Easter Traybake Recipes

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Oil and line a traybake tin, about 20 x 30cm, and 5cm deep. Put the oil, sugar, eggs and milk in a bowl and whisk until well combined. Sieve over the flour, cocoa and bicarb, and stir briefly until combined. Pour the mixture into the tin, and bake for 20-25 mins until the cake is well risen and springs back when pressed. Transfer to a wire rack and leave to cool completely.
• Melt the chocolate in a bowl set over a pan of simmering water, ensuring the bowl doesn't touch the water, or in short blasts in the microwave until melted. Leave to cool for a few minutes.
• Beat the butter and icing sugar together until pale and fluffy, then drizzle in the chocolate and beat again until smooth and uniform in colour. Swirl the icing over the top of the cake, with a few peaks and swirls to decorate. Scatter with the Easter treats to serve.

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Oil a 20 x 30cm traybake tin and line with baking parchment. Whisk the oil, sugar, eggs and milk together in a large bowl. Sieve over the flour, cocoa, malted milk powder and bicarbonate of soda, then fold the dry ingredients into the wet until well-combined. Pour the batter into the prepared tin and bake for 30-35 mins until the sponge has risen and springs back when gently pressed - a skewer inserted into the middle should come out clean. Set the tin on a wire rack and leave to cool completely.
• While the sponge cools, make the buttercream. Beat the butter, icing sugar, malted milk powder, vanilla and 1 tbsp boiling water from the kettle together using an electric whisk until pale and fluffy. Spoon the buttercream over the cooled cake and gently spread to the edges using a spatula or palette knife. Scatter over the bashed chocolate balls, then decorate with the chocolate bunnies and halved chocolate eggs before serving. Will keep in an airtight container for up to three days.