Easter is tomorrow and a big celebration for many of us. It usually involves a large brunch or mid-day meal with decorated egg hunts and of course a special dessert. This time of year is a spring awakening, a time of renewal and growth, and a look towards many warm months ahead. I look forward to Easter like I do Thanksgiving – a time of appreciation for all the great people in my life and a chance to enjoy a meal together. Creating a spectacular ending to my Easter meal is something I look forward to because it always seems to be the thing people remember the most.
This Speckled Egg Vanilla Cream Cake is one of those showstoppers because it tastes as good as it looks. I love the addition of malted milk candied eggs, crushed and folded into the batter to give it a festive pastel color. The cake itself is super soft with a tender crumb and a hint of vanilla cream. As for the frosting – a simple combination of cream cheese, butter and confectioner’s sugar, whips up into a light and silky spread. I added a smear of pink food coloring to brighten the cake and give it an ombre Easter-Egg look. Have a happy Easter!
Ingredients
2 cups malted milk eggs, divided
2 sticks butter, room temperature
2 cups granulated sugar
4 large eggs, room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 3/4 cups all purpose flour
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup sour cream
1 cup whole milk
Frosting
12 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
1 stick butter
7 cups confectioner’s sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
pink food coloring, optional
(Serves 8-10)
To Prepare:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour 2 9-inch round pans, set aside. Using a rolling pin, gently crush malted milk eggs, set aside. In a stand mixer or large bowl, cream butter and sugar for 4 minutes, scrape down sides of bowl. Add eggs one at a time into batter, mix until smooth.
2. Add flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt to batter and mix on low for 30 seconds. Add sour cream and milk to batter and mix on low for 1 minute. Remove bowl and stir by hand, to incorporate any remaining dry ingredients. Stir in all, but 1/2 cup of crushed malted eggs and divide batter evenly into prepared baking pans.
3. Bake in oven for 30-40 minutes, or until a toothpick comes clean. Remove cakes from oven and let cool in pans for 20 minutes. Loosen cakes around perimeter with knife and invert onto a baking rack, let cool for 1 hour before frosting.
4. In a stand mixer or large bowl, mix together on medium speed, cream cheese and butter for 3 minutes. Slowly, add confectioners sugar and vanilla, mix until smooth and creamy. Place first cake layer on stand and spread with 1 cup frosting on top, smooth out to edges. Place second layer on top and frost with all, but 1 cup of frosting. Add food coloring to remaining frosting, and stir 3 times to give a swirled look. Pipe border around top and add additional swirled frosting to outer layer of cake for Easter-Egg presentation. Sprinkle top with remaining speckled eggs and store in refrigerator, until 2 hours before serving. Slice and Enjoy!
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