How to render an entry template in plugin?
If it is a frontend request

$html = craft()-&gt;templates-&gt;render('_emails/_layout.twig', $data);


and in a backend request

$oldPath = craft()-&gt;path-&gt;getTemplatesPath();
$newPath = craft()-&gt;path-&gt;getSiteTemplatesPath();
craft()-&gt;path-&gt;setTemplatesPath($newPath);
$html = craft()-&gt;templates-&gt;render('_emails/_layout.twig', array());
craft()-&gt;path-&gt;setTemplatesPath($oldPath);