Complete Your Easter Feast with a Show-Stopping Cake

As Easter unfolds with its vibrant traditions, from donning our Sunday best to attending church services and engaging in the joyful decoration of eggs and crafting, it’s also a season for curating delectable menus for a sumptuous Easter dinner or a leisurely Easter brunch. But truly, no Easter celebration is ever truly complete without a spectacularly fancy spring-themed Easter cake to crown the meal!

Carrot cake

Ingredients

For the cake:

• Cooking spray
• 2 1/3 c. all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
• 2 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp. kosher salt
• 3/4 tsp. ground ginger
• 1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp. ground cloves
• 1 c. granulated sugar
• 1 c. packed light brown sugar
• 3/4 c. (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted, plus 1 cup (2 sticks), at room temperature, divided
• 2/3 c. canola oil
• 4 large eggs, at room temperature
• 2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
• 1 c. finely chopped pitted dates (about 9 medium dates)
• 1 lb. carrots, grated on the small holes of a box grater (3 cups packed), plus 1 to 2 whole carrots, for garnish
• 1 c. chopped toasted pecans

For the frosting:

• 1 lb. cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1 lb. confectioners’ sugar
• 2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
• Fresh mint leaves, for garnish

Directions

1. Make the cake: Preheat oven to 350°F / 180 °C. Lightly grease three 8-inch round cake pans and line bottoms with parchment paper. 
2. Whisk together flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, salt, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves in a bowl. Whisk together granulated sugar, brown sugar, melted butter, oil, eggs, and vanilla in a separate bowl until combined. Whisk in dates, breaking up any that have formed large clumps. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and whisk just until combined. Stir in carrots and pecans just until combined.
3. Transfer batter to prepared pans, dividing evenly, and spreading with an offset spatula in an even layer. Bake until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean, 28 to 32 minutes. Cool in pans on wire racks 10 minutes, then invert onto racks to cool completely. 
4. Make the frosting: Beat cream cheese and butter on medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy, scraping sides and bottom of bowl as needed, about 1 minute. Reduce mixer speed to low and gradually beat in sugar. Beat in vanilla and salt. Increase mixer speed to medium and beat until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
5. Place one cake layer on a cake stand or plate. Top with 1 cup frosting and spread to the edge. Repeat one more time. Top with third layer. Spread 1 cup frosting on top and sides of cake. Chill until the frosting is set, at least 30 minutes. Spread remaining frosting on top and sides of cake.
6. Decorate with small carrots.

Easter Bunny Cupcakes

Ingredients

For the Cupcakes:

• 3 c. all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
• 2 c. granulated sugar
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
• 4 large eggs, at room temperature
• 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
• 3/4 c. canola oil
• 1 c. whole milk

For the Coconut Frosting:

• 1 1/2 c. (3 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 2 to 3 tbsp. heavy cream
• 1 tsp. pure coconut extract
• 4 c. confectioners’ sugar
• 1 1/2 c. sweetened shredded coconut
• 1 (12-ounce) bag large marshmallows
• Pastel sanding sugars
• Pink pearl sprinkles

Directions

1. Make the cupcakes: Preheat oven to 350°F/ 180 °C. Line two standard 12-cup muffin pans with paper liners. Whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and kosher salt in a bowl. 
2. Beat eggs, vanilla, oil, and milk with an electric mixer on medium speed until combined, about 1 minute. Add flour mixture and beat until combined, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer to prepared pans, dividing evenly (each cup should be about two-thirds full). 
3. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean, 16 to 18 minutes. Cool in pans on a wire rack 15 minutes, then transfer to rack to cool completely. 
4. Make the buttercream: Beat butter with an electric mixer on medium speed until light and creamy, 1 to 2 minutes. Beat in cream and coconut extract. Slowly beat in the confectioners’ sugar until combined, 1 to 2 minutes. Frost cupcakes, dividing evenly. Sprinkle shredded coconut on frosting. 
5. Cut marshmallows diagonally with kitchen shears. Press the cut sides into sanding sugar to make the bunny ears. Add a dab of frosting to the bottom of each ear and press onto cupcakes. Serve immediately or store, covered, at room temperature for 2 to 3 days.

