Eggstravagant Easter Cake

Eggstravagant Easter Cake

Serves 12

White chocolate? Dark chocolate? Milk chocolate? How can you possibly cater for all tastes?
With this epic chocolate creation, of course.
Layers of rich and fudgy chocolate cake are sandwiched with fluffy whipped ganache buttercream and then decorated with even more ganache buttercream.
Get as adventurous as you like with your decoration, this layered design is simple but looks like an expert created it. 
Finish off with a decadent pile of Easter eggs and your Easter lunch showstopper is done!

Ingredients:

Cake: (makes 3)
750ml buttermilk
2 ¼  cups vegetable oil
6 large eggs
670 grams dark brown sugar
380 grams caster sugar
595 grams plain flour
290 grams cocoa powder
3 tbsp baking powder
3 tsp salt
375ml hot espresso or strong instant coffee

Dark Chocolate Buttercream:
320 grams softened butter
240 grams icing sugar
400 grams dark chocolate, melted and cooled
4 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp sea salt

White Chocolate Buttercream:
500 grams softened butter
480 grams icing sugar
350 grams white chocolate, melted and cooled
2 tsp vanilla extract
½ tsp sea salt

Method:

DAY ONE: MAKE CAKES AND BUTTERCREAM
Preheat the oven to 180°C conventional oven.
Grease and line three 20 cm cake tins with baking paper. (If you don’t have three, you can weigh the batter and divide it evenly into three to cook in batches - each batch should weigh approx 1.2kg)
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together oil, eggs, brown sugar and caster sugar.
Add buttermilk and whisk in.
Sift flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt in a bowl and then add to the wet mixture.
Whisk together until well combined.
Whisk in hot coffee.
Pour into the prepared tin and bake for 70 minutes or until well risen and a skewer inserted in the centre of the cake comes out clean (don't open the oven until at least the 45 minute mark).
Allow to cool in the tin for 15 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Trim and level the tops then wrap them in cling wrap and freeze overnight.
Remove from the freezer half an hour before decorating.
Make the chocolate buttercreams, following the instructions for each batch:
Beat the butter on high until light and fluffy, approx 5 minutes.
Turn the mixer to low, add the icing sugar, and mix until well combined.
Scrape down the bowl and paddle, give the melted chocolate a stir to make sure it’s not hot enough to melt the butter, then pour it in.
Turn the mixer to medium speed and beat for approx 2 minutes, until the mixture is smooth and fluffy.
Add the vanilla and salt and mix on low for another minute, until fully combined. 
Store covered in the fridge or in a cool area of the house until ready to use and re-whip if needed beforehand.

DAY TWO: DECORATE
Place three bowls on the bench and spoon ½ of the white chocolate buttercream into one bowl and half of the dark chocolate buttercream into another into bowls and the remaining halves of each mixture into the third bowl to be combined.
Remove the cakes from the freezer and let sit for 30 minutes.
Place the bottom layer down and spoon some of the dark chocolate buttercream over the top, spreading it out evenly.
Top with the second cake and repeat with the milk chocolate buttercream.
Finally add the final cake and a thin layer of white chocolate buttercream all over the cake to seal the cake.
Chill for 30 minutes before frosting the top of the cake and the sides with the white chocolate buttercream and then adding the other buttercreams to the middle and base.
Use a smooth-edged palette tool or decorating blade to smooth the buttercreams together to create an ombre look. Return to the fridge to firm up.
Gently melt some dark chocolate and allow it to cool so that it is liquid but not runny.
Gently spoon it around the edges of the cake and over the top, in whatever way you like.
Finish by piling Easter eggs on top in a final touch of chocolate decadence.
Let the cake sit at room temperature for at least 15-30 minutes before serving.