This delightful recipe, adorned with chocolate candy eggs, shredded coconut, and chocolate chips to mimic little bunny feet, is truly worth every effort. It’s both delicious and adorable, making it an ideal dessert following a festive Easter feast.
Servings: 10-12
Nonstick cooking spray
2 large eggs, plus 4 egg whites, at room temperature
3/4 cup cream of coconut
1/2 cup crushed pineapple, drained
2 teaspoons coconut extract
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
12 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
Buttercream Frosting:
3 cups powdered sugar
2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
3 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon coconut extract
4 thin pretzel sticks
1 bag (10 ounces) sweetened shredded coconut
8 drops green food coloring
2 large round chocolate candy melts
6 chocolate chips
mini candy-coated chocolate eggs, for garnish
Preheat the oven to 325 F.
Prepare a muffin pan by lining it with four paper liners. Spray an oven-safe glass bowl with nonstick cooking spray.
In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, egg whites, cream of coconut, drained pineapple, coconut extract, and vanilla extract until well mixed.
In a food processor, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt, then pulse until mixed. Add 6 tablespoons of butter and pulse to blend. Add the remaining butter and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse meal.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour-butter mixture with half of the egg mixture and beat for 1-2 minutes. Add the rest of the egg mixture and beat until fully combined.
Pour the batter into the muffin cups, filling them two-thirds full. Bake for 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Allow to cool completely.
Pour the remaining batter into the prepared oven-safe bowl and bake for 1 hour, 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool completely.
To prepare the buttercream frosting: In a large bowl, mix the powdered sugar and butter until fluffy. Add the milk, vanilla extract, and coconut extract, and beat until smooth and creamy.
Invert the bowl to release the cake onto a cake stand. If necessary, level the top with a knife. Frost the cake with the buttercream.
Remove the paper liners from the cooled cupcakes. Using two pretzel sticks, insert them into the base of the cupcakes to represent bunny feet, anchoring them to the bottom rim of the bowl cake. Frost over the pretzel sticks to cover them.
Take a third cupcake and slice off the top. Cut this muffin top in half. Using one pretzel stick, secure one half of the muffin top at the bottom of the whole cupcake to form one toe. Repeat with the other muffin half for the opposite foot, and frost both toes.
Attach the last cupcake with a remaining pretzel stick to the back of the bowl cake to create the tail, and frost it as well.
Spread 1 1/2 cups of shredded coconut generously over the cake. Press chocolate candy melts into the bottoms of the bunny feet to resemble foot pads, and add chocolate chips for the toe pads.
Place the remaining coconut in a plastic bag, add green food coloring, and shake until the coconut is evenly colored. Scatter it around the base of the cake to simulate grass. Decorate the grass with candy-coated chocolate eggs.
Tips: When measuring flour, spoon it into the measuring cup and level it off to avoid compacting it, which can lead to dry baked goods. If the frosting is too thick, add a tablespoon of milk, continuing to add until the desired consistency is reached.
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