Treats for the Easter Bunny: Easter Desserts

Easter Sunday is the perfect time to whip out your baking utensils and bake a delectable dessert to share with your loved ones. The whimsical nature of this pagan celebration allows room for creativity with dessert flavor and design. Whether you are visiting family at home or celebrating Easter with friends, these tasty Easter treats will impress those at your gathering. There are many traditional favorites, as well as clever creations you can whip up this Easter Sunday to surely satisfy your sweet tooth.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Eggs

Photo by Sharon Chen

Adapted from Food.com; serves 12-18

Ingredients:4 cups of powdered sugar1 ½ cups of peanut butter¼ of a cup of butter2-3 tablespoons of milk3 cups of semi-sweet chocolate chips1 tablespoon of shortening

Directions:

1. Mix together powdered sugar, peanut butter and butter.
2. Add milk, one tablespoon at a time until it reaches the consistency of play dough.
3. Form the dough into egg shapes.
4. Place in the freezer for 1 hour.
5. Place chocolate chips and shortening in a glass measuring cup and microwave for one minute at a time, stirring in between, until the mixture is melted.
6. Dip each egg in the melted chocolate and decorate the eggs with sprinkles.
7. Place on wax paper until firm and trim off excess chocolate when dried.

Rainbow Sherbet Dessert

Photo by Taste of Home

Adapted from Taste of Home; serves about 12

Ingredients:12 macaroon cookies, crumbled2 cups of heavy whipping cream3 tablespoons of confectioners’ sugar1 teaspoon of vanilla extract3/4 cup of chopped pecans, toasted1 pint of each raspberry, lime and orange sherbet, softened

Directions:

1. Sprinkle macaroon cookie crumbs on an ungreased baking sheet and bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 5-8 minutes, or until golden brown. Let cookie crumbs cool completely.
2. In a large bowl, beat the heavy whipping cream until it begins to thicken. Add confectioners’ sugar and vanilla extract and beat well. Combine cookie crumbs and pecans by folding into the whipping cream.  Spread half of the mixture on the bottom of an ungreased pan and freeze for 30 minutes.
3. Spread raspberry sherbet over the cream layer. Layer with lime and orange sherbets and then spread the remaining cream mixture on top.
4. Cover and freeze until firm; remove from the freezer 10 minutes before serving.

Lemon Macaroon Chicks

Photo by Food Network

Adapted from Food Network; serves 30

Ingredients:One 14-ounce bag sweetened coconut flakes1/4 cup of prepared lemon curd4 large egg whitesA pinch of salt15 small orange or yellow jelly beans60 mini chocolate chips (about 2 tablespoons)

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. Combine the coconut, lemon curd, egg whites and salt together in a medium bowl with a spatula until it reaches a uniform consistency.
3. Roll tablespoons of the mixture into egg shapes, setting them big-side down onto the prepared baking sheets. Repeat with the rest of the mix. Bake until the bottom and a few of the coconut frays turn deep golden brown, for about 20 minutes.
4. Cut the jelly beans in half lengthwise and set aside.
5. Remove the macaroons from the oven and let them cool enough to handle, but are still warm, for about 5 minutes.
6. Take one of the jelly bean halves and pinch an end to make a pointed beak. Hold the point, shiny-side up, and push the rounded end into the side of a macaroon. Push 2 mini chocolate chips, peak-side in, into the macaroon on either side of the beak for eyes. Repeat with the rest of the macaroons and serve.

Carrot Cake III

Photo by Sarah on allrecipes.com

Adapted from allrecipes.com; serves 12

Ingredients:

For cake:4 eggs1 1/4 cups of vegetable oil2 cups of white sugar2 teaspoons of vanilla extract2 cups of all-purpose flour2 teaspoons of baking soda2 teaspoons of baking powder1/2 teaspoon of salt2 teaspoons of ground cinnamon3 cups of grated carrots1 cup of chopped pecans

For frosting:1/2 cup of butter, softened8 ounces of cream cheese, softened4 cups of confectioners’ sugar1 teaspoon of vanilla extract1 cup of chopped pecans

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease a 9×13 inch pan.
2. In a large bowl, beat together eggs, oil, white sugar and 2 teaspoons of vanilla. Mix in flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Fold in pecans and carrots before pouring into the prepared pan.
3. Bake in the oven for 40-50 minutes. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes, and turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
4. For the frosting, combine butter, cream cheese, confectioners’ sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla in a medium bowl. Beat until the mixture is smooth and creamy before stirring in chopped pecans. Frost the cake after cooled.