Easy Easter Cake

By Lucy Parissi

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, Updated Jan 26, 2026

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This easy Easter Cake is sure to WOW everyone! Deliciously soft and fluffy chocolate sponge, rich chocolate frosting and tons of Easter candy… this is a MUST BAKE this spring 🙂

Easter traybake cake decorated with mini eggs and Easter candy, sliced

My kids adore mini eggs, pouncing on them as soon as they start to appear in the shops…So this Easter Traybake Cake was a surprise for them and needless to say they LOVED it 😀

The best part is that it is such an easy cake. It takes just minutes to prepare yet tastes out-of-this-world delicious. And as for the chocolate frosting – OMG it is beyond!

And because I love you all so, I am giving you two options on the frosting – but of course you can use whatever buttercream or frosting you like! It’s a great cake to share at large gatherings or school bake sales as you can slice it into 20 pieces or more.

Easter tray bake cake with chocolate frosting and Easter candy decorations

Table of Contents

Easter Sheet Cake (Traybake)

A sheet cake (or traybake if you are in the UK)  takes its name from the rectangular tin it is baked in – usually a 9×13″ traybake tin or a slightly smaller 9×12″ tin. 

For this Easter cake I used my favorite easy chocolate sponge recipe. It uses flour, sugar, cocoa powder, raising agents, vanilla, butter, eggs and buttermilk.

sliced Easter chocolate sheet cake

The frosting is a rich and irresistible combo of butter, icing sugar, vanilla, melted chocolate and cream. But if this sounds like too many ingredients you can make an alternative frosting using just chocolate and store-bought custard.

And as a finishing touch you pile ALL the Easter chocolates on top of the cake – such as Cadbury’s Mini Eggs, Malteser Bunnies, Galaxy caramel eggs as well as sprinkles and chocolate decorations. 

You really can’t overdo the decoration on this Easter chocolate cake, it needs to be over the top!

chocolate cake decorated with mini eggs and other Easter chocolates

How to make this Easter Cake Recipe

Make the cake

  1. Use digital scales to measure all the ingredients in the order listed in a large mixing bowl or the bowl of your stand mixer.
  2. Beat together until the ingredients are combined and the batter is completely smooth. This should take no more than a couple of minutes, it’s super-easy.
beating chocolate cake batter with an electric hand mixer
  1. Spoon the batter into a greased and lined rectangular cake pan and level. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until the cake springs back if prodded and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
  2. Leave the cake in the tin for five minutes. Use the liner to lift the cake out of the pan and rest on a wire rack to cool down. 
spreading chocolate cake batter into a rectangular baking tin

Make the chocolate frosting

  1. Put the chocolate in a bowl and melt in the microwave, in short 30 second bursts, until it melts. Alternatively, set the bowl over a pot of simmering water and allow it to melt slowly using the double boiler method. Set aside to cool slightly.
  2. Sift icing sugar and cocoa powder in a mixing bowl (or the bowl of your stand mixer). Add softened butter and vanilla. Start mixing on low speed, gradually adding the cream until the ingredients are combined. Add the melted chocolate and beat until the frosting holds soft peaks. 
A bowl of chocolate frosting for a decadent traybake is being mixed with an electric hand mixer. The creamy, swirled mixture shows the mixer blades partially submerged against a pristine white background.

Assemble and decorate

  1. Spread the frosting over the cake and top with an assortment of Easter mini eggs, bunnies, sprinkles and so on. Slice, share and expect everyone to come back for seconds!
sliced Easter chocolate cake

Recipe Notes and Tips

  • This cake keeps very well for 3-4 days at room temperature in a rectangular cake container. Do not store in the fridge as this will cause the sponge to dry out.
  • Make your own buttermilk by mixing whole milk with lemon juice and leaving it to stand at room temperature until the milk curdles. The acidity in the buttermilk reacts with the baking soda to add lift to the cake.
  • Use good quality cocoa powder and 63%-70% chocolate for best results. It is tempting to melt leftover Easter eggs to make the frosting but I would strongly advise against it. Milk chocolate is far too sweet and can seize when melting.
  • Prepare the cake up to a couple of days in advance of frosting. Keep covered, at room temperature, until needed.
spreading chocolate frosting over a chocolate cake traybake

Frosting variations

Place chocolate and store-bought full fat vanilla custard in a bowl. Heat in the microwave for short bursts until the chocolate melts completely. Place in a bowl and chill for a few hours. Briefly beat together and use to frost the cake.

