Recipe: Chocolate Mousse Easter Cake

Cooks: CircoTherm® 170°Cfor 25 minutes

Prep 40 Minutes.

Cake:

120 g unsalted butter, softened

320 g light brown sugar

2 large eggs

120 ml milk

120 g Greek yogurt

1 tsp vanilla extract

250 g plain flour, sifted

60 g cocoa powder, sifted

½ tsp salt

1 tbsp white wine vinegar (this gives a lighter cake)

1 tsp baking soda

Mousse:

150 g good quality dark chocolate

2 tbsp dark brown sugar

1+ ½ tsp vanilla extract

400 ml double cream

Topping:

120 ml double cream

150 g good quality dark chocolate, broken into pieces

Broken up Easter eggs to decorate – we used mini caramel eggs, small hollow chocolate eggs and medium hollow chocolate eggs

Allergens highlighted in bold

Preheat the oven to CircoTherm® 170°C. Grease and line three round 20cm diameter cake tins.

Place the butter and sugar in the bowl of a food processor, and beat well incorporated. Add the eggs, one at a time, with the mixer on low.

Add the milk, Greek yogurt and vanilla extract and stir until combined.

Fold in the flour, cocoa powder and salt until combined.

In a small bowl, mix the white wine vinegar and baking soda (it will fizz), then stir into the mixture until thoroughly combined.

Divide the mixture between the three tins, smooth out the top with the back of a spoon and then bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes until an inserted skewer comes out clean. Leave to cool in the tin for 10 minutes, then remove from the tins and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Whilst the cakes are cooling, make the mousse by placing the chocolate, suagr, vanilla extract and 2 tbsp of cream in a small pan and place on induction setting 2. Stir occasionally until the chocolate melts (the mixture will thicken - this is fine). Turn off the heat and allow to cool for 10 minutes. Whip the cream until stiff peaks form and then add the chocolate mixture. Fold together until completely combined.

Now it's time to assemble the cake. Place one of the cakes on a serving plate and spread with half of the mousse. Top with the second cake and spread with the remaining mousse. Top with the third cake.

Now, make the topping - starting with the ganache. Place the cream in a small pan and heat until almost boiling (just to the point where a few bubbles appear at the edges of the pan). Turn off the heat, add the chocolate to the pan and place the lid on. Leave for 5 minutes, then remove the lid and stir until smooth. Leave the ganache to cool with the lid off for 10 minutes, then pour over the cake, allowing it to drip down the sides of the cake a little.

Place shards of Easter eggs on top of the cake to decorate. Add pieces of caramel egg to finish off the cake.