EASTER NESTS RECIPE

WORDS & PHOTOGRAPHY  |   Nicole Pires

There's no better way to impress your friends, family and loved ones this Easter with some homemade cupcakes baked with TLC. They are super simple to make, and even easier to decorate. So go ahead and do something different this Easter and give Easter Nests instead of store bought chocolate.

CUPCAKE RECIPE

Makes 36

230g butter (softened)

230g castor sugar

4 eggs

230g self-raising flour

½ teaspoon vanilla essence

Before starting, preheat the oven to 180°

Mix together the butter and castor sugar in a cake mixer or by electrical beater. Next add the eggs, and mix a final time with the self-raising flour. When all ingredients are combined, stir in the vanilla essence.

Spoon the mixture into cupcake holders until ¾ of the way full and bake for 12 minutes or until golden. 

ICING AND DECORATION 

340 g butter (softened)

300 g icing sugar

50 g Nestle Baking Cocoa

2 tbsp milk

2 packets speckled chocolate eggs

To make the chocolate frosting, mix together the butter, sifted icing sugar and cocoa powder and the milk. This can again be done in a mixer or by electrical beater.

After the cupcakes have cool, place the frosting in a Loyal disposable piping bag using a number 7 star nozzle. Pipe a circle from the centre outwards to form a nest. Place a colourful speckled egg in the centre of each cupcake. 

You can choose to display your cupcakes on a tiered platter or a flat plate. Enjoy!