This rich dessert is particularly suitable for chocolate lovers and perfect for celebrating Easter. It is a three-layer cocoa sponge cake filled with dark chocolate ganache. There is also a ganache-based covering, a ring of sugar-coated miniature chocolate eggs stuck on one by one around the bottom, and a handful of coloured sprinkle for that final Easter touch. The spectacular recipe is easy enough to make, and the sponge only needs to cook for twenty minutes. The longest part of the preparation is the ganache, which has to stand for two hours. Chocolate is the true star of this dessert: it will win you over!

1

To prepare an Easter cake, start with the dark chocolate ganache for the filling and covering. Bring cream to a boil and slowly pour into chopped chocolate previously melted in a microwave or double boiler. Once mixed, stir in finely chopped butter and melt well. Stir until smooth and shiny. Leave ganache to stand for two hours at room temperature until cream-like.

2

Prepare cocoa sponge: whip sugar with butter in a planetary mixer, and add eggs one at a time until mixture is even. Add dry ingredients (flour, salt, baking powder, cocoa and baking soda). Whip everything, and add water brought to a boil. When mixture is runny and smooth, share out between three 20 cm / 7¾ inch diameter buttered moulds, and bake for twenty minutes at 160 °C / 320 °F. Leave sponge to cool, and place the three discs on a cutting board. Proceed with filling: spread a layer of dark chocolate ganache on the first and second layers, and add a handful of chopped chocolate previously set aside. Stack the three layers one on top of the other.

3

Cover cake entirely with ganache using a spatula. Now proceed with the final decoration: put remaining dark chocolate ganache in a pastry bag with a star-shaped nozzle, and make a ring around the cake base. Then arrange sugar-coated miniature chocolate eggs around edge. Do the same again on the top or, if you prefer, only in the middle. Complete with a handful of sprinkle.