Easter Layer Cake

With Pistachios and Hidden Berry Frosting

This Easter Layer Cake is made with my go-to sponge recipe. This is the most moist sponge cake you will ever make. It’s all due to the yoghurt and oil, that makes it light as a feather and super moist. It’s coated with my favourite cream cheese icing/frosting. And I’ve mixed some berry coulis through the cream cheese frosting between the layers for a little surprise twist. Then it’s adorned with oodles of chopped pistachios, some cookie crumbs and a few hand dyed speckled chocolate eggs for the final Easter flair.

You don’t need any equipment for this cake. One bowl and a whisk is all you need. It’s can be thrown together in minutes. Keep it as simple as you like or go all out with the decorations. Once you’ve made this cake once I am sure it will definitely become your go-to sponge for any special occasion too.

If you like the look of this Easter Layer Cake, remember to check out some of my other fun Easter recipes for more inspo. There are loads to choose from. From simple treats, to baked goods and breads, to easy brunch ideas.

Easter Layer Cake

Vanessa Vermaak

Feather light and super moist Easter Layer Cake. Covered in cream cheese frosting and pistachios and a berry surprise inside.

No ratings yet

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Share via Email Share on Facebook

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Prep Time 30 mins

Cook Time 30 mins

Cooling Time: 1 hr

Total Time 2 hrs

Course Baked Goods, Cake

Servings 8

Ingredients

  

½1x2x

Cake

• ½ Cup Plain or Greek yogurt
• ¾ Cup Castor or granulated sugar
• 3 Large Eggs
• 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
• 1½ Cups All-Purpose/Cake Flour
• 2 tsp Baking Powder
• ½ tsp Salt
• ½ Cup Oil (Vegetable/Sunflower or Coconut Oil)
• 1 Tbsp Lemon Juice* Optional
• 1 Tbsp Lemon Zest* Optional

Cream Cheese Icing/Frosting**

• 60 grams Unsalted Butter Softened to room temperature
• 250 grams Plain Cream Cheese (1 x tub) Softened to room temperature
• 1 Cup Icing/Powdered Sugar
• 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
• ⅓ – ½ Cup Berry Coulis / Dessert Sauce Optional

Optional toppings/decorations

• ½ Cup Chopped shelled pistachios
• ¼ Cup Cookie crumbs Optional
• 6 Candy coated chocolate eggs

Instructions

Cake

• Preheat the oven to 180˚C. Line the bottom of an approx 20 – 23 cm spring-form cake tin with baking paper then spray evenly with non-stick cooking spray. If making a layer cake, do this with two or three smaller tins (I used 3 x 20cm tins). Set aside
• In a large bowl, add the yogurt, sugar, eggs and vanilla and mix until well combined
• Sieve in the flour, baking powder, salt, then add the zest and mix until just barely combined
• Add the juice and oil and stir well. Don’t worry if it seems to separate at first. Keep stirring until a smooth batter forms
• Pour the batter into prepared tin (or tins)
• Bake for 30 – 40 minutes or until the cake feels springy to the touch and a skewer or cake tester inserted into the centre comes out clean (if making multiple (thinner) layers start checking at 25 minutes). Be careful not to over bake
• Cool the cake(s) in the tin on a wire rack for around 10 – 15 minutes. Then remove from the cake tin and cool completely on the wire rack before icing/frosting, around 1 hour
• Tip: Feel free to make these the night before. Once cooled, wrap in plastic wrap and store in a cool place overnight. If icing/frosting the night before, store in the fridge. These (un-iced) cakes can also be frozen if making far in advance. Just ensure they are wrapped well

Cream Cheese Icing/Frosting**

• See recipe notes below re quantity
• In a large bowl with a hand mixer or your stand mixer, combine the softened cream cheese and butter until smooth, pale and creamy. Then add the vanilla and the sifted icing sugar (a third at a time) and mix until well combined and smooth
• If using the berry coulis/sauce between the layers, add a couple of large spoonfulls (around ⅓) of icing/frosting to a separate bowl and mix the berry coulis through (skip this step if keeping it plain)***
• Place the bottom layer of cake on your cake stand or dish and dollop a spoonful of the berry icing/frosting to the centre of the cake and smooth out, leaving a small rim around the edge so that it doesn't squish out when stacking
• Repeat if using multiple layers. Then evenly spread the plain icing/frosting on top and around the sides of the stacked cake
• To decorate, I used to chopped pistachios to press around the outside of the cake. To make the top decoration, I used some cookie crumbs mixed with a drop of food colouring and more chopped pistachios to sprinkle on top. Then decorated with some candy coated chocolate eggs
• Decorate as you wish and serve. Store leftovers covered in the fridge

Notes

*The lemon juice and zest works well for plain cakes but this is optional and will depend on your flavours. The lemon works great here with the berry coulis in the frosting between the layers and the nuts for decorating. If using a different flavour in the frosting, like chocolate perhaps, I would recommend either using orange or mandarin, instead of lemon, or leaving it out all together

**If you like a lot of frosting, especially if you are not using the berry coulis, I would suggest doubling the icing/frosting recipe. This single amount for this particular cake went quite far since I added the coulis to the frosting between the layers, and wanted very little to coat the cake since I was decorating it with nuts. If making a single layer cake you do not need to double up

***The amount of icing/frosting and berry coulis you need, especially between the layers, will depend on the amount of layers you make and if you will be using berry coulis. The instructions above are for the version I made. Adjust as needed. If you need any advice about the amounts you are welcome to contact me.

Tried this recipe?Post your pics and tag us at @my_homemade_kitchen_za or #myhomemadekitchen!

Keyword Easter, Easter Cake, Easter layer cake, Layer cake, Layer cakes, Yoghurt Cake