Be the perfect Easter guest and make the ultimate traybake cake!
A time of celebration and feasting, Easter is packed with traditions and symbols. Fancy bonnets, hopping bunnies, hot cross buns and, of course, chocolate eggs in every size.
But of all the customs, none quite takes seasonal showboating to the max like an Easter-themed traybake cake! Fudgy, chocolatey, lashings of vanilla buttercream frosting, and topped with some – or all – of your favourite Easter treats, what’s not to love? It’s the ultimate, indulgent cake for this special time of year.
An eggs-cellent way to share some joy while visiting family and friends this April, here at the East of England Co-op we have all the essential ingredients to make the perfect Easter traybake cake and YOU the perfect Easter guest!
Whether you’re a cake king or queen, a Mary Berry in the making, or you’re looking for ways to keep the kids busy during the school holidays by letting them create the best traybake cake EVER, head over to your local East of England Co-op store to stock up on everything you’ll need.
Easy-peasy!
The good news is that while an Easter traybake cake is a sensational-looking treat, you don’t have to be a Masterchef winner to make one! There’s no sweat – only sweet!
Forget fancy cookery gadgets – a large square or rectangular baking tin, bowls and a handy spatula will do. And there’s no need for a steady hand or finesse for the decorating part – you can literally throw in the kitchen sink when it comes to the taste-tastic toppings.
It’s as easy as taking candy from a baby (although we wouldn’t advise you to do that!)
What you'll need
Ingredients
For the cake
250g Co-op Irresistible Fairtrade 85% Dark Chocolate
250g unsalted butter
1 tablespoon instant coffee granules
125ml boiling water
200g plain white flour
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
50g cocoa powder
250g light brown sugar
250g caster sugar
4 large eggs
100ml buttermilk (you can make buttermilk with 1 tsbp of lemon juice and 250ml of whole milk)
For the icing
250g butter
500g icing sugar
100ml evaporated milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the topping
Your choice of mini eggs and chocolate delights!
So, let’s get baking…
1. While you preheat your oven to about 160/140C Fan Assisted, line a large tin with baking paper and melt about 250g dark chocolate and 250g unsalted butter together in a bowl.
2. Stir 1 tablespoon instant coffee granules into a jug of 125ml boiling water and then mix in with the melted chocolate and butter until your mixture is smooth.
3. In another bowl, add 200g plain flour from our Sourced Locally supplier WH Marriage & Sons, along with 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder, ½ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda, 50g cocoa powder, 250g light brown sugar and 250g caster sugar, mixing thoroughly.
4. Next, take 4 large eggs from Sourced Locally supplier Havensfield and mix with 100ml buttermilk. (you can make buttermilk by just add 1 tsbp of lemon juice to 250ml of whole milk)
5. Add both chocolate and egg mixtures in with the flour-powder-sugar mix, and stir gently.
6. Now pour everything into your lined tin and pop in the oven for 1 hour while you put your feet up, then remove and leave to cool.
7. For your fabulous frosting, beat 250g butter until smooth and add 500g icing sugar along with 100ml evaporated milk and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, while continuing to beat.
8. Spread the buttercream onto the top of your traybake and then sprinkle your favourite treats over your masterpiece – don’t forget to pick up delicious Easter treats from your local branch of East of England Co-op, like Cadbury Mini Eggs, Milkybar Mini Egg Bags, Smarties Mini Eggs!
This isn’t the time to hold back on your toppings – in Easter traybake cake world, more is more!
And if you’re a real stickler for Easter tradition, pop on your Easter bonnet when you hop over to your family and friends to parade your cake for all to see and enjoy. If you want to be the perfect guest but not miss out, there’s so much to go around, you can still have your cake and eat it!
Hop to your local East of England co-op for quality ingredients for your bake...