Easy Easter recipes for you to bake this bank holiday

Writer and expert1 year ago

We are all looking forward to the long Easter weekend, four days to relax and eat plenty of chocolate with the family. With the sunshine finally making an appearance it's safe to say we will all be trying to make the most of it putting on a spread at home and enjoying the garden.

Meaning in true last-minute style, you are browsing google for the perfect picky bits and sweet treats to bake. Making it easy for you, we have pulled together some of our favourite easter recipes that always go down a hit. So from our team, here are our ultimate easter recipes for you to choose from...

Homemade Hot Cross Buns

If you haven't already noticed hot cross buns this easter has been taken up a notch, with so many different flavours to choose from. A team favourite are the apple and cinnamon hot cross buns. These make the perfect snack with tea for anyone visiting or for an afternoon tea-inspired spread. Take a look at the Baking Mad recipe and try it at home.

Ingredients

For the Buns:

625g Allinson's Strong White Bread Flour
7g Allinson's Easy Bake Yeast Sachet
75g Billington's Unrefined Golden Caster Sugar
0pinch Salt
2 tsp Mixed spice
2 tsp Cinnamon
50g Butter (unsalted)
250ml Milk (whole)
125ml Water
2 Apple(s) (peeled cored and finely diced)
100g Raisins

For the Cross Decoration:

3 tbsp Allinson's Plain White Flour
1 tbsp Water

For the Glaze:

2 tbsp Billington's Unrefined Golden Caster Sugar
2 tbsp Water

Method

Step one:
Place the flour, yeast, sugar, salt and spices in a large mixing bowl and stir together.
Step two:
Melt the butter with half of the milk in a small pan, add the remaining cold milk and 125ml cold water, so that the liquid is hand hot. Pour it into the flour mixture and stir lightly.
Step three:
Add the raisins and finely diced apple and knead firmly for 10 minutes (or 5 minutes in a mixer with a dough hook) until the dough is smooth and elastic. Don’t worry if apples have a tendency to fall out of the mixture, you can knead them into each bun as you shape them.
Step four:
Turn the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and roll into a long sausage, cut into 16 equal pieces, each will weigh about 75-80 grams.
Step five:
Pinch the edges of each piece of dough up to the centre until you have a smooth ball, turn seam side down on the worktop and roll into a smooth ball. Place the buns on a baking tray allowing space for them to double in size. You may need two trays.
Step six:
Cover with oiled cling film and leave in a warm place until the dough has really doubled in size.
Step seven:
Once the dough has doubled in size, gently knock back the dough and prove for a second time until doubled once again.

8. Step eight:

When to dough is almost ready, preheat the oven to 220°C (200°C fan, gas mark 6). Mix the plain flour with enough water to make a stiff paste. Place in a piping bag and snip the end then pipe crosses on the hot cross buns.

How to make stripes on a hot cross bun

Step nine:
Bake for 15 minutes, then cover with baking parchment and continue to cook for another 5 minutes until the buns are golden, and firm and one feels hollow when removed from the baking tray. Allow to cool completely.
Step ten:
To glaze, dissolve 2 tbsp caster sugar in 2 tbsp water, boil for 1 minute then brush over the hot buns as soon as they come out of the oven.

Easter Bunny Biscuits

Denby, one of our favourite cookware brands always has the best recipes for you to choose from. This easter they have put together some delicious easter recipes that we have been trialling out and they don't disappoint. These Bunny Biscuits are adorable, brightening up your table spread and making the perfect fun snack for the little ones this Easter.

Ingredients

250g butter, softened
140g caster sugar
1 egg yolk
300g plain flour
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Ready-made icing to decorate

Method

1.Step one:

Cream together the butter and sugar in a large bowl. Should be light and fluffy in texture.

2. Step two:

Add the egg yolk and vanilla extract and briefly beat to combine.

3. Step three

Then gradually sift in the flour and stir until everything is well combined.

