This easy vegan Easter egg cake consists of layers of moist chocolate cake and strawberry buttercream with a ganache drip and mini eggs. The perfect centerpiece for your Easter table.
Preheat your oven to 180°C (356°F). Line the base of three 6" cake tins with a circle of parchment paper and spray the sides with oil spray.
Add the plain flour, soft brown sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, and sea salt to a large mixing bowl, whisk and set aside. To make the vegan "buttermilk" add the soy milk and apple cider vinegar to a jug, stir and allow to sit for 10 minutes.
Add the vegan buttermilk mixture, sunflower oil, vanilla extract, and hot coffee to the bowl with the dry ingredients and whisk carefully to combine. Do not overmix the batter.
Divide the batter into the lined cake pans and bake for 30-35 minutes. Check they are ready by inserting a skewer, it should come out clean. Allow the cakes to cool in the tins for 15-20 minutes and then carefully turn them out onto a cooling rack to cool further. Refrigerate the cakes in an airtight container until ready to use. Chilling the cakes for a few hours (or overnight) makes them easier to work with and decorate.
Chop the chocolate and set it aside in a heat-resistant bowl. Add the coconut milk to a saucepan and place it on medium heat until gently simmering. Pour the heated coconut milk over the chocolate and allow it to sit for 2-3 minutes uncovered, before stirring with a spatula until smooth. Allow the mixture to come to room temperature for about 20-30 minutes
Assembly
Using a serrated knife, carefully cut the domes from the tops of the cakes if there are any to get them as even as possible. Place a tiny amount of frosting on a cake turntable and secure the first sponge layer on top of it.
Reserve half of the buttercream for coating the outside of the cake. Use an offset spatula/pallet knife to spread a layer of the remaining buttercream on top of the sponge. Add the next layer of cake and repeat with another layer of frosting. Top with the final layer of cake. Use the remaining frosting to coat around the sides on top of the cake and smooth everything out with a cake scraper.
Pour the ganache over the top of the cake and use a spatula to gently run it over the edges to create a drip effect.
Cut or break the easter egg into 3-4 pieces and arrange them on top of the cake. Fill the pieces of chocolate egg with vegan mini eggs.
Storage
Keep the cake at room temperature on the day of serving. If you plan on serving it at a later stage, place it in an airtight container and refrigerate. It will store well for 4-5 days.
Notes
Nutritional information is based on the cake without buttercream or easter egg toppings.
Coconut milk: Refrigerate overnight, then use only the thick cream from the top of the can.