Are you looking for a fun, festive dessert for Easter? I’m always on the look-out for cakes that travel well because we often make the 4-hour drive to John’s sister’s house over holidays. When I saw a photo of an upside-down Bund cake turned into an Easter basket, I knew I had to make it. I chose a lemon cake because I love the way lemon plays off fresh berries. The original version of this cake used candy instead of fruit, but I think this version is much more elegant. Although this lemon-buttermilk cake with lemon glaze tastes really fresh, you could really use any flavors you like. I placed the berries in the middle and on top just before serving the cake to keep it from getting soggy.
- Cake
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 2 cups sugar
- 4 eggs
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup buttermilk
- ¼ cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon zest
- Glaze
- 1 pound confectioner's sugar
- ¼ cup lemon juice
- Grass
- 2 cups sweetened shredded coconut
- 2-3 drops green food coloring
- Berries
- 2 cups of mixed berries will fill the center of this cake
- Cake
- Heat oven to 350 degrees.
- Spray a Bundt cake pan with non-stick baking spray.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt and set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat butter on medium speed until light and fluffy.
- Add sugar, beating until combined.
- Add eggs, one at a time, mixing after each addition.
- Add lemon juice and zest to buttermilk.
- Starting and ending with the flour mixture, add dry ingredients in three parts, alternating with buttermilk mixture, beating well after each addition.
- Pour cake batter into prepared pan.
- Bake 50 minutes to 1 hour, or until cake begins to pull away from side of pan and toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
- Let cool 10 minutes on cake rack.
- Turn out onto cake rack and let cool completely.
- Glaze
- Whisk together confectioner's sugar and lemon juice to form a glaze the consistency of white glue.
- With the flat part of the cake facing up (this would normally be the bottom of a Bundt cake), drizzle glaze over it to coat the cake.
- Decoration
- Grass: In a sealable plastic bag, shake the coconut and green food color until color is fairly well distributed.
- Carefully place dyed coconut in a ring around the outer edge of the cake - remember it's supposed to look like grass, so don't be overly neat with it.
- Handle
- Fold an 18-inch long piece of aluminum foil lengthwise four times.
- Secure a ribbon at one end of the foil and wrap to cover.
- Shape covered foil into long handle.
- Insert ends of handle about ¼ -inch from the edge of the cake.
- Tie a bow to one side of the handle.
- Fill center hole with mixed berries and pile the up in the center.
Cakelaw says
This Easter basket is so cute! Hope you had a Happy Easter Susan.
Have Apron....Will Bake says
OMG!! That is a fabulous looking cake!
Laura Dembowski says
That cake is so cool! I bet it would be a huge hit at any Easter festivities!
Laura (Tutti Dolci) says
What a perfect idea for Easter, I love the basket shape!
Cher Rockwell says
Very fun.
Happy belated Easter 🙂
Sara says
Oh that’s lovely! And what a great idea 🙂
Kathy says
This is a gorgeous cake, Susan!! I’m sure everyone loved it! Hope you had a wonderful Easter!
CJ - Food Stories says
This is gorgeous !!!
Liz Berg says
Stunning cake, Susan!!! Hope you had a perfect holiday!!! xo
Chelly says
Love that cake, Susan! So pretty!