Easter Cakes

There is nothing like a home cooked Easter Cake, but if you are running short of time click here and purchase the cake of your dreams.

Rabbit Cake

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup shortening
1-1/2 cups sugar
1 cup milk
3-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1-1/4 teaspoons vanilla
1 teaspoon salt
3 eggs

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

2. Grease and flour the cake pans (rub bottom of pan with butter or shortening, then sprinkle flour in the pan; tap the pan until flour spreads and covers pan bottom)

3. Sift the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt into the electric mixer bowl.

4. Add the shortening, milk, vanilla, and eggs. Mix on low speed for one minute.

5. Scrape the sides of the bowl, then turn mixer to high speed. Beat for 3 minutes.

6. Pour into pans and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a wooden pick inserted in the cake center comes out clean (not sticky!).

7. Cool in pans for 10 minutes, then turn cake layers onto a wire rack (you might need help with this step).

Cream Cheese Frosting
1 3-ounce package cream cheese, softened
Dash salt
1 tablespoon milk
2-1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla

1. Place the cream cheese, milk, vanilla, and salt in the electric mixer bowl. Mix on medium speed until well blended.

2. Gradually add sugar, beating at medium to high speed until the frosting is smooth and will spread easily. If necessary, add more milk.

3. Cut the cooled cake and arrange as shown in the drawing. One layer is left intact, and the other is cut to form the bunny's ears and bow tie. Spread the frosting between the head, ear, and bow tie pieces, then over top and sides.

4. Add jelly beans for the bunny's eyes, strips of licorice for whiskers. You could also cover the rabbit with coconut for a very special Easter dessert!


Lime Cheese Cake

    6 White chocolate squares
      6 oz Soft lady fingers
      2 pk Philadelphia cheese (2x250g)
      1 c  Sugar
    1/4 c  Lime juice
      1    Gelatine env. unflavored
      2 ts Lime peel, fine grated
      1 c  Whipping cream, whipped
           Strawberries
           Lime slices
 
  Melt chocolate.

Halve lady fingers lengthwise. Line bottom and sides of an 8 1/2-inch springform pan with ladyfingers, rounded sides facing out.

Beat cream cheese on lowest speed of electric mixer until smooth. blend in sugar and chocolate; mix well.

Sprinkle gelatine on top of lime juice in saucepan. Let stand 5 minutes to soften.

Stir mixture over low heat until gelatine is dissolved. Blend warm gelatine and lime peel into cheese mixture.

Fold cheese mixture into whipped cream. Pour into pan.

Chill at least 3 hours. Garnish with strawberries and lime slices.

Praline Pound Cake

Ingredients:

      1 c  Butter
      2 c  Sugar
      4    Eggs
      4 c  Flour
      1 ts Baking soda
      1 ts Baking powder
      4 oz Sour cream
      4 oz Cream cheese; softened
      1 c  Praline liqueur
      1 c  Pecans; chopped

-----------------------------------Glaze-----------------------------------
    1/4 c  Butter
    1/2 c  Brown sugar
    1/4 c  Praline liqueur
    1/8 c  Water
 
Cream butter and sugar. Add eggs and beat 3 minutes.

Mix together the flour, baking soda, and baking powder.

Mix together sour cream, cream cheese and liqueur. Alternately add dry ingredients with cheese mixture, beating well. Stir in pecans.

Grease and flour bundt pan. Pour batter in. Bake at 350~ for 60-70 minutes. Cool 15 minutes then glaze.

Glaze:
Combine the butter, brown sugar, praline liqueur, and water all in a small saucepan; bring to a boil. Stir for 5 minutes. Pour over cake.

