Easter Egg Cake with Strawberry Frosting
A festive two-layer cake perfect for Easter, featuring a moist vanilla-malted cake filled with fresh strawberries and covered in strawberry frosting. Topped with a white chocolate nest and candy-coated chocolate eggs for a beautiful holiday centerpiece.
Ingredients
- •¾ cup unsalted butter
- •2¼ cups cake flour
- •5 large egg whites
- •1 cup milk
- •¼ cup malted milk powder
- •2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- •2 teaspoons baking powder
- •1 teaspoon kosher salt
- •1½ cups sugar
- •1½ cups strawberries
- •1 pinch kosher salt
- •1⅛ cups sugar
- •3 tablespoons malted milk powder
- •1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- •4 large egg whites
- •1½ cups unsalted butter
- •2½ drops red food coloring
- •3 ounces white chocolate
- •2 cups strawberries
- •12 pieces candy-coated chocolate eggs
- •2 pieces round cake pans
Cooking Instructions
- 1.
Place a rack in middle of oven; preheat to 350°F. Butter and flour cake pans. Mix egg whites, milk, malted milk powder, and vanilla in a medium bowl. Whisk baking powder, salt, and remaining 2 1/4 cups flour in another medium bowl.
10 min
- 2.
Using an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat sugar and remaining 3/4 cup butter in a large bowl until light and fluffy, 3-4 minutes. Reduce mixer speed to low. Add milk mixture in 3 additions, alternating with dry ingredients in 2 additions, beginning and ending with milk mixture.
8 min
- 3.
Divide batter between prepared pans. Bake cakes until a tester inserted into the center comes out clean, 45-50 minutes. Let cool in pans 5 minutes. Run a sharp knife around edges of cakes and invert on a wire rack. Let cool completely before frosting, at least 3 hours.
230 min
- 4.
Preheat oven to 300°F. Toss strawberries, salt, 2 Tbsp. sugar, and 2 tsp. water in a small baking dish. Bake until sugar is dissolved and strawberries are bubbling and roasted, 12-15 minutes. Let cool 10 minutes.
25 min
- 5.
Transfer to a blender and pulse until smooth. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a small bowl (you should have about 1/2 cup). Whisk in malted milk powder and vanilla until smooth.
10 min
- 6.
Lightly whisk egg whites and remaining 1 cup sugar in a medium heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of barely simmering water until hot to the touch or a candy thermometer registers 140°F.
10 min
- 7.
Pour hot egg white mixture into bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat on medium-high speed until very fluffy, 5-7 minutes. Fit stand mixer with paddle attachment. Reduce mixer speed to medium-low and beat, adding butter 1 cube at a time, until mixture is smooth and glossy. Continue to beat until mixture begins to look light and fluffy.
15 min
- 8.
Add 1/2 cup strawberry purée and food coloring, if using, and stir to combine.
2 min
- 9.
Using a sharp knife, cut chocolate into thin shards, then chill until ready to use.
5 min
- 10.
Place 1 cake layer on a cake stand or platter. Using an offset spatula, spread 1/2 cup frosting evenly over top. Arrange an even layer of sliced strawberries on top, pressing to adhere. Place remaining cake, domed side down, on top. Spread top and sides with 1 1/2 cups frosting; chill 10 minutes.
20 min
- 11.
Spread remaining frosting over top and sides of cake, smoothing evenly. Chill at least 15 minutes or up to overnight to let frosting set.
15 min
- 12.
Arrange white chocolate shards in a round, nest-like shape on top of cake. Place chocolate eggs in center of nest. Slice and serve.
10 min
- 13.
Cake can be made 3 days ahead; wrap tightly in plastic and chill, or freeze up to 2 weeks.
