Easter egg nest cakes
Light vanilla sponge cupcakes crowned with chocolate–coconut nests and two mini chocolate eggs — cheerful, quick and great for kids to help.
These Easter egg nest cakes are small, cheerful cupcakes topped with crunchy chocolate–coconut nests and two mini eggs — perfect for an Easter table or baking with children. They feel fancy but are simple enough for a novice baker.
Make the nests first and chill them while the cakes cool; the contrast of soft sponge and crisp coconut nests is what makes these sing.
Ingredients
- 300 g unsalted butter — 300 g total: 200 g for the cakes, 100 g for the buttercream
- 200 g caster sugar — for the cakes
- 200 g plain flour — for the cakes
- 10 g baking powder
- 4 eggs
- 5 ml vanilla extract
- 30 ml milk — for the batter and a splash for the buttercream
- 0 g salt — a small pinch
- 200 g icing sugar — for the buttercream
- 200 g milk chocolate — for the coconut nests
- 150 g desiccated coconut — for the nests
- 30 ml golden syrup — helps bind the nests
- 24 mini chocolate eggs — two per cake
Equipment
- 12-hole muffin tin
- wire rack
- bain-marie or microwave-safe bowl
- baking tray
- piping bag and nozzle (optional)
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 180°C fan/200°C conventional. Line a 12-hole muffin tin with paper cases.
Put the unsalted butter (200 g) and caster sugar into a large bowl and beat until pale and creamy — about 2–3 minutes with an electric whisk or 4–5 minutes by hand.
Beat in the eggs one at a time, scraping the bowl between each addition, then stir in the vanilla extract.
Sift together the plain flour, baking powder and salt, then fold into the butter mixture in two additions, alternating with the milk until just combined. Do not overmix.
Divide the batter evenly between the 12 cases (use a 60 ml measure or two tablespoons per cake for even sizes). Bake in the preheated oven for 18 minutes until golden and a skewer comes out clean.
Remove the cakes from the tin and leave to cool on a wire rack for 30 minutes so they are completely cold before decorating.
Make the nests: break the milk chocolate into a heatproof bowl with the golden syrup and melt gently over a bain-marie or in short bursts in the microwave, stirring until smooth.
Stir the desiccated coconut into the melted chocolate until well coated. Spoon tablespoon-sized mounds onto a baking tray lined with baking parchment and use the back of the spoon to hollow out a small nest shape. Chill the tray in the fridge for 20 minutes to set.
While nests chill, make a quick buttercream: beat the remaining unsalted butter (100 g) until smooth, then gradually add the icing sugar and a splash of milk until you have a pipeable consistency.
Pipe or spread a dollop of buttercream onto each cooled cake, top with a chilled chocolate–coconut nest and press two mini chocolate eggs into each nest. Serve at room temperature.
Tips
- Make the nests on a flat baking tray so they set evenly. A small, warmed spoon will help you make a smooth hollow.
- Ensure cakes are completely cool before decorating — warm cakes will melt buttercream and make nests slide off.
- If you don't have a piping bag, use a zip-lock bag with a corner snipped off to pipe the buttercream.
- Make nests up to 2 days ahead and store in an airtight container in the fridge; bring to room temperature before assembling.
- To avoid seized chocolate in a microwave, heat in 20-second bursts and stir thoroughly between bursts.
Substitutions
milk chocolate → dark chocolate, same quantity
Noticeably differentunsalted butter → vegetable margarine, same quantity (for dairy-free use margarine plus a dairy-free buttercream substitute)
Stays closeplain flour → gluten-free plain flour blend, same quantity (ensure blend contains xanthan gum if required)
Stays close
Nutrition
Per serving · estimated
- 631
- Calories
- 6 g
- Protein
- 70 g
- Carbs
- 37 g
- Fat
- 3 g
- Fibre
- 44 g
- Sugar
- 200 mg
- Sodium
FAQ
Can I make the nests without golden syrup?
Yes — omit the golden syrup and use an extra 20–30 g of melted chocolate to help bind the coconut. The texture will be slightly firmer.
How far ahead can I make these?
Bake cakes up to 2 days ahead and keep in an airtight tin. Make nests up to 3 days ahead in the fridge. Assemble on the day for best texture.
Can I freeze the cupcakes?
You can freeze the sponges (unfrosted) for up to 3 months; defrost fully before adding buttercream and nests. Do not freeze once decorated with nests and eggs.
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