Easter Macaron Cake with Peanut Butter Frosting

For the sponge:

• 250g butter, softened
• 250g caster sugar
• 4 large eggs
• 1 tsp almond extract.
• 200g self-raising flour
• 50g ground almonds (or 50g self raising flour).
• 50ml milk
• 2 x 20cm sandwich or springform cake tins, greased and lined on the bottom

For the icing:

• 200g butter, softened
• 100g smooth peanut butter
• 100g milk chocolate, melted and cooled.
• 200g icing sugar
• 1 – 2 tbsp milk or as much as needed

To decorate

• 8 – 12 French-style macarons
• 8 – 12 mini eggs
• 1 – 2 tbsp colourful sprinkles

Serves 12 – 16

1. First make the cakes. In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until pale. Whisk in the eggs one at a time, then fold in the flour and ground almonds if using and finally stir in the milk and almond or vanilla extract.

2. Divide the mixture between the prepared tins and bake in the AGA baking oven, on the grid shelf on the floor, for 20 – 25 mins until evenly coloured and firm to touch. Swap the tins over after 15 mins to help them colour evenly. To bake in the AGA roasting oven, insert the cold plain shelf above the cakes on the 3rd set of runners. Cool in the tins for a moment or two then turn out on to a wire cooling rack to cool completely.

3. Make the icing by creaming together the butter, peanut butter and icing sugar until smooth. Add the melted cooled chocolate and mix well. If the icing is quite stiff, add a little milk to give a smooth consistency for spreading and piping.

4. Fill the cakes with a quarter of the icing and sandwich together. Spread another quarter of the icing round the sides, smoothing as you go. Finish by smoothing another quarter of the icing over the top, then finally decorate the top with the remaining quarter of the icing, either spooned in little ‘blobs’ or piped using a large star nozzle or similar.

5. Work out how many slices you need the cake to cut into and pipe on that number of swirls. Press a macaron into each swirl of icing, and finish with the mini eggs and sprinkles.

Store in an airtight container until needed. Keeps well in a cool place for 4 – 5 days. Suitable for freezing, either just the sponges or fully iced, adding the macarons, mini eggs and sprinkles after defrosting. Defrost at room temperature for 4 hours or so.

AGA tips:
Chocolate can be easily melted using the AGA. Put the chocolate in a heatproof container on the enamel at the back of the AGA tops, you may wish to protect the enamel with a small cork mat or similar. Alternatively, put in a heatproof container in the simmering oven for 10 mins (use a timer).