Easter Cakes - Home Cooking

To Make an Easter Bonnet Cake -

You'll need cake batter for a two-layer cake, from a recipe or cake mix + frosting for a 2 layer cake + a 7 oz. bag of coconut. The coconut can be used as is, for a white Easter bonnet, tinted with food coloring for a pastel Easter bonnet, or toasted for a straw-look Easter bonnet, as in the picture.

Prepare the cake batter. Pour about 3 cups of the prepared batter into a greased and floured metal or ovenproof 1-1/2 quart bowl. Pour the remaining batter into a greased and floured 11" fluted quiche pan.

Vollrath Co. Mixing Bowl, Stainless, 1-1/2 qt, Each, Stainless

Bake in a preheated oven at 350º for about 20 minutes for the quiche pan and about 30 to 35 minutes for the bowl, or until a pick inserted in the center comes out clean.

After removing from the oven, cool the cakes in the pans for about 10 minutes. Remove the cakes from the pan to wire racks. Cool completely on wire racks before assembling the Easter bonnet.

To toast the coconut -
Spread flaked or shredded coconut in a thin layer on a cookie sheet with sides or on a jelly roll pan. Bake in a preheated oven at 350° for about 4 minutes, with the pan in the center of the oven. For even browning, stir and turn the coconut after 2 minutes. As soon as the coconut turns a light golden brown color, remove it from the oven.

To tint coconut - Place about 1 cup of flaked or shredded coconut in a resealable plastic bag. Combine 1/2 teaspoon water with about 4 drops of liquid food coloring. Pour into the bag of coconut. Seal the bag and shake.

To decorate the Easter bonnet -
Place the cooled 11" cake on a serving platter or tray, with the wide surface facing down. Spread frosting on top of this layer. Center the bowl shaped layer on top, with the widest surface facing down. Frost both layers, covering completely. Place coconut on top of the frosting, a small amount at a time, pressing gently so it stays in place.

Make the band, ribbon, and flower with decorator frosting or trim it with pastel fabric ribbon and a silk flower. Place a strip of plastic wrap under the ribbon and a small piece of wrap under the flower. Secure the flower to the cake with small toothpicks.

To make a Sitting Bunny Easter Cake,
begin with 2 - 8" or 2 - 9" cake layers, made from your own recipe, from a cake mix,
or try my recipes for Dark Chocolate Cake and Creamy Vanilla Frosting.

Allow the cake to cool completely before cutting.

Use the diagram below for cutting the cake to make a sitting bunny.

Use coconut for the "bunny fur" ....
Tint additional coconut green for a bed of grass....
Use pink or red jelly beans for his eyes and nose.

Frosting Recipes

Creamy Vanilla Frosting

Marshmallow Frosting

Peanut Butter Frosting

Chocolate Frosting

Click Here for more Home Cooking Easter Recipes and Ideas