Easter Egg Nest Cake

This Easter egg nest cake has been Nigella's Easter stalwart for years and after making and eating the cake, I immediately feel like this is going to be a new tradition. This chocolate cake is a  flourless one which makes it light, fluffy, absolutely divine and sinfully rich. But not to worry, all is forgiven today.

Happy Easter everyone... Have a blessed day.

Easter Egg Nest Cake
Recipe by Nigella Lawson
Serves perhaps 8 in theory, but 4 in reality

For the cake
250 g best-quality dark chocolate, chopped
125g unsalted softened butter
6 eggs: 2 whole; 4 separated
175 g caster sugar: 75 g for the yolk mixture; 100g for the whites
1 teaspoon real vanilla extract

For the topping
125 g best-quality dark chocolate, chopped
250 ml double cream
1 teaspoon real vanilla extract
little Easter eggs, 1-2 packets as wished

Preheat the oven to 180 C. Line the bottom of a 23 cm springform cake tin with baking parchment, but do not grease the sides of the tin.

Melt the 250 g chocolate with the butter in either a double-boiler or microwave and then set aside to cool slightly.

Whisk the egg whites until firm, then gradually add the 100 g  of sugar and whisk until the whites are holding their shape and peak gleamingly - but not stiff.

In another bowl, whisk the 2 whole eggs and 4 egg yolks with 75 g of sugar and vanilla extract and then gently fold in the chocolate mixture. Lighten the mixture with some the egg whites and the fold in the rest.

Pour into the prepared tin and bake for 35 - 40 minutes or until the cake is risen and cracked and the centre is no longer wobbly on the surface. Coll the cake in its tin on a wire rack; the middle will sink as it cools and the sides splinter. You want this to look like a cake with a crater in it, so do not panic with the vision of imperfection in front of you.

To finish the cake, carefully remove it from the tin and place it on a plate or cake stand. Melt the chocolate for the topping and let it cool a little. Whip the cream until it is firming up and aerated but still soft, and then add the vanilla and fold in the melted chocolate. Fill the crater of the cake with the chocolatey cream and then arrange the little Easter eggs on top.