One Week 'til Easter!

Easter Basket Cakes
(photo circa 1995)
At the time I made these cupcakes I was 18 years olds and stuck on a farm in southern New Jersey. I got the idea from either Better Homes & Gardens, or Ladies Home Journal, or some other awful mag I probably wouldn't have been reading were I not stuck in the middle of Nowhere's Ville. I've since made them for Easter many times, but can't seem to find any more current photos. I'm pretty sure I used a cake mix for the cakes, as it was the decorating I was most concerned with. I have a few ideas for cake flavor for this year, which I will post below. Next Sunday I'll let you know what I ended up with.

As for the decorating you need:

• Pretty Easter cupcake liners
• Coconut
• Green food coloring
• Eggs for the baskets (I like the Cadburry mini eggs because they are delicious and look like kind of real, you can use jelly beans, chocolate foil eggs, egg shaped gum, or even Peeps - the baskets don't have to only hold eggs ) you have many options here, it being Easter and all.
• String licorice, fuzzy pipe cleaners, or something crafty for the handles (I used these pretty wired flower bouquets that I found at a craft shop - something South Jersey isn't lacking in)

Directions:
Make cupcakes per recipe and let cool completely
Frost with favorite frosting
Mix coconut and green food coloring in bowl
Dip frosting cupcakes into bowl of coconut shreds
Put your basket fillings in the center
Poke a small hole in each side of cupcake and insert whatever you are using as a handle.
Display and prepare for "ooohs" and "aaawwws" from kids of all ages!
Possible recipes I will be choosing from (though there are so many options):
Tropical Carrot Cakes with Cream Cheese Frosting (see March archives for recipe)
Creamy Coconut Cakes with Billowy White Frosting from "A Country Baking Treasure" by Lisa Yockelson, which is meant to be a layer cake, but anything can be turned into a cupcake! I'll post the recipe after I've tested it out and altered it in the ways that I do.
I think I will also make some chocolate zucchini cupcakes with chocolate buttercream frosting and bunny peeps popping out of the top! You can see for yourself next Sunday! yay!