 

Easter Dinner Cake

Ingredients:

White Part:

  • 1/2 c Sifted cake flour
  • 1/2 c Sifted powdered sugar
  • 6 Egg whites
  • 1/2 ts Cream of tartar
  • 1/2 ts Vanilla
  • 1/8 ts Salt
  • 1/2 c Granulated sugar

Yellow Part:

  • 3/4 c Sifted cake flour
  • 3/4 ts Baking powder
  • 6 Egg yolks
  • 2 tb Lemon juice
  • 1 tb Cold water
  • 1/2 c Granulated sugar
  • Powdered sugar

White part:
Sift 1/2 cup cake flour and 1/2 cup powdered sugar together three times. Beat egg whites till frothy; add cream of tartar, vanilla, and salt. Beat till soft peaks form. Gradually beat in 1/2 cup granulated sugar. Sift a fourth of the flour mixture at a time over top; fold in.

Yellow part:
Sift 3/4 cup cake flour and baking powder together three times. Beat yolks with juice and water until thick, 5 to 7 minutes; gradually beat in 1/2 cup granulated sugar. Sift a fourth of the flour mixture at a time over top; fold in.

Alternately spoon yellow and white mixtures into an ungreased 9- or 10-inch tube pan.

Bake at 375 degrees F for 35 to 40 minutes. Invert and cool.

Dust cake with powdered sugar.

Chocolate Nest Cake

  • 6 oz Soft Margarine
  • 6 oz Caster Sugar
  • 3 Eggs, Beaten
  • 6 oz Self-Raising Flour
  • Grated Rind and juice of 1 lemon
  • 2 oz Plain Chocolate

The Decoration:

  • 4 oz Slightly Salted Butter
  • 8 oz Icing sugar, Sifted
  • 4 oz Plain chocolate
  • 3 tb Apricot Jam
  • 4 lg Cadbury's Flake Bars
  • 8 oz Cadbury's Mini-eggs

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Put margarine, caster sugar, eggs and self-raising flour in a bowl. Combine ingredients, then beat well until mixture is light in colour and texture. Stir in orange rind and half of the juice.

Break up chocolate for cake. Place on a plate over a pan of simmering water until completely melted. Stir chocolate through cake mixture so that it is streaked. turn mixture into a greased 9 inch ring tin and spread level.

Bake cake in preheated oven for 30 minutes until spongy to touch. Turn on to a wire tray and leave to cool. Beat butter until soft, then gradually beat in icing sugar and remaining orange juice.

Melt chocolate for decoration, as before, and beat into buttercream to make a smooth mixture. Split cake in half. Spread both halves with jam and sandwich back together.

Place cake on a plate and, using a small palette knife, spread chocolate buttercream over surface, leaving it rough in appearance.

Using a sharp knife, cut flake bars into long pieces and arrange over cake to give a nest effect. Fill centre of cake with Mini-eggs.

 


Easy Easter Bunny Cupcakes

  • 1 1/2 c Cake Flour, sifted
  • 1 c Sugar
  • 2 ts Baking powder
  • 1/2 ts Salt
  • 1/2 c Butter; softened
  • 1/2 c Milk
  • 2 Eggs
  • 1 ts Vanilla
  • Easy Bunny Frosting (see below)
  • For the Bunny:
  • Smarties or M&Ms
  • Licorice or Fruit Roll ups
  • Marshmallows; pink

In bowl combine flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.

Using electric mixer at low speed, blend in butter, milk, eggs and vanilla; beat for 2 minutes at medium speed.

Spoon batter in 16 large greased or paper lined muffin cups.

Bake at 375F for 12 to 16 minutes or till tester inserted in centre comes out clean. Transfer to rack and cool.

Easy Bunny Frosting

  • 1/2 c Corn syrup
  • 1 Egg white
  • 1 ts Lemon juice

In saucepan over high heat, heat corn syrup (or microwave at High for 1 1/2 - 2 minutes) until boiling.

In bowl, beat egg white with lemon juice till frothy; gradually blend in boiling corn syrup and beat till stiff peaks forms, about 4 minutes.

Dip tops of cooled cupcakes in icing.

Use Smarties or M&Ms for eyes, licorice or sliced fruit roll ups for whiskers. Cut pink marshmallows into quarters for ears.

Makes 16 Cupcakes.