Easter Basket Cake Recipes

Steps:

• Cover the serving board with gift wrap, taping the wrap on the back side of the board. Cover the wrapped board with clear cellophane in the same way. Set the board aside. , Using two 9-in. round baking pans, prepare and bake the cake according to the package directions. Cool cakes for 10 minutes before removing from the pans to wire racks to cool completely. , Place on cake in the center of the covered serving board. Spread the top of the cake with frosting. , Cut a 6-in. circle from the center of the second cake. Remove the center circle and set aside for another use. Place the cake ring on top of the frosted cake layer, creating the basket. Frost top and sides of basket., For the handle, cover the 14x3/4-in. strip of lightweight cardboard with plastic wrap. Bend the cardboard strip into an upside-down "U" shape and insert the ends into the top of the cake about 1 inch from the outside edge. Frost the handle., In a large resealable plastic bag, combine three drops of green food coloring and 1/2 teaspoon of water. Add coconut, seal the bag and shake until coconut is evenly tinted. Sprinkle a portion of green coconut inside the basket. Reserve remaining coconut to sprinkle around the bottom of basket later., Fill the basket with candy of your choice. Press candy pieces onto the top of the handle where shown in the photo or as desired., When the frosting on the cake is firm, press the tines of a fork into the frosting on the sides of the cake to create a basket-weave pattern, alternating vertical and horizontal designs., Sprinkle the remaining tinted coconut around the bottom of the basket.

Steps:

• Prepare the cake mix and bake the cake in two 8 inch rounds according to package directions. Cool completely.
• Cut a circle out of the center of one of the layers, leaving a ring that measures 1 1/2 inches from the outer to the inner edge. Place the uncut layer on a serving platter and frost the top. Place the ring layer on top of the frosted layer, and frost the sides and top of the basket. Decorate the sides and top by pressing candy pieces into the frosting.
• To tint the coconut, combine water and green food coloring in a medium bowl. Stir in coconut with a fork until evenly tinted. Place green coconut grass in center of cake basket.
• To make a handle, cut a piece of aluminum foil 8x16 inches. Fold in half lengthwise 4 times. Wrap with ribbon, securing the ends with tape. Insert ends of the handle into the cake top. Fill basket with Easter candy and goodies, if desired.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. Line 30 muffin cups with paper liners. In a large bowl, beat eggs, sugars, oil and vanilla until well blended. In another bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, baking soda, ginger and nutmeg; add to egg mixture alternately with buttermilk, beating well after each addition. Stir in carrots, walnuts, pineapple and coconut., Fill prepared cups three-fourths full. Bake 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans 10 minutes before removing to wire racks to cool completely., In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and butter until blended. Beat in orange zest and vanilla. Gradually beat in confectioners' sugar until smooth. Frost cupcakes., In a large resealable plastic bag, mix water and food coloring; add coconut. Seal bag and shake until coconut is evenly tinted. Sprinkle over cupcakes. Decorate with candies, as desired. Refrigerate until serving.

Steps:

• For the chocolate fudge frosting: Put the butter in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and paddle on low speed until smooth, with no lumps, approximately 3 minutes. With the motor running, add the sugar, one cup at a time, adding the next cup only after the previous
• addition is absorbed.
• Stop the machine and add the cocoa, vanilla, and salt. Paddle on low-medium speed until completely smooth, approximately 2 minutes. Add the water and continue to paddle until light and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes.
• Put the chocolate fudge frosting in a pastry bag fitted with a #48 interchangeable basket weave tip.
• For the white American buttercream: Combine the butter and shortening in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on medium speed until smooth. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
• Sift in the confectioners' sugar and mix on low speed to prevent the sugar from spilling out of the bowl. Increase the speed to medium and mix until the mixture aerates and becomes smooth. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and turn down the speed to low.
• With the motor running on low speed, add the salt and slowly pour in the vanilla and oil in a thin stream. Increase the speed to medium and combine until the mixture is light, fluffy and smooth.
• For the green American buttercream: Put 3 cups White American Buttercream in a large bowl.
• Add a small amount of the green food coloring gel and combine with a rubber spatula until the cream is uniformly colored. Add more gel as you mix until the frosting is the desired shade of green.
• Put the green buttercream in a pastry bag fitted with a #233 interchangeable grass tip.
• To assemble: On a turntable, prepare a double-layer cake of your choosing on a doily-lined cardboard circle, filling it with the filling of your choice.
• Put 3 cups of the White American Buttercream in a pastry bag fitted with a #6 star tip. Dirty ice the cake with the buttercream by covering the cake with a thin layer to create a crumb coat.
• Take the chocolate fudge bag in hand, and working from bottom to top, using the straight side of the tip (the basket weave tip has a plain/straight side and a ruffled/serrated side), pipe vertical lines around the side of the cake, 1/8-inch apart, turning the turntable after each line.
• Next, starting at the bottom, and turning the turntable as you work, pipe horizontal bands over every other vertical line. Pipe another set of bands above the first set, piping them over the lines you skipped on the first level.
• Continue in this fashion, piping over alternating sets of lines, until you have created a basket weave that covers the entire side of the cake.
• Take the green buttercream bag in hand and squeeze-and-pull grass around the border, letting the grass come slightly over the edge. Cover the entire top of the cake with grass.
• Top the cake with the jelly beans, Peeps, Reese's peanut butter cups, and other candies.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pans). Make and cool cake as directed on box for two 8- or 9-inch round cake pans.
• Place 1 cake layer, rounded side down, on serving plate. Spread with about 1/3 cup frosting. Top with second layer, rounded side up. Frost side of cake and spread a thin layer of frosting on top of cake. Make a basket weave pattern in frosting on side of cake by drawing inch-long horizontal and vertical lines with tines of fork.
• Shake coconut and 3 or 4 drops food color in tightly covered jar until evenly tinted; sprinkle on top of cake. Place candy eggs on coconut. Store loosely covered.

Steps:

• Make the handle:
• Separate the fondant into 2 pieces. Place 1 to 2 drops of pink color into half, and the purple into the other half. Knead the fondant until the color is uniform and the desired shade. Roll each color into a 14-inch long 1/4-inch thick rope. Roll the ropes together to create a "braided" effect. Curve the fondant so it will arc over the angel food cake basket. Lay on a flat surface and allow to dry overnight, until solid and firm.
• Cut the top off the angel food cake horizontally so the cake is an even basket shape. Using a 3-inch round cookie cutter, enlarge the center hole.
• Frost the entire cake with white frosting. Press cookies vertically around the outside of the cake to give it a basket look.
• Fill the inside hole of the cake with Easter candies. Affix the handle onto the cake by pressing into the cake.
• Spray with cake decorating spray.