Blueberry-Lemon Loaf Cake

Ingredients

For the cake:

• 1 1/4 c. fresh blueberries
• 2 c. cake flour, spooned and leveled, plus 2 tablespoons, divided
• 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. kosher salt
• 1/2 c. sour cream
• 1 tbsp. grated lemon zest, plus 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 1 c. (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 1/2 c. granulated sugar
• 4 large eggs, at room temperature
• 1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract

For the glaze

• 1 1/2 c. confectioners’sugar
• 1 tsp. grated lemon zest
• Pinch kosher salt
• 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 tablespoons milk
• Fresh blueberries, lemon zest curls, and fresh violas, for garnish

Directions

1. Make cake: Preheat the oven to 325°F/ 160 °C. Line a 9- by 5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper, leaving a 2-inch overhang on the two long sides. Toss together blueberries and 2 tablespoons flour in a bowl. Whisk together remaining flour, baking powder, and salt in a separate bowl.
2. Whisk together sour cream and lemon juice in a bowl. Beat butter, sugar, and lemon zest with an electric mixer on medium-high until light and fluffy, 4 to 6 minutes, scraping sides as needed. Beat in eggs, 1 at a time, beating until incorporated after each addition. Beat in vanilla. Beat in remaining 2 cups flour and sour cream mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture, just until incorporated. Fold in floured blueberries. Transfer batter to prepared pan; smooth top. 
3. Bake until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean with a few moist crumbs attached, about 1 hour 15 minutes to 1 hour 22 minutes. Cool in pan on wire rack 10 minutes, then use overhangs to remove from pan and transfer to rack to cool completely. 
4. Make glaze: Whisk together confectioners’ sugar, lemon zest, salt, and 1 1/2 tablespoons milk in a bowl, adding more milk as needed to reach a thick but pourable consistency. Drizzle over cake. Garnish with blueberries, lemon zest curls, and violas. Serve immediately.

Raspberry Pink Velvet Cake with Raspberry Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients

Raspberry Pink Velvet Cake

• Cooking spray
• 3 c. cake flour, spooned and leveled, plus more for pans
• 1 tbsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. Kosher salt
• 1 c. (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 2 c. granulated sugar
• 4 c. fresh raspberries, divided, plus more for decorating
• 4 large eggs
• 2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
• 3/4 c. Buttermilk
• 3 drops pink food coloring, optional
• 3 tbsp. seedless raspberry preserves
• meringue kisses and edible flowers, for decorating

Raspberry Cream Cheese Frosting

• 1/2 c. (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 4 oz. cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1/4 c. fresh raspberries
• 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp. Kosher salt
• 3 c. confectioners’ sugar

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F/ 180 °C.  Make the cake: Grease and flour 3 (8-inch) cake pans. Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl.
2. Beat butter and sugar on medium speed with an electric mixer until light and creamy, 1 to 2 minutes. Add 1 cup raspberries, and beat until smooth, 15 to 20 seconds. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until blended after each addition (mixture will look curdled). Beat in vanilla. Reduce mixer speed to low and beat in flour mixture and buttermilk alternately, beginning and ending with flour mixture, just until flour is incorporated. Mix in food coloring, if desired. Divide batter among prepared pans.
3. Bake until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean, 23 to 25 minutes. Cool in pans on wire racks 10 minutes, then invert onto wire racks to cool completely.
4. Make the frosting: Beat butter and cream cheese on medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy, 1 to 2 minutes. Beat in raspberries, vanilla, and salt, until raspberries are broken down, 15 to 20 seconds. Reduce mixer speed to low and gradually add confectioners’ sugar until blended and smooth after each addition, 45 seconds to 1 minute.
5. Assemble the cake: Toss together preserves and remaining 3 cups raspberries in a bowl. Place one layer on a cake plate and top with 1/2 of the preserve mixture; repeat one more time. Top with remaining cake layer. Frost top and sides of cake with frosting. Decorate with meringue kisses, edible flowers, and raspberries.