Bird’s Nest Cake for Easter

Easter is right around the corner! It’s time to start thinking about what decadent and precious dessert you’ll be whipping up for your friends and family.

If you ask me, you should make this lovely little cake. It’s the kind of super chocolatey that screams for a scoop of vanilla frozen yogurt.

In addition to being absolutely delicious, it’s also too cute! You’ll have all of the women oo-ing and ah-ing over it! Trust me. I did!

Plus, they’ll be in for a surprise when you cut the cake to reveal a vanilla chocolate chip frosting inside!

Happy Easter and Happy Baking!

Bird’s Nest Cake

adapted from Martha Stewart

Ingredients

• canola oil spray
• 1/2 cup Hershey’s Special Dark cocoa powder + some for dusting
• 2 sticks unsalted butter
• 1 tablespoon instant espresso powder
• 3/4 cup water
• 2 cups sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup skim milk
• 2 tablespoons vanilla extract
• 2 cups unbleached all purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 cup vanilla frosting (for filling)
• 1/2 cup semi sweet chocolate chips (for filling)
• 3/4 cup heavy cream (for ganache)
• 1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips (for ganache)
• 1 tablespoon corn syrup (for ganache)
• 1 pound milk chocolate bar
• chocolate covered almonds

How-To

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
2. Line the bottom of two 9″ round cake pans with parchment paper. Coat with canola oil spray, dust with cocoa powder. Set aside.
3. In a medium/large sauce pan, melt the butter over medium heat.
4. Once melted, add in the cocoa powder, espresso powder, and water. Whisk until dissolved.
5. Whisk in the sugar until smooth.
6. Remove from heat. Whisk in the eggs, milk, and vanilla.
7. Add in the flour and baking soda. Stir until combined.
8. Divide evenly into the two pans.
9. Bake for about 45 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean.
10. Allow it to cool for 20 minutes in the pan. Remove from the pan, take off the parchment paper, and allow to cool the rest of the way on a cooling rack.
11. Place one cake layer on a cake stand.
12. Spread the vanilla frosting on it.
13. Sprinkle the 1/2 cup of chocolate chips over the frosting.
14. Place the other cake layer on top.
15. Now prepare the ganache: In a sauce pan over medium heat, warm the heavy cream until just before boiling.
16. Remove from heat, add in the cup of chocolate chips. Let sit for 5 minutes to melt.
17. Once melted, add in the corn syrup and stir.
18. Pour enough ganache on top to cover the top and semi-drip down the sides.
19. Refrigerate the remaining ganache and the cake until the ganache is hard enough to be spreadable.
20. Spread on the sides of the cake.
21. Using a sharp knife, make the chocolate shreds for the nest. Place in the freezer until you’re ready to put them on the cake. (You won’t use all of the chocolate, some needs to be used as the ‘handle’ for scraping the chocolate off.)
22. Orient them on the cake.
23. Place the chocolate almonds on the cake like eggs in a nest.
24. Serve with vanilla frozen yogurt!