Kirsten Tibballs’ Easter Cream Cake

Cooking Directions

• To create the create the cake, preheat the oven to 175°C.
• In a saucepan on a low heat combine the chocolate, cocoa powder and water. Whisk on a low heat until it comes together as a smooth paste. Turn off the heat and leave at room temperature to cool.
• Grease 3 x 22cm cake tins and line the base and sides with baking paper.
• In a bowl, whisk together the flour, sugars, salt, and baking soda. Whisk the Bulla Sour Cream, oil, whole eggs, egg yolk, vinegar, and vanilla into the cooled chocolate mixture by hand until smooth.
• Fold through the flour mixture until combined. Lastly add in the chocolate chips.
• Divide the mixture between the cake tins and bake for 45 to 50 minutes, or until a skewer when placed into the cake comes out clean. Remove from the oven when baked.
• After 5-8 minutes flip the cakes onto a cooling wire to cool, which will also flatten the tops. Allow to cool completely before assembling your cake.
• For the cream, Boil the Bulla Sour Cream in a small saucepan and pour over the dark chocolate placed in a bowl. Whisk until combined to create a ganache and set aside at room temperature.
• Place the egg white, salt and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer. Create a bain marie by placing a saucepan on the stove half-filled with water and heat the water without boiling it.
• Place the mixing bowl on top, ensuring the bowl doesn’t touch the water, and whisk the egg white mixture until the it reaches 60°C. Place the mixing bowl on the stand mixer and whisk until the mixture thickens slightly.
• Add in the diced butter a piece at a time, followed by the chocolate ganache. The mixture may separate, keep mixing and it will come back together.
• To assemble, Once cool place one of the cakes on your serving plate. Top it with a third of the chocolate cream and place the second cake on top. Repeat with the second layer before placing on the final cake and finishing it with the remaining chocolate cream.
• To finish, Place two thirds of cocoa powder (A) onto a tray. Melt the chocolate by placing it in a plastic bowl. Place it in the microwave in 30 second increments, stirring in between until you have half solid chocolate and half liquid. Stir the chocolate until it is all melted.
• Add the cocoa powder (B) and stir. Pipe the thickened chocolate into the tray of cocoa powder in circles approximately 18cm in diameter. Sieve additional cocoa powder on top as you pipe each chocolate ring. Repeat this process until you have several rings.
• Leave to set for 20 minutes. The chocolate rings might join together which is fine to use them like that. Dust off the excess cocoa powder with a brush and place the chocolate rings on top of the chocolate cream to create a nest. Garnish with small Easter eggs.