4. Step four:

Wrap the biscuit dough in a reusable food wrap and chill for an hour.

5. Step five:

Pre-heat the oven to 190ºC, 375ºF, Gas Mark 5.

6. Step six:

Lightly dust your surface with flour and roll out your dough to about 3mm thick.

7. Step seven:

Use Easter cutters to create your biscuits and place on a baking tray lined with baking paper.

8. Step eight:

Bake for 12-14 minutes or until golden brown. Let them cool.

9. Step nine:

Decorate with ready-roll icing to create your own Easter bunny biscuits. Yummy!

Chocolate Fudge Cupcakes

We couldn't round up our easter recipes without including something ultra-chocolatey! Another perfect sweet treat for your guests and the little ones in the family is chocolate fudge cupcakes. Deliciously chocolatey you can put some of your easter treats to good use decorating these mouth-watering cupcakes.

Ingredients

1/2 cup (120mL) water
1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
1/2 cup (41g) unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick / 115g) unsalted butter
1/4 cup (60mL) vegetable oil
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract (optional)
120g all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
Your choice of candy, for filling the cupcakes (some filling ideas include chocolate chips/bars, marshmallows, chocolate eggs, or sprinkles)

For the buttercream:

1 cup (2 sticks / 230g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
4 & 1/2 cups (540g) powdered sugar, sifted
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract (optional)
4 to 6 tablespoons strawberry purée (about 8 to 10 large strawberries puréed in a food processor)

Method

Step one:

Preheat your oven to 350°F / 177°C. Line a 12 count cupcake tin with paper liners and set aside.

2. Step two:

Make the chocolate cupcakes: In a medium saucepot, combine water, sugar, cocoa powder, and salt. Whisk to combine and break up any large clumps of cocoa.

3. Step three:

Add your butter to the pot, and place over a stove burner set to medium-high heat. Warm the mixture, stirring constantly, until the butter is fully melted and the mixture just starts to boil. Turn off the heat, and set your pot aside for 10 minutes to allow the mixture to cool down slightly.

4. Step four:

In a large bowl, combine the slightly cooled cocoa mixture, oil, and eggs. Whisk to combine.

5. Step five:

In a separate medium bowl, whisk together your flour and baking powder. Add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, and fold together until just combined. Take care not to over mix! The batter will be loose.

6. Step six:

Portion the batter into your prepared cupcake cups. Bake in the centre of your preheated 350°F / 177°C oven for 15 to 20 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the centre of a cupcake comes out clean. Cool the cupcakes in your tin for about 10 minutes, then transfer onto a wire rack to finish cooling completely to room temperature.

7. Step seven:

Core the centres of the cooled cupcakes with a cutout that's about 3/4" / 2cm / 18mm large. Be careful not to cut through to the bottom of the cupcake, otherwise the filling may spill out.

8. Step eight: Fill the centres of each cupcake with your favourite candies. If using larger candy or bars, chop them into smaller pieces to fit. Set aside to prep the frosting.

9. Step nine: Make the strawberry buttercream frosting: In a large bowl, combine butter, powdered sugar, and salt. Using an electric mixer or stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix on low speed to combine. The mixture will be slightly crumbly.

10. Step ten:

Add your vanilla and 4 tablespoons of strawberry purée to the butter/sugar mixture. Mix on low speed until the sugar is fully dissolved, then increase your speed to medium and beat together for 2 to 3 minutes, or until light and fluffy. If needed, mix in more strawberry purée, 1 tablespoon at a time, until it reaches a spreadable consistency.

11. Step eleven: Pipe or spread your frosting on top of the filled cupcakes.

Mini Egg Cookie Bars

We couldn't round up our favourite Easter recipes and not include a mini egg treat. These little drops of heaven make the perfect ingredient for taking any sweet treat from a 5 to a 10. This recipe is from Janes Patisserie and we would recommend you use a 9"inch square tin to bake in for the best outcome.

