Hosting an Easter feast requires a lot of planning, regardless of how many people are on your invitation list. A diligent hostess wants everything to be perfect for her guests, which is why advanced menu planning is recommended to pull off a successful spring fling.
Personally, I prefer potlucks when the guest lists tops 12, but that’s just me. Whether you are planning to prepare the entire Easter meal solo or you are contributing a single dish to the event, consider the following desserts. Both feature bright spring colors and are a wonderful alternative to marshmallow Peeps and dark chocolate bunnies.
RED VELVET CUPCAKES
Ingredients for Cupcakes:
3 large eggs
3/4 cup unsalted butter
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons unsweetened cocoa powder
3/4 teaspoons salt
2 1/4 cups sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
2 tablespoons red food coloring
1 1/2 cups buttermilk
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons vinegar
Ingredients for Cream Cheese Frosting:
12 ounces cream cheese, softened
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon lemon juice
Pinch of salt
6 cups powdered sugar
Directions for Cupcakes:
Let eggs and butter sit out for 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Grease and flour two 24 small muffin tins; set aside.
In medium bowl combine flour, cocoa powder, and salt; set aside.
In large mixing bowl beat butter on medium-high for 30 seconds. Add sugar and vanilla; beat until combined. One at a time, add eggs, then add food coloring.
Alternately add flour mixture and buttermilk to egg mixture, beat on low after each until combined. Stir together baking soda and vinegar. Add to batter; beat just until combined.
Divide evenly into muffin tins.
Bake 20 minutes or until pick inserted near centers comes out clean. Cool on wire racks before removing.
Directions for Frosting:
In a medium bowl, beat cream cheese, butter lemon juice, vanilla and salt on low until smooth.
Gradually beat in powdered sugar, one cup at a time, on low speed until smooth.
Frost cupcakes and decorate with jellybeans or other Easter candy.
APRICOT PEAR COMPOTE
Ingredients:
2- 15 oz. cans of canned pear halves
2 cups port wine
2 cups water
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
8 each dried apricot halves
1/2 cup sliced almonds
Directions:
Drain pears and bring the liquid from the pears, port, cinnamon and cloves to a boil. Add pears and apricots to the mixture.
Reduce heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes.
Remove pears to a bowl.
Bring the port mixture back to a boil and cook until liquid is reduced to thick syrup. Pour the syrup over the pears and apricots and stir in chopped almonds.
Serve over vanilla ice cream.
Related Articles: