Chocolate Easter egg surprise cake

Preheat the oven to 170º C. Grease a 20cm round pyrex bowl with butter and dust with flour.

In a large mixing bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa powder and salt.

Combine both sugars, oil, eggs, vanilla and buttermilk in a large jug.

Add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix until the batter is smooth and all the flour is incorporated.

Pour the batter into the pyrex bowl and bake for about 1 hour. Test with a skewer for doneness before removing from the oven.

Allow the cake to cool in the dish before turning out.

To make the ganache, place the chocolate and cream in heatproof bowl and microwave for 50 seconds on full power. Stir until glossy and smooth. Set aside to cool.

Cut the cooled cake in half horizontally so that you have a flat 20cm base and a round, domed top.

Place an 8cm round template on the base and cut out. (see images).

Fill the cavity with speckled eggs. Spread a little ganache around the 3cm cake border. Place the cake dome on top and press down gently.

Pour half the ganache over the cake and spread with an off-set spatula.

Repeat with the remaining ganache and allow to set.

Decorate with an assortment of Easter eggs.

Reprinted with the permission of Bibby’s Kitchen@36.