Easter Cake

Ingredients

• 1 Vanilla Cake (, 3 layers (or other 20cm/8" cake of choice, Note 1))
• 340g/ 3 sticks unsalted butter (, 1.25cm / ½" cubes, softened to 18°C/64°F (Note 3))
• 750g/ 1.5 lb (6 cups) soft icing sugar / powdered sugar (, sifted)
• 3 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 - 2 drops blue gel food colouring ((or 1 - 2 tsp blue food colouring, Note 4))
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp cocoa powder ((unsweetened or sweetened, doesn't matter))
• 3 tbsp boiling water
• Toothbrush ((or basting brush))
• 2 cups coconut flakes ((or shaved))
• 200g/ 7oz small Easter eggs ((I use pastel coloured speckled ones, Note 5))

Steps

1. 1

   Level: Trim the top of cakes if required/desired to make the layers level (for aesthetic purposes).

2. 2

   Chill: Place cake layers in fridge until thoroughly chilled (this makes it easier to frost so crumbs don't go everywhere).

3. 3

   Toast coconut: Preheat oven to 160°C/325°F (140°C fan). Spread coconut on a tray. Bake 6 - 10 minutes, stirring every couple of minutes, until golden. (Bake time depends on sugar level, so keep an eye on it). Cool.

4. 4

   Cream butter: Beat butter in a stand mixer on Speed 8 for 3 minutes until it changes from yellow to almost white.

5. 5

   Add icing sugar in 3 batches: Add icing sugar in 3 batches, starting the mixer on speed 1 until partially incorporated, then increasing until it's mostly mixed in.

6. 6

   Vanilla, salt, and beat 2 mins: Add vanilla and salt, then beat on Speed 8 for 2 minutes until almost white, and it's beautifully fluffy.

7. 7

   Colour (Note 4): Remove 1 tbsp frosting into a small bowl. Add 1 drop of blue gel, mix in. Add 1 teaspoon of coloured frosting back into main frosting, beat until incorporated (scrape down sides as needed). Add more coloured frosting 1 teaspoon at a time until desired tone is achieved.

8. 8

   Mix cocoa and boiling water.

9. 9

   Frosting: Spread 3/4 cup frosting between each cake layer, then using remaining frosting for side and surface (I usually have ~1/2 cup frosting leftover, but better safe than sorry!).

10. 10

    Speckles: Place something behind cake as a backboard for the speckling mess! Dip toothbrush in cocoa mixture, then use fingers to flick speckles onto cake surface - sides and top. (Hint: Practice in sink first). TIP: When doing top of cake, angle toothbrush 45 degrees down NOT over cake, to avoid accidental big drips.

11. 11

    Coconut Nest: Pile coconut in the middle to form a "nest" then pile a mound of eggs in it.

12. 12

    Coconut Rim: Place a mound of coconut all along the base of the cake, then dot with Easter Eggs.

13. 13

    Bask in praise: Take proudly to table and bask in the compliments!