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Sweet Kathleen's Easter Bunny Cake

EASTER BUNNY CAKE

The Easter Bunny will be here soon! This is a fun cake that is easy to do. The kids will have a grand time decorating the bunny and I know you will too!

Cake3 c. sifted cake flour (measure after sifting)
1 T. baking powder
¼ tsp. salt
1 c. (2 sticks) butter, softened
2 c. granulated sugar, sifted
1 T. vanilla extract
4 lg. eggs, room temperature
1 c. milk or half and half
Vanilla Buttercream Frosting
1 c. (2 sticks) butter, softened
¼ c. vegetable shortening
6 c. confectioners’ sugar, sifted
½ c. heavy cream
1 T. vanilla extract
1 ½ tsp. light corn syrup

Bunny Decorating Ingredients:

Flaked coconut

Colored coconut for grass

Various candies for face, whiskers, bow tie decoration, etc.

Preheat oven to 350ºF. Grease and flour 2 (9-inch) round cake pans or spray with nonstick baking spray containing flour. Resift the flour with the baking powder, and salt. Set aside. In large mixing bowl, cream the butter, sugar and vanilla extract on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the flour mixture by thirds, alternating with the milk, and ending with the dry ingredients. Mix just enough to blend the batter after each addition. Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans and tap pans once on counter to remove air bubbles. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool cakes in pans on wire racks for 10 minutes. Remove the pans and place cakes on wire racks to cool completely.
Frosting: In large mixing bowl, place the butter, shortening, 3 cups of the confectioners’ sugar, cream, vanilla extract and corn syrup. With mixer on low speed beat until smooth and creamy. Gradually add the remaining sugar, 1 cup at a time, beating well after each addition. Once all the sugar is incorporated increase the mixer speed to medium and beat for 5 minutes or until the icing is thick enough to be of good spreading consistency. (If necessary add a little more sifted confectioners’ sugar if too thin or a little more milk if too thin.

Assembling Easter Bunny Cake: 1. Set one of your two layers aside for the bunny's head. Cut half-circles from each side of the other layer (see diagram) to create two ears and a bow-tie.
2. To make the cake easier to frost, freeze cut cake pieces about 1 hour (you can freeze your "head" layer, too, if you like). This will keep the cut parts of the cake from coming loose as you frost.
3. Place "head" layer on your serving tray. Attach ears with frosting, then place the bow-tie about 1/2 inch from the bottom of head.
4. Carefully frost entire bunny. Coat with flaked coconut (colored or plain) for "fur." Decorate as desired with jellybeans, candy-coated chocolate, licorice whips, colored frosting, etc. Have fun with it!5. Surround with colored coconut "grass" if desired.

Congratulations Romantic Rose Creations on your new magazine!

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Tuesday's Treasures every Tuesday! The Kitchen Cupboard

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The Vintage Nest's New Magazine!

Thank You Lynn for allowing us to Publish your magazine!  

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Thank you Shabby Lane Shop Members!

Thank you to all the wonderful Shabby Lane Shop Members!  Your contributions of time, products, and monetary donations produced this very large wonderful package for the Kansas City

Enchanted Makeovers Project!

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Sweet Kat's Italian Cooking

ITALIAN EASTER EGG WREATH

Pani Pasquali

There are many variations to this Italian Easter Bread. I hope you like mine. I always remember going to my grandmother's house at Easter and this wonderful bread would be waiting my visit. The colored eggs tucked between the ropes of the dough were magical to me. Enjoy!

Dough:

1 envelope (2 1/2 tsp.) active dry yeast

1/2 c. warm water (100 to 110 degrees F)

3 lg. eggs, room temp

2/3 c. granulated sugar

8 T. unsalted butter, melted and cooled

1/2 c. warm milk (100 to 110 degrees F)

1 T. vanilla extract

1 T. grated orange zest

5 to 5 1/2 c. all-purpose flour

1 tsp. salt

6 whole uncooked eggs, colored if desired

1 egg yolk beaten with 1 T. water, for egg wash

Colored sprinkles, optional

To make the dough: In a small cup, combine the yeast with the warm water. Stir to dissolve. Let stand until creamy, about 5 minutes.

In a large bowl, beat the eggs until blended. Beat in the sugar. Stir in the butter, milk, vanilla, and orange zest. Stir in the yeast mixture. Add 5 cups of the flour and salt. Stir until a soft dough forms. Gradually add just enough of the remaining flour to make a smooth, slightly sticky dough.

Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and knead for a minute or two until very smooth. Shape the dough into a ball. Place in a buttered bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk, about 1 ½ hours.

Butter 2 baking sheets. Punch down the dough and cut into 4 pieces. Roll out one piece under your palms into a rope about 20 inches long. Repeat with another piece of dough. Lay the ropes side by side and loosely braid them together. Lift the braid onto the prepared baking sheet and bring the ends together to form a ring. Pinch the ends to seal. Place 3 eggs at intervals around the wreath, tucking them in between the ropes of the dough. Repeat with the remaining dough and eggs. Cover the wreaths with plastic wrap and let rise for about 45 minutes, or until doubled in size.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Brush the egg wash over the wreaths. Scatter the candy sprinkles on top if using. Bake the loaves for about 30 minutes, or until golden brown, reversing the position of the pans in the oven halfway through the baking time. Transfer the bread to racks to cool completely.

Note: The dye on the eggs may bleed a little onto your bread. This recipe calls for uncooked whole colored eggs to be placed on the dough. You can use hard-boiled if you prefer, they will just be cooked a little more, but will be fine.

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