How did this happen? Suddenly two days until Easter?!
Amazing how, especially when life is crazy, holidays can just sneak up on you. Luckily, I was slightly prepared to create a little something special because of my shopping spree at Bake it Pretty a month or so ago. Along with at least one of just about everything else, I threw some of these Filigree Basket Handles in my overflowing shopping cart, too.
So I churned out some last-minute cupcakes (last-minute cupcakes around here involve boxed cake mix, for shame, I know) and whipped up some little Easter baskets with jelly bean "eggs."
It should be a fun little Easter treat for kids and adults alike. I know I'd like to eat a couple right now, but I'm doing the low-carb thing.
Whimper.
Interested in making some of your own? Here's how I did it. If you don't have the basket handles, wing it! Twisty ties or heck, maybe even some paper strips would probably work great.
Easter Basket Cupcakes
I'm assuming you've made your cupcakes (from a box?! Join me in Home Baker's Detention!) and allowed them to cool.
Whip up a basic frosting - I like Martha Stewart's Fluffy Vanilla Frosting and used it here.
Add some green food coloring. I used my new mint green gel paste food coloring from... you'll never guess... Bake it Pretty! My lord, I need an intervention.
Stir the same hue of food coloring into about a cup of coconut. I used Bob's Red Mill unsweetened shredded coconut. Worked great (and tastes great - it's low carb!) - except if you're using gel food coloring, stir it into about a teaspoon of water and then add to the coconut. Won't disburse otherwise.
Now you're ready to get frosting and decorating!
Just frost the cupcake like you normally would, but try to keep it a little flatter on top and a little more frosting on the sides than usual.
And then roll it - just the sides - in the coconut (a pie plate is perfect for holding the coconut).
Lookin' grassy!
Now add a few egg-looking jelly beans. I used Jelly Belly coconut and french vanilla (with perfect little speckles!)
Aaand then stick the handles in the sides.
(Note: It actually takes two hands to get the handles in.This was just how I chose to simulate it in the moment. Not a great choice in hindsight.)
And then... voila... Easter basket cupcakes!
Enjoy.
