Our favorite part of any event is dessert!  Easter, is certainly no exception.  This Easter, our dessert buffet includes several delicious selections to satisfy any sweet tooth.

We adore this beautiful cake.  The cake itself is similar to a pound cake in its texture and is perfectly complemented with a delicious raspberry layer.  Lemon-flavored buttercream frosting provides a tasty and colorful finishing touch.  We further embellished the cake by creating a bird’s nest with shaved chocolate and candy eggs.  And, of course, a pretty bird!

LEMON RASPBERRY CAKE

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for pans

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled), plus more for pans

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon lemon zest

2 cups sugar

2 large eggs plus 3 large egg yolks

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 cup low-fat buttermilk

1 lemon, thinly sliced and seeded

½ cup raspberry preserves (more if desired)

STEP 1

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour two 8-by-2-inch cake pans, tapping out excess flour. In a medium bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and lemon zest.

STEP 2

In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat butter and 1 1/2 cups sugar until light and fluffy. With mixer on low, beat in eggs and yolks, one at a time. Beat in 2 tablespoons lemon juice. Alternately beat in flour mixture and buttermilk beginning and ending with flour mixture; mix just until combined.

STEP 3

Divide batter between pans; smooth tops. Bake until cakes pull away from sides of pans, 32 to 35 minutes. Let cool in pans 10 minutes. Run a knife around edges of pans and invert cakes onto a wire rack.

STEP 4

Spread raspberry preserves between two layers.

STEP 5

Prepare frosting, substituting 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice for vanilla extract. Frost cooled cakes with lemon buttercream frosting.

STEP 6

Garnish with shaved chocolate for the nest and candy eggs.

LEMON BUTTERCREAM FROSTING

5 sticks butter

4 cups powdered sugar

5 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

Zest of one lemon

3 tablespoons whole milk

1 teaspoon vanilla

20 drops of yellow food color (or until desired color)

STEP 1

In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and slowly add powdered sugar and milk.

STEP 2

Once frosting is the desired consistency, add lemon juice, lemon zest and vanilla.

STEP 3

If necessary, add more powdered sugar until consistency can be easily spread on cake.

Easter wouldn’t be complete without carrot cake.  We made ours as bars and garnished them with grated carrots.

CARROT CAKE BARS

Kids and adults alike love these scrumptious bars.  A graham cracker crust topped with wonderful layers such as coconut, pecans, chocolate chips and Easter M & M’s, is a true crowd pleaser!

BUNNY BARS

1 – 1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1 stick butter
1 cup spring-colored chocolate chips
1 cup shredded coconut, dyed green
1 cup chopped pecans
1 cup Easter candy coated chocolate candies
1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk

STEP 1
Melt butter and mix with graham cracker crumbs.  Press mixture into a greased, 9 x 13 pan.
STEP 2
Over graham cracker crust, first layer chocolate chips, then coconut, pecans and candy coated chocolate candies.
STEP 3
Pour the sweetened condensed milk over the top layer, spreading as evenly as possible.
STEP 4
Place in a 350 degree oven for approximately 45 minutes or until bars are brown and bubbly.

Because one cake in a dessert buffet is never enough, we also made a Grasshopper cake.  It is light and fluffy with just the right amount of mint flavoring and is topped with mint Oreos.

You can never have too much cake, so we also chose a wondeful Grasshopper Cake.  The light, white cake mixed with a delicious mint flavor, mint whipped topping and crushed mint-flavored chocolate sandwich cookies provides a delicious treat for all.

GRASSHOPPER CAKE

1 box white cake mix (water, egg whites and oil per box directions)

2 teaspoons mint extract

Green food color

Yellow food color

1 jar (16 oz each) hot fudge topping

1 container (8 oz) frozen whipped topping, thawed

STEP 1

Make cake batter as directed on box, adding 1 1/2 teaspoons of the mint extract

STEP 2

Reserve 1 cup batter and stir in 3 or 4 drops of the green food color until it reaches desired color

STEP 3

Pour remaining batter into a greased 13″ x 9″ pan

STEP 4

Drop spoonfuls of the green batter into pan in a random pattern

STEP 5

Using a knife, create s-shaped designs in the batter to create a swirled design

STEP 6

Bake at 350 degrees, following directions on box

STEP 7

After cake is completely cooled, gently cover with fudge topping 

STEP 8

In a separate bowl, mix the whipped topping with approximately 8 to 9 drops of green food color and 3 to 4 drops of yellow food color and 1/2 teaspoon mint flavoring.

STEP 9

Spread whipped topping over cake

STEP 10

Top cake with crushed mint-flavored chocolate sandwich cookies.  

Our peach pie is always a big hit at any party.  We made it appropriate for Easter by topping the pie with pie crust bunnies!

PEACH PIE

The kids LOVE these treats made just for them (though we’ve seen adults sneak them, too!).

CUPCAKES

Use favorite cake mix to make 24 cupcakes.

To make bunny cupcakes, you will need:

White frosting

Coconut flakes

Large marshmallows

Pink sugar

Pink jellybeans

Chocolate chips

STEP 1

Frost cupcakes and cover with coconut flakes.

STEP 2

To form bunny ears, slice marshmallows width wise and dip sticky side into powdered sugar.

STEP 3

Use a small toothpick to insert marshmallows into cupcakes.

STEP 4

Place chocolate chips upside down into cupcakes for bunny eyes.

STEP 5

Press the pink jellybeans into cupcakes for bunny noses.

To make Easter nest cupcakes, you will need:

White frosting

Chocolate bar

Candy eggs

STEP 1

Pipe frosting onto cupcakes using a round tip.

STEP 2

Using a potato peeler, shave chocolate bar (lengthwise).

STEP 3

Place chocolate shavings onto cupcakes to form nests.

STEP 4

Place candy eggs in nests.

Makes 24 cupcakes.