Bunny Cake

I've been thinking about my maternal grandmother this week. We are planning the family Easter dinner, and my mind always returns to two things my grandmother made for Easter.  One is a banana nut salad, which will have to wait for another time, and the other is what we call bunny cake.  It used to be a unique tradition, but now I see small, sad knock-offs with plastic faces in the super market and discount food stores.  We still make our own.  The tradition has passed to my daughter who is in charge of making the bunny cake this year.  The odd thing is that no one eats much of it except the children, but the bunny cake had better be on the table when everyone arrives.  It is a presence in and of itself; a tradition that must go on even if it's little pink jelly bean eyes slowly side down his frosting face because no one eats it!  So I give you . . . Bunny Cake!

Bake an angle food cake. (Yes, you could use the store made ones, but your cake will be a small, sad bunny minus the plastic face.  Come on, it is not that difficult - use the box mix and you will have a self-respecting bunny.)

While you are waiting for the cake to cool, create two paper "ears" from a piece of computer paper.  I always make them a bit large and tall and then trim them to fit the cake later.

After the cake is cooled and out of the pan, cut it in half.  Trim up the "top side" so that it looks somewhat even.

Cut a small notch about 2 inches wide two or three inches from one end.  This creates a bunny "head" and neck. Take the piece from the notch and place it at the opposite end for the "tail."

Now make a 7-minute frosting(check your old Betty Crocker cookbook).  When the frosting is ready, cover the cake.  Make sure to build up the head and sides so the cake actually looks like a bunny.  Before the frosting sets, place the ears and use pick jelly beans for the eyes and nose.

Finally, using green food coloring and coconut, make green grass and place it around the cake.  Add some colorful jelly beans, and you are ready for Easter dinner!