This cake’s dense pound cake-like texture, which is beneficial for securing the cupcakes and decorating, comes from the inclusion of crushed pineapple in the batter. The cakes and cupcakes can be baked and wrapped in plastic wrap a day in advance. If your frosting effort isn’t flawless, don’t worry; coconut-coating the cake will cover up any imperfections.
Ingredients:
2 large eggs plus 4 egg whites, at room temperature
3/4 cup cream of coconut
1/2 cup drained crushed pineapple
2 teaspoons coconut extract
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for the bowl (see Cook’s Note)
1 cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon fine salt
12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into pieces, at room temperature, plus more for greasing bowl
Coconut Buttercream:
3 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted
2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 to 2 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon coconut extract
Decoration:
Thin pretzel sticks, for securing the cupcakes
One 10-ounce bag sweetened shredded coconut
8 drops green food coloring
2 large round chocolate candies, such as Candy Melts
6 chocolate chips
Mini candy-coated chocolate eggs, for garnish
5 dried apricots
3 gummy leaf candies
Directions:
Special equipment: an 8-inch (1 1/2 quart) ovenproof metal bowl; a muffin tin with paper liners
- Set the oven’s temperature to 325 F. An 8-inch (1 1/2 quart) ovenproof metal bowl should be butter and floured. Place paper liners in 4 muffin tins.
- In a big basin, whisk the egg yolks and egg whites for the cake. The cream of coconut, pineapple, coconut essence, and vanilla extract should all be whisked in at this point. In a separate big basin, stir together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. With an electric mixer set to low speed, incorporate the butter one piece at a time until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Add half of the egg mixture, and beat for 1 to 2 minutes on high, until frothy. When incorporating the remaining egg mixture, scrape down the bowl’s sides as necessary. The remaining batter should be poured into the prepared bowl after filling each muffin cup two-thirds full. For the cupcakes, bake for 18 to 20 minutes, and for the bowl, bake for 1 hour 30 to 1 hour 40 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted in the center of each cake comes out clean. After removing the cakes from the pans, allow them to cool for 15 minutes on a wire rack before turning them out to finish cooling.
- To make the buttercream, use an electric mixer to combine the butter and confectioners’ sugar on low speed. Then, increase the speed and beat for one to two minutes, or until the mixture is light and fluffy. For an additional 2 to 3 minutes, beat in 1 tablespoon of milk, the vanilla, and the coconut extracts. If the frosting is too stiff, add up to 1 tablespoon more milk.
- Trim the flat bottom of the bowl-shaped cake with a serrated knife so it rests level on a platter, rounded-side up, and cover with a layer of buttercream frosting. To create the bunny’s feet, remove the cupcake wrappers and secure 2 of them with a pretzel stick each to the cake’s base (allow about 1 1/2 inches between the feet). The third cupcake should be divided in half, top to bottom. With the cut side facing down and the rounded edges positioned to form the heels of the feet, attach the cupcake halves to the tops of the feet with pretzel sticks. To create a tail, attach the final cupcake with a pretzel stick to the bottom half of the cake’s top. With the remaining frosting, frost the cupcakes. Wipe away any smeared frosting on the cake plate.
- 1 1/2 cups shredded coconut should be patted all over the cake. Place the rest of the coconut in a large zip-top plastic bag. Add the green food coloring to the bag along with 2 teaspoons of water. Toss and massage the coconut until it is a uniform shade of green. Place the chocolate candies in the bottoms of the bunny feet, with the larger ones on top and the smaller ones underneath, to resemble the toe pads. Make grass out of green coconut and decorate with candy eggs on the cake plate. Roll the apricots into carrot shapes after flattening them with a rolling pin. Cut the leaves in half crosswise and snip them to look like carrot tops with scissors. Arrange the carrot tops in the grass around the bunny by inserting them into the wider end of the apricot carrots.
Baker’s Note:
When we measure flour, we spoon it into a dry measuring cup and level it off. (Scooping the flour directly from the bag compacts it, resulting in dry baked goods.)
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