No need to hunt for Easter recipes – we've already found the perfect festive treats (2024)

THIS time next week many of us will be frantically searching the shops for the perfect choccie treats for our loved ones.

But you can make Easter even better – and much cheaper – by getting the kids to cook up some fun festive recipes.

Here, LYNSEY CLARKE offers some inspiration with some excellent Easter delights from Pinterest.

Martha's Mini Egg cake

(Serves 12)

YOU NEED:

For the sponge:

250g unsalted butter, softened

250g caster sugar

1 tsp vanilla bean paste

5 large eggs

100g full-fat Greek yoghurt

310g self-raising flour

½ tsp salt

3 tbsp whole milk

For the white chocolate buttercream:

150g white chocolate

250g icing sugar

250g unsalted butter, softened

To decorate:

2 x 328g packs Mini Eggs

METHOD: Grease and line a deep 18cm round cake tin.

Preheat the oven to 160C or gas mark 3.

Place the butter, sugar and vanilla into a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat together until pale and fluffy (about three to four minutes).

Scrape down the sides of the bowl using a spatula, and beat in the eggs one at a time.

Add 1tbsp of flour if mixture starts to curdle.

Beat in the yoghurt, and then fold in the flour with the salt, beating on a medium speed until the mixture is thick and smooth.

Finally, mix in the milk, then spoon into the tin and bake for one hour ten minutes or until risen and golden.

A skewer inserted should come out clean.

Take out of the oven and leave to cool in the tin for 20 minutes.

Then turn out onto a wire rack to cool down further.

Make the buttercream by first melting the white chocolate in the microwave, or in a bowl set over a pan of simmering water.

Use an electric whisk to soften the butter in a large bowl and then gradually add the icing sugar and whisk until paler in colour.

Beat in white chocolate until mixture is pale and fluffy.

Level off the cake, and then use a serrated knife to divide into three equal layers.

Place the bottom layer on a cake stand and spread with a quarter of the icing using a palette knife.

Repeat with the second layer before placing the final layer on top.

Apply thin layer of icing over whole cake to seal in the crumbs.

Refrigerate for 20 minutes.

Remove from fridge.

Apply the final layer of icing all over the cake using a palette knife.

Starting at the base of cake, stick the Mini Eggs in colour pairs, repeating the pattern all around the cake.

For the second row of eggs, repeat the same pattern of colour pairs but shift the pattern one egg to the right.

Build up layers of eggs one row at a time, shifting to the right each time, until the whole cake is covered. Use the remaining eggs to decorate the top of the cake.

— Recipe by Great British Bake Off’s Martha Collison. See waitrose.com for more.

Fluffy bunny pancakes

(Serves four)

YOU NEED:

For the pancakes:

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 tbsp sugar

2 tsp baking powder

½ tbsp sugar

½ tsp salt

1 large egg

¾ cup milk

¼ cup butter, melted

For the topping:

Banana slices

Chocolate chips

Whipped cream

Sweetened shredded coconut for the toppings

METHOD: Preheat griddle over medium-high heat.

Whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.

In a separate bowl combine egg, milk and melted butter, and then stir into dry ingredients until moistened.

For each bunny, make a pancake four inches wide for the body, one 2½ inches wide for the head, two small oval-shaped pancakes for the feet and two small triangular pancakes for the ears.

Spoon batter onto griddle and cook until bubbles form on top of pancakes.

Turn and then cook until second side is golden brown.

To form bunny, place in pattern shown in picture.

Place a banana slice on each foot and arrange chocolate chips at the end of each foot for toes.

Dollop whipped cream on body just above the feet.

Sprinkle with coconut for the tail. Serve immediately.

— Recipe on tasteofhome.com.

Creme Egg brownie cake

(Serves 12)

YOU NEED:

250g butter

200g golden caster sugar

100g light muscovado sugar

200g self-raising flour

5 tbsp cocoa

Pinch of baking powder

3 eggs

3 89g bags of Mini Cadbury Creme Eggs

100g milk chocolate

METHOD: Heat the oven to 180C/fan 160C/Gas 4.

Put the butter and sugars in a pan and heat gently until the butter has melted.

Take off the heat and stir in the flour, cocoa, baking powder and (real!) eggs to make a smooth batter.

Pour the batter into a lined 20x20cm cake tin (leave some paper overhanging to help you lift it out) and push half the miniature creme eggs all over the batter.

Bake for 35-40 minutes.

Cool for ten minutes and then lift out and cool completely.

Decorate the top with the remaining creme eggs, halved, then melt the milk chocolate and drizzle it back and forth across the cake.

— Recipe from Olive magazine.

Flock cakes

(Serves six)

YOU NEED:

12 basic cupcakes

For the vanilla butter icing:

100g butter

200g icing sugar

1tsp vanilla extract

1tbsp milk or water

For the sheep faces and fleeces:

1 pack mini marshmallows

1 pack Mini Cadbury Creme Eggs

Marzipan for the ears

Writing icing

METHOD: Start with 12 basic cupcakes which will make six sheep.

Create the faces using chocolate eggs, and writing icing and marzipan for the ears and eyes.

Leave to set for a few minutes.

Then make the buttercream icing by mixing together the butter, icing sugar, vanilla extract and milk or water.

Make the bodies by sticking pairs of fairy cakes together, inverted.

Then spread the buttercream icing all over.

Stick the sheep heads in place using icing.

Make the fleeces by cutting the mini marshmallows in half and poking into the buttercream.

— Recipe by Jo Arnell (hornbrookmanor.co.uk).

Egg white chocolate nest cakes

(Serves 12)

YOU NEED:

2 x 120g bars of white chocolate

100g Rice Krispies

2 x 90g bags of Mini Eggs

METHOD: Bring a pan of water to the boil on the hob, then place a metal or glass bowl above it.

Break the chocolate into the bowl and stir until melted.

Tip in the Rice Krispies and stir to coat in chocolate.

Divide the chocolate Rice Krispie mix between 12 cake cases.

Make a small hole in the middle and add a few mini eggs to each one.

Put the cakes into the fridge for 20 minutes to chill and set the chocolate.

—Recipe from daisiesandpie.co.uk.