The evenings are getting lighter - thank you daylight savings - the flowers are blooming and spring is in the air, which means Easter is upon us. As the countdown to Easter Sunday begins and the end of lent is in sight, cafes and bakeries are stocking up on their springtime specials to really get you in the mood.
And while we all love a classic chocolate egg, some of our favourite establishments have got their creative juices flowing in the kitchen to help you spruce up your Easter spread. From Creme eggs and milkshakes with a twist to hot cross buns that take on unexpected flavours, there's a sweet treat for everyone to indulge in.
If you're more of a straight up chocolate egg kind of person, and don't want to stray from your classic festive feast then we've put together a list of luxury Easter eggs to truly fuel your chocolate daze - read more on that here.
Read more: Easter 2023: The luxury chocolate eggs from Tesco, Sainsbury's, M&S, Aldi, Asda and more
But if you're more open to some pretty unique yet delicious creations, we've looked at some of our favourite bakeries and cafes in and around Wales' capital city that are really leaning into the season. With some sumptuous sweet treats that'll have your mouth watering just looking at them, let's dive in...
Scwtch Eggs from Brød - Penarth and Cardiff
A Scotch egg is a delicious delicacy in its own right but this Easter take on the usually savoury treat is something else. Instead of sausage meat, you have a smooth chocolate truffle enveloping a Creme egg - rather than a bog-standard egg - and dusted with coconut flakes. Now, this sounds like a Scotch egg I can get on board with.
If you're more of a cookie fiend, however, Brød is also doing a Påske Rede - aka an Easter nest.
Mini egg brookies from Blwm - Cathays
Is it a brownie? Is it a cookie? In fact, it's both. With added pizzazz, it is covered in mini eggs to give it that egg-stra (sorry) special sprinkle of Easter. As well as the brookie, Blwm are also doing a cookie (that is a cookie) but inside is stuffed with a classic Easter must-have: a Creme egg.
Smore's mini egg cookie from Forage Farm Shop - Cowbridge
Filled with toasted marshmallow whip, these mini egg cookie sandwiches are adorable and delicious looking - not to mention indulgent. Alongside these beauties, Forage Farm Shop and Kitchen's cafe will be offering a mini egg cheesecake, a hot cross bun latte, a mini egg milkshake, a dark chocolate chip mini egg loaf cake and an Easter Bara Brith too.
Mini egg Welsh cakes from Elephant & Bun Deli - Cowbridge
You cannot go wrong with a Welsh cake. These little baked beauties are always a winner. And if you don't like traditional flavours, what better item to swap out raisins for Easter classics: mini eggs. This Welsh Easter extravaganza from Elephant and Bun Deli does exactly that and, if they do say so themselves: "Yes, they are as good as they sound."
Hot Cross Buns from Pettigrew Bakery - Canton, Roath and Cardiff
Pettigrew Bakery (all of its sites) is elite at doing festive treats for every season - like Christmas - and Easter is no different. Alongside the classic hot cross buns (which you know will just be cinnamon-y, nutmeg-y heaven upon first bite), it is also doing items like lemon and poppyseed bunny rabbits and guava mousse eggs on a white chocolate coconut nest. Easter isn't all about chocolate, you know.
Easter cakes from Let Them See Cake - Canton
We can always rely on Canton's Let Them See Cake to produce picture perfect fluffy, sweet and decadent bites to get us all in the spirit of Easter. With cupcakes, biscuits, macarons available from their pop up and Victoria Park shop that have nods to the April holiday - carrots, springtime pastel colours, bunnys etc - you are spoilt for choice over treats in which to sink your teeth into post-Lent.
Coffi Co's Egg-stravaganza Milkshake - Penarth, Cardiff Bay and Pontcanna
For those wanting a more liquefied treat, this milkshake from Coffi Co - which has locations in Pontcanna, Cardiff Bay and Penarth - is sure to hit the spot. And, of course, it is topped with mini eggs. Because you can't have an Easter titbit without these little bites of heaven! As for what's in it? Expect a combination of mini eggs and Cadbury's Creme eggs blended with ice cream and chocolate sauce. If you're not quite ready for cooler drinks, it's also doing a Malt-Easter Bunny Hot Chocolate.
Hot Cross Loaf from Ty Melin - Cardiff Bay and Roath
Now you've all heard of a hot cross bun - which Ty Melin are also doing in an almond flavour - but I don't suppose you've heard of a Hot Cross Loaf? Well, it's, as Ty Melin say, the "ultimate way to have a hot cross bun - toasts like a loaf, tastes like a hot cross bun". It's onto a winner if you ask me.
Easter Egg Sundae from Zio's Gelateria - Barry Island
Ice cream, a giant hollow egg half and miniature Easter treats - oh, and a stunning view over Barry Island's beautiful beach... does it get more luxurious than that?
In this children's sundae, you get two scoops of ice cream of your choice with a flake, sauce and a topping served in a chocolate egg base. Yum.
Cheesecake filled Easter eggs from Lisa's Luxury Cheesecakes - Cardiff
This Easter treat is utterly filthy (in the best kind of way) and is so worth the calories - if you love cheesecake and chocolate, of course. You can get one for yourself with Cardiff-based Lisa's Luxury Cheesecakes, who create indulgent cheesecakes for all occasions. It's a treat that does what it says on the tin: a cheesecake encased in an Easter egg half. Scoop out the cheesecake and then eat the egg for a post-dessert treat or munch through it as a whole.
For more information on Lisa's Easter treats, see her Facebook.
Hot Pantry Pontcanna's tear and share hot cross bun - Cardiff
With a choice of white chocolate, Belgian dark chocolate and traditional fruit, this unique take on the Easter classic, a tear and share hot cross bun, is a great way of, if you so wish, sharing and caring. It is also serving up delicious bites such as chocolate egg brownies and Easter bunny biscuits that almost look too good to eat... almost.
Who Cult's Easter doughnuts - Bridgend, Newport and Barry
Can you get any more indulgent than a selection of cream and chocolate filled doughnuts? And oh, they are so worth it. In its Easter specials, WhoCult will be serving up the 'Bunny', filled with marshmallow fluff and topped with white chocolate and vanilla icing; the 'Hot Cross Bun' doughnut which is topped with a hot cross bun flavoued icing, currents and vanilla icing; the 'Mini Nest' doughnut topped with Nutella, milk chocolate, mini eggs and flake pieces; the 'Creme egg' - filled with vanilla and Nutella cream and topped with vanilla icing and, of course, a Creme egg. And you don't even need to wait until Easter as these limited edition flavours are available now. So, what are you waiting for?
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