Easter Basket Candy Cake

Total Time

Prep: 1 hour Bake: 30 min.

Makes

10-12 servings

Updated: Oct. 22, 2022
For a festive cake all of your guests will be impressed with at your Easter gathering, try this recipe. It is so easy but looks like you fussed.—Mary Kay Morris, Cokato, Minnesota

Ingredients

  • 1 package yellow cake mix (regular size)
  • 3 cups of white frosting
  • 3 drops of green food coloring
  • 1/2 teaspoon of water
  • 2 cups of sweetened shredded coconut
  • Jelly beans, marshmallow Peeps and chocolate kisses (or the candy of your choice)

Directions

  1. Cover the serving board with gift wrap, taping the wrap on the back side of the board. Cover the wrapped board with clear cellophane in the same way. Set the board aside.
  2. Using two 9-in. round baking pans, prepare and bake the cake according to the package directions. Cool cakes for 10 minutes before removing from the pans to wire racks to cool completely.
  3. Place on cake in the center of the covered serving board. Spread the top of the cake with frosting.
  4. Cut a 6-in. circle from the center of the second cake. Remove the center circle and set aside for another use. Place the cake ring on top of the frosted cake layer, creating the basket. Frost top and sides of basket.
  5. For the handle, cover the 14x3/4-in. strip of lightweight cardboard with plastic wrap. Bend the cardboard strip into an upside-down "U" shape and insert the ends into the top of the cake about 1 inch from the outside edge. Frost the handle.
  6. In a large resealable plastic bag, combine three drops of green food coloring and 1/2 teaspoon of water. Add coconut, seal the bag and shake until coconut is evenly tinted. Sprinkle a portion of green coconut inside the basket. Reserve remaining coconut to sprinkle around the bottom of basket later.
  7. Fill the basket with candy of your choice. Press candy pieces onto the top of the handle where shown in the photo or as desired.
  8. When the frosting on the cake is firm, press the tines of a fork into the frosting on the sides of the cake to create a basket-weave pattern, alternating vertical and horizontal designs.
  9. Sprinkle the remaining tinted coconut around the bottom of the basket.