Delight your family and friends with these delicious cakes for Easter. It might be fun to have all three lining the side-board like a bakery shelf to choose a favorite. You will be surprised how many people select a small piece of each one. It is also a treat to box a slice of each to take home and enjoy. I make them as three-layer, eight-inch cakes because I like tall cakes. The recipes also work well for two-layer, nine-inch cakes. Decorate these favorite cakes with simple Easter candy and chocolate-covered strawberries. So easy with such wonderful results! Bake a cake or two or three for Easter!
STRAWBERRY CAKE
CAKE:
1 (16.25-ounce) box white cake mix
1 (3-ounce) package strawberry gelatin
1 cup oil
½ cup milk
4 eggs
1 cup frozen strawberries, thawed, drained, and chopped
1 cup chopped pecans
1 cup shredded sweetened coconut
ICING:
1 stick margarine, softened
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1 (32-ounce) package confectioners’ sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
¾ cup frozen strawberries, thawed, well-drained, and chopped
¾ cup chopped pecans
¾ cup shredded sweetened coconut
For garnish: Chocolate bunny and chocolate-covered fresh strawberries
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. For cake, with mixer, beat together cake mix, gelatin, oil, and milk until creamy. Beat in eggs, 1 at a time, until combined. Beat in strawberries, pecans, and coconut. Pour batter equally into three (8-inch) pans greased with nonstick cook-ing spray. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or un-til a toothpick placed in the center of one layer comes out clean. Place on wire racks to cool in pans for 10 minutes. Turn out on wire racks to cool completely. For icing, with mixer, beat margarine and cream cheese until smooth. Beat in confectioners’ sugar and vanilla until creamy. Beat in strawberries, pecans, and coconut. Spread between layers and on top and sides of cake. Use 4 skew-ers cut to size inserted into layers to steady cake. Garnish with a chocolate bunny and chocolate-covered fresh strawberries.
Yield: 16 servings
COCONUT CAKE
CAKE:
1 (16.5-ounce) white cake mix
1 cup milk
¼ cup vegetable oil
3 egg whites
1 teaspoon coconut extract
½ teaspoon vanilla
FROSTING:
1 (8-ounce) container sour cream
½ cup sugar
½ teaspoon coconut extract
3 tablespoons vanilla instant pudding mix
2 (6-ounce) packages frozen coconut, thawed and divided
1 (16-ounce) container whipped topping
For garnish: toasted coconut and blue speckled chocolate eggs
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. With mixer, combine cake mix, milk, oil, egg whites, and flavor-ings. Beat on medium for 2 minutes. Pour batter equally into 3 (8-inch) pans sprayed with nonstick cooking spray.. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes or until tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Place on wire racks to cool in pans for 10 minutes. Turn out on wire racks to cool completely. For frosting, in a bowl, combine sour cream, sugar, and coconut extract. Stir in pudding mix and 1 (6-ounce) package coconut. Fold in whipped topping. Refrigerate for 15 to 20 minutes before frosting cake. Use 4 skewers cut to size inserted into layers to steady cake. Sprinkle remaining coconut on top and sides of cake. Refrigerate. Before serving, add toasted coconut for a nest with blue eggs on top of cake.
Yield: 16 servings
Lena Causey, Madison
LEMON ICEBOX CAKE
CAKE:
1 (15.25-ounce) box lemon supreme cake mix
½ cup oil1 cup water
3 eggs
1 teaspoon lemon extract
FILLING:
2 (14-ounce) cans sweetened condensed milk
¾ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
ICING:
Half of filling mixture
1 (8-ounce) container whipped topping
For garnish: Zest of 1 lemon and yellow marshmallow Peeps
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. For cake, with mixer, beat cake mix, oil, water, eggs, and lemon extract for 2 minutes. Pour batter equally into three (8-inch) pans sprayed with nonstick cook-ing spray, and bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of one layer comes out clean. Place on wire racks to cool in pans for 10 minutes. Turn out on wire racks to cool completely. For filling, in a bowl, stir together sweetened condensed milk and lemon juice. Reserve half of filling for icing. Spread half of filling between layers of cake. Use 4 skewers cut to size inserted into layers to steady cake. For icing, in a bowl, stir together reserved half filling and whipped topping. Spread icing on sides and top of cake. Refrigerate. Add lemon zest and yellow marshmallow Peeps before serving.
Yield: 16 servings
Lena Causey, Madison
