Easter Bonnet Cake Recipes

EASTER BONNET CAKE

Steps:

• Split 11 of the cookies in half, leaving filling on 1 side of each cookie. Reserve split cookies with filling for brim of hat. Coarsely chop plain split cookies and remaining 4 whole cookies; set aside.
• Beat cake mix, water, oil and eggs in large bowl with electric mixer on low speed until moistened. Beat 2 minutes at medium speed. Stir in chopped cookies. Pour 3 cups of the batter into greased and floured 9-inch round cake pan and 3/4 cup batter into greased and floured 10-oz. glass custard cup. Bake at 350°F for 25 to 30 minutes or until toothpick inserted into centers comes out clean.
• Divide remaining batter evenly into 6 to 8 paper-lined medium muffin pan cups. Bake at 350°F for 15 to 25 minutes or until toothpick inserted into centers comes out clean. Let stand in pan for 10 minutes. Remove from pan; cool completely on wire rack.
• Place cooled 9-inch cake layer on serving plate; frost top of cake with some of the frosting. Place cake round from custard cup, top side down, slightly off-center on top of cake layer. Reserve 1/3 cup frosting for cupcakes; frost side and top of bonnet with remaining frosting. Sprinkle with coconut; press gently into frosting. Halve reserved split cookies; place filling side up and rounded edge out around brim of hat. Decorate cupcakes with reserved frosting and candies.

MOTHER'S DAY BONNET CAKE

Steps:

• Place 1 cake, wide side down, on serving platter. Spread a thin layer of frosting over top of cake. Cut 1 (2-inch) wide wedge from second cake. Spread 1/4 cup of frosting over cut ends of second cake. Bring cut ends of second cake together, pressing to adhere. Place second cake atop cake on platter. Tear cake wedge into cubes. Fill hole in center of cakes with cake cubes. Spread remaining frosting evenly over top and sides of cake to coat completely. Tie ribbon around cake and form bow. Arrange flowers decoratively around base of cake to resemble hat rim.

EASTER BONNET

Steps:

• Recipe courtesy of Jacques Torres (Mrchocolate.com)

EASTER BONNET CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Split 11 of the cookies in half, leaving filling on 1 side of each cookie. Reserve split cookies with filling for brim of hat. Coarsely chop plain split cookies and remaining 4 whole cookies; set aside.
• Beat cake mix, water, oil and eggs in large bowl with electric mixer on low speed until moistened. Beat on medium speed 2 min. Stir in chopped cookies. Pour 3 cups of the batter into greased and floured 9-inch round cake pan and 3/4 cup of the batter into greased and floured 10-oz. glass custard cup. Spoon remaining batter into 8 paper-lined medium muffin cups.
• Bake 15 to 20 min. or until toothpick inserted in centers of cake in custard cup and cupcakes comes out clean. Remove to wire racks to cool. Continue baking cake in cake pan 10 to 15 min. or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Let cakes stand in custard cup and cake pan 10 min. Remove to wire racks to cool completely.
• Place 9-inch cake layer on serving plate; spread top with some of the frosting. Place cake round from custard cup, top side down and slightly off-center, on top of 9-inch cake layer. Reserve 1/3 cup of the frosting for spreading onto tops of cupcakes; frost side and top of bonnet with the remaining frosting. Sprinkle with coconut; press coconut gently into frosting to secure.
• Halve reserved split cookies; place, filling side up and rounded edge out, around brim of hat. Decorate cupcakes with reserved frosting and candies. Cut cake into 12 pieces to serve. Serve with cupcakes.

EASTER BASKET CANDY CAKE

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.

EASTER BONNETS (SHORTBREAD COOKIES)

Steps:

• MAKE THE COOKIES:.
• Combine the butter and granulated sugar in a large bowl. Beat together with an electric mixer set at medium-high speed for about 1 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and continue beating until light and fluffy. Beat in the vanilla extract. Sift together the flour and salt. Blend into the butter mixture, 1 cup at a time. Continue mixing until the dough is smooth and no streaks of flour remain. Divide the dough into 4 equal portions; pat each into a disk and wrap in plastic wrap; refrigerate for 30 minutes.
• Working with 1 disk at a time (leave the others chilling), place it between 2 pieces of waxed paper or plastic wrap and roll out 1/4 inch thick. Remove the top piece of waxed paper, and using a 3-inch scalloped or straight-edged biscuit or cooking cutter, cut out at leas 6 cookies. Place the cookies 1 inch apart on parchment-lined baking sheets. Reserve the dough scraps. Repeat with the remaining dough disks. Re-roll all the scraps and cut out at least 24 smaller cookies with a 1-inch straight-edged cookie cutter.
• The smaller cookies will be the crown of the bonnets and large cookies will be the brims.
• Place the smaller cookies on a second parchment-lined baking sheet at least 1-inch apart. Refrigerate both baking sheets until the cookies are very firm, about 2 hours. If chilling longer than 2 hours cover loosely with plastic wrap.
• Preheat the oven to 300°.
• Bake the cookies until firm and lightly golden for just about 20 minutes. They'll taste bitter if allowed to bake too darkly. Let cool completely on a wire rack before icing.
• MAKE ICING:.
• In a large bowl, beat the egg whites (or reconstituted meringue powder) with an electric mixer set on low speed until frothy. Sift the confectioners' sugar into the bowl. Slowly increase the mixer speed to high and continue and continue beating until brilliant white, firm, and fluffy, this takes about 10 minutes. You should have 2 1/2-3cups. Scoop out 1 cup of the icing and set aside to use for piping.
• Thin the remaining icing with water, adding 2-3 teaspoons at a time until is is of pouring consistency. Divide among as many small bows as different colors you wish to create, then tint the portions. Place the cookies on a wire rack set over a baking sheet and pour the thinned icing over them. If necessary, shake the cookies to ease the icing over the edges. This should cover the cookies with a thin, even layer. Allow to dry completely.
• Tint the 1 cup icing if desired. Spoon into a large piping bag fitted with a number 2 plain decorating tip for squiggles, dots, scrolls, and stripes or a number 4 plain tip for piping a ribbon. To create the bonnet, pipe a small amount of icing on the back of the smaller cookie and attach it onto the center of the larger cookie.
• Decorate your bonnet according to your personality or those of your guests. And don't forger to sing along with July Garland -- "in your Easter bonnet with all the frills upon it".