Ingredients

275 g Plain Flour
1 tsp Bicarbonate of Soda
1/2 tsp Salt
1 tbsp Cornflour
115 g Unsalted Butter/Stork
55 g Granulated Sugar
135 g Light Brown Sugar
1 Medium Egg
1 tsp Vanilla Extract
300 g Mini Eggs
100 g Milk Chocolate Chips

Method

1. Step one:

Preheat your oven to 190C/170C Fan and line a 9x9inch Square Tin with parchment paper, and leave to the side for now.

2. Step two:

Whisk/Mix the Plain Flour, Bicarbonate, Salt and Cornflour together so its evenly distributed – leave to the side.3. Step three:In a larger bowl, melt the butter. Add in the two sugars, and whisk for about 2 minutes so the sugar starts to dissolve and the mixture is smooth. Add in the Egg and the Vanilla, and whisk again briefly till smooth. (I used an electric whisk)4. Step four:Add in the Dry Ingredients, the Mini Eggs (apart from a handful), and the Chocolate Chips and mix with a spatula till a thick cookie dough is formed.5. Step five:Press the mixture into the bottom of the tin and press in the handful of Mini Eggs into the top for decoration. Bake the traybake in the oven for 18-22 minutes, until the top of the cookie bake looks ‘dry’!6. Step six:Leave the cookie bake to cool for about 10 minutes, then leave to cool fully on a wire rack. Cut the bake into 4×4 for decent sizes, or 5×5 for smaller ones! Enjoy!

Lemon Drizzle Cake

Looking for a classic light cake perfect to have in the sunshine, then it would have to be the lemon drizzle cake. This is one of the ultimate easter recipes that is always an instant hit with any generation. Trusting Mary Berry's lemon drizzle recipe this is an easy-to-follow, scrumptious recipe that had to be in our top five.

Ingredients

225g (1 cup) softened butter or baking spread
225g (1 cup) caster sugar
275g (2 1/4 cups) self-raising flour
2 level tsp baking powder
4 large eggs
4 tbsp milk
Finely grated rind of 2 lemons

For the crunchy lemon drizzle topping:

175g (3/4 cup) granulated sugar
Juice of 2 lemons

Method

1. Step one:

Pre heat the oven to 160c / 150c fan / 320F and prepare your loaf tin. Grease the 2lb loaf tin then line the base and side with baking paper. Make the paper longer than the tin to it's easily liftable at the end.

2. Step two:

Start mixing the ingredients with the butter. Pour the measured sugar and flour into the mixing bowl and beat them together. Then add the baking power and mix till smooth.

3. Step three:

Crack your eggs into a separate bowl. Make sure you don't have any of the shells in the bowl then add them to your larger mixing bowl. Add the milk at this stage too.

4. Step four:

Grate the lemon zest using a lemon zester or the small side of your grater then add that in.

5. Step five:

Mix everything together using the k paddle of your freestanding mixer, a hand held mixer or a wooden spoon. Mix until everything is well blended and you have a soft and silky smooth consistency.

6. Step six:

Pour the cake mixture into the tin. Using the spatula or the back of a spoon get your kids to spread the batter well into the corners and level the top.

7. Step seven:

Bake in the over for 60-70 minutes. You will know when it's ready becomes the sides will have shrunk away from the tin and the middle springs back when you gently press with your finger. You can also check by poking a skewer in the middle and if your skewer comes out clean it's ready.

To make the crunchy lemon drizzle topping

1. Step one:

Measure the sugar into a bowl. Squeeze the lemon juice. You can microwave your lemon for 10 seconds and roll it around to get more juice out of it.

2. Step two:

Mix the sugar and lemon together until it has mixed in and you have a runny consistency. Spoon it over the cake while it is still a little warm. You can use a cocktail stick to poke some holes in the cake so it runs through the sponge. Once cooled you can remove it from the tin and it's ready to be enjoyed!