Two squares of Easter chocolate tray bake cake on a cake stand, easter egg candy decorations on top of the cake and on the side

Easter Baking Ideas

HAVE YOU MADE MY EASTER TRAYBAKE CAKE RECIPE? Please leave a rating, post a photo on my Facebook page, share it on Instagram with @supergolden88 and the tag #supergoldenbakes and make my day!

Easter traybake cake decorated with mini eggs and Easter candy, sliced
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Easter Cake

By Lucy Parissi | Supergolden Bakes
This easy Easter Cake is super to WOW everyone! Deliciously soft and fluffy chocolate sponge, rich chocolate frosting and tons of Easter candy… this is a MUST BAKE this spring 🙂
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes
Servings: 20 slices
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Equipment

Ingredients

  • 2 ½ cups (300g) all-purpose flour (plain flour)
  • ½ cup (60g) cocoa powder unsweetened
  • 1 ⅔ cups (330g) sugar granulated or caster
  • 1 tbsp baking powder
  • ½ tbsp baking soda (bicarbonate of soda)
  • ½ tsp ground cinnamon (optional)
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ⅞ cup (200g) unsalted butter softened
  • 3 large eggs
  • 1 cup (225ml) buttermilk
  • 2 tsp vanilla bean paste

Chocolate Frosting

  • 1 cup (175g) dark chocolate chips melted and cooled
  • 2 cups (260g) powdered sugar (icing sugar)
  • 6 tbsp cocoa powder unsweetened
  • ⅔ cup (150g) unsalted butter softened
  • ½ cup (120ml) heavy cream (double cream)

To decorate

  • Easter chocolate eggs, bunnies, sprinkles etc

Instructions 

Make the cake

  • Preheat the oven to 340°F (170°C). Mist a 9x13inch rectangular cake pan with cake release and line with parchment paper.
  • Put the flour, cocoa powder and sugar in large bowl. Add the baking powder, soda, cinnamon and salt and mix together using a balloon whisk.
    2 ½ cups (300g) all-purpose flour, ½ cup (60g) cocoa powder, 1 ⅔ cups (330g) sugar, 1 tbsp baking powder, ½ tbsp baking soda, ½ tsp ground cinnamon, ½ tsp salt
  • Add the butter, eggs, buttermilk and vanilla. Start beating on the lowest speed setting until the ingredients start to come together.
    ⅞ cup (200g) unsalted butter, 3 large eggs, 1 cup (225ml) buttermilk, 2 tsp vanilla bean paste
  • Increase the speed gradually, until the batter is completely smooth. Stop the mixer and scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl to make sure everything is incorporated.
  • Spoon the batter in the prepared pan and level. Bake for 35 -40 minutes.
  • Check the cake is done by inserting a skewer in the middle – it should come out clean, the cake should be well risen and springy to the touch. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

Chocolate Frosting

  • Put the chocolate in a bowl and melt in the microwave, in short 30 second bursts, until it melts. Alternatively, set the bowl over a pot of simmering water and allow if to melt gradually using this double boiler method. Set aside.
    1 cup (175g) dark chocolate chips
  • Put the powdered sugar and cocoa powder in a mixing bowl (or the bowl of your stand mixer) and mix together to combine. If you can, sift the ingredients into the bowl.
    2 cups (260g) powdered sugar, 6 tbsp cocoa powder
  • Add the softened butter and start mixing on low speed, gradually adding the cream until the frosting is well combined.
    ⅔ cup (150g) unsalted butter, ½ cup (120ml) heavy cream
  • Add the melted chocolate and beat together until the frosting holds soft peaks.

Assemble the Cake

  • Use a palette knife to spread the frosting over the cake, swirling the surface.
  • Add sprinkles, chocolate eggs, chocolate bunnies – whatever you like! Slice the cake using a serrated knife, wiping the knife clean between each slice.
    Easter chocolate eggs, bunnies, sprinkles etc

Notes

Alternative frosting
Place 250g (1 1/2 cups) semi-sweet chocolate chips in a bowl. Add store-bought full fat custard and microwave in short bursts, stirring, until the chocolate has melted and the mixture is creamy and smooth. Transfer to a small container and chill for 3-4 hours or until the chocolate custard has sett slightly. Beat with an electric hand mixer or stir vigorously before spreading over the cooled cake.

Nutrition

Calories: 490kcal | Carbohydrates: 67g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 36mg | Sodium: 439mg | Potassium: 256mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 47g | Vitamin A: 941IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 94mg | Iron: 2mg

Nutritional information is always approximate, and will depend on quality of ingredients and serving sizes.

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