas Mark 4. Grease and line 4 x 8” round cake tins (or 2 deep cake tins).

Cream together your butter and sugar in a large bowl using either a freestanding mixer with a beater attachment or an electric hand whisk. Once light and fluffy add in the eggs and Vanilla Extract with a spoonful of flour to stop your mixture curdling and mix together until smooth. Finally sieve in the flour and Baking Powder and pour in the milk, fold until the mixture is just combined.

Divide your mixture equally between your prepared cake tins and pop in the oven to bake for 35-40 minutes until golden brown, to check your cake is fully baked pop a skewer into the centre of the cake and if it’s baked it’ll come out clean. – if you are baking in 2xdeep tins you will need to extend the baking time.

Leave your cakes to cool into the tin for 20 minutes and then remove and pop onto a wire rack to cool completely.

Whilst your cakes are cooling it’s time to make the buttercream; pop your butter into a large bowl and whisk until smooth using an electric hand whisk or free standing mixer with a beater attachment. Once your butter is smooth and softened add 1/3 of your icing sugar and beat until combined and gradually add the remaining icing sugar ensuring it is well combined after each addition. Add the Vanilla Extract and milk and beat your buttercream until you have a lovely smooth buttercream.

Once your cakes are cooled it’s time to assemble, firstly use a serrated knife to cut the domed top off any of your cake layers. – if you have baked 2 deep sponge then slice them in half to create 4 sponge layers. Pop your first sponge layer on your cake board or serving plate, spread a layer of buttercream on top of the sponge and a layer of jam. Sandwich another sponge layer on top and continue until all your sponge layers are sandwiched together. Finish by smoothing a very thin layer of buttercream over the top and sides of your cake and smooth out using a cake scraper or large palette knife. Pop your cake in the fridge for about 30 minutes to allow your buttercream to set.

Whilst your cake is setting, divide the remaining buttercream into 4 bowls. Add yellow colour gel to 3 bowls to create 3 different shades of yellow buttercream and leave 1 plain. Pop your buttercreams into separate piping bags and cut a hole in the end of each bag.

Once your crumb coat has set remove it from the fridge. Pipe a couple of rings of the darkest yellow buttercream around the base of the cake until ¼ way up the edge of the cake. Then pipe a couple of the next darkest shade, then the lightest and then the uncoloured buttercream to also cover the top of the cake. Smooth out using a cake scraper or large palette knife and remove any excess buttercream on the top of the cake. Pop the cake in the fridge to set. Mix the remaining buttercream together and pop in a piping bag with an open star nozzle.

Whilst your cake is setting, make the drip. Break your chocolate into pieces and pour over the cream. Melt in the microwave in 30 second bursts stirring between each burst until smooth and melted. Leave your drip to cool and thicken slightly for about 15 minutes.

Once your drip has cooled, remove your cake from the fridge and put your drip in a piping bag and cut a small hole in the end. Pipe your drip around the edge of your cake and then cover the top and smooth out using a palette knife.

Pipe the remaining buttercream in swirls around the top of the cake. Pop the Chocolate Placements on the swirls and finish with the Easter Sprinkles. Ta-dah your Easter Showstopper is ready to serve and enjoy, this cake will be eaten up in no time!