Coconut Easter Basket Cake

Ingredients:

• 1 package (about 18 oz.) white cake mix
  
• (with pudding in the mix)
• 2 cups MOUNDS Sweetened Coconut Flakes,
  
• divided
• VANILLA FROSTING(recipe follows)
• jelly beans
• Twizzlers pull n' peel candy
• mini kisses brand milk chocolates
• coconut 'grass' (recipe follows)

Instructions:
1. Prepare cake batter with whole eggs as directed
on package; stir in 1/2 cup coconut. Using 2 round
9-inch pans, bake and cool as directed.

2. Place 1 layer on serving plate, bottom side up;
frost top with VANILLA FROSTING. Place second
layer on top, top side up. Frost sides. Mark a 6-inch
circle from center of top layer. Using fork, gently
remove small amount of cake from within circle,
forming an indentation to allow basket to be filled.
Lightly frost edges of top.

3. Cut lightweight cardboard into 14 x 3/4-inch
strip for handle; cover with plastic wrap. Bend
and insert handle ends into top of cake about
1-inch from sides; frost. Decorate with jelly beans
and single licorice strands. When frosting on
sides of cake is firm, with fork, alternately press
fork tines vertically and horizontally, forming
basket pattern.

4. Place COCONUT 'GRASS' on top; decorate with
mini kisses brand milk chocolates and assorted
candies. Separate licorice into 3 strand groups;
twist and place around top rim. Place jelly beans
around bottom. Remove handle before serving.
8 servings.


VANILLA FROSTING: Beat 1/3 cup softened butter
in medium bowl. Add 1 cup powdered sugar and 1
teaspoon vanilla extract; beat well. Add 2-1/2 cups
powdered sugar alternately with 3 to 4 tablespoons
milk; beat to spreading consistency.

COCONUT 'GRASS': Combine 3 drops green food
color with 3/4 teaspoon water; add to remaining
1-1/2 cups coconut. Stir until evenly tinted; use
immediately.

Happy Easter Cake

Ingredients:

• 1-1/4 cups butter (no substitutes), softened
  
• 1-1/2 cups sugar
  
• 4 eggs
  
• 2 cups (16 ounces) sour cream
  
• 1/4 cup milk
  
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  
• 1 to 2 tablespoons grated lemon peel
  
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
  
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
  
• 2 teaspoon baking soda
  
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
  
• 1/4 cup poppy seeds
  
• FROSTING:
  
• 2 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, softened
  
• 1 cup butter, softened
  
• 8 cups confectioners' sugar
  
• 2 to 3 tablespoons milk
  
• Green food coloring
  
• 1/2 cup jelly beans

Instructions:

In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar.
Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each
addition. Combine the sour cream, milk, lemon
juice, peel and vanilla; add to creamed mixture.
Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda
and salt; add to the creamed mixture and beat
just until combined. Stir in poppy seeds (batter
will be thick).

Transfer to three greased and floured 9-in. round
baking pans. Bake at 350° for 25-30 minutes or
until a toothpick inserted near the center comes
out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing
from pans to wire racks.

For frosting, in a mixing bowl, beat cream cheese
and butter until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in
sugar. Beat in enough milk to achieve spreading
consistency. Place 1 cup of frosting in a small bowl
and tint pale green; set aside.

To assemble, place one cake layer on a serving plate;
frost top with white frosting. Repeat. Top with
remaining cake layer. Frost top and sides of cake
with remaining frosting.

Cut a small hole in the corner of a pastry or plastic
bag; insert round tip No. 3. Fill bag with green
frosting. Write "Happy Easter" on top of cake.
With multi-opening or grass tip No. 233, pipe
green frosting on top of cake to resemble a bird's
nest. Pipe green frosting around top edge of cake.
Place jelly beans in nest. Store in the refrigerator.
Yield: 14-16 servings. A coupler and round tip
No. 2 may be used in place of multi-opening tip
No. 233.

Key-Lime Cheesecake

Ingredients:
2 pkg. (8 oz. each) cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup sugar

1 tsp. grated lime peel

2 Tbsp. fresh lime juice

1/2 tsp. vanilla

2 eggs

1 store bought graham pie crust (6 oz.)

1 cup thawed cool whip whipped topping

Instructions:
PREHEAT oven to 350°F. Beat cream cheese,
sugar, peel, juice and vanilla with electric
mixer on medium speed until well blended.
Add eggs; mix just until blended.

POUR into crust.

BAKE 40 minutes or until center is almost set.
Cool. Refrigerate 3 hours or overnight. Top with
whipped topping just before serving. Store left-
over cheesecake in refrigerator.

A Bit of Ireland Cheesecake

Ingredients:
1-1/2 cups finely chopped pecans

2 Tbsp. sugar

3 Tbsp. butter or margarine, melted

4 pkg. (8 oz. each) cream cheese, softened

1 cup sugar

3 Tbsp. flour

1 cup sour cream

1/4 cup Irish cream liqueur (Bailey's)

4 eggs

Directions:
PREHEAT oven to 325°F if using a silver 9-inch
springform pan (or to 300°F if using a dark non-
stick 9-inch springform pan). Mix pecans, 2 Tbsp.
sugar and the butter; press firmly onto bottom
of pan. Bake 10 min.

BEAT cream cheese, 1 cup sugar and the flour in
large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed
until well blended. Add sour cream and liqueur;
mix well. Add eggs, 1 at a time, mixing on low
speed after each addition just until blended.
Pour over crust.

BAKE 1 hour 5 min. or until center is almost set.
Run small knife or metal spatula around rim of
pan to loosen cake; cool before removing rim of
pan. Refrigerate 4 hours or overnight. Store left-
over cheesecake in refrigerator.

Chocolate Frosted Mint Cake

Ingredients:

1	package (8 oz) cream cheese, softened
1/4	cup granulated sugar
1	egg
1	teaspoon mint extract
4	drops green food color
1	cup butter or margarine
4	oz unsweetened baking chocolate, cut into pieces
2	cups granulated sugar
2	teaspoons vanilla
4	eggs
1	cup all-purpose flour
Chocolate Frosting
2	tablespoons butter or margarine
2	tablespoons corn syrup
2	tablespoons water
2	oz unsweetened baking chocolate, cut into pieces
1	teaspoon vanilla
1	cup powdered sugar Directions: 1. Heat oven to 350°F. Grease bottom and sides of 13x9-inch pan with shortening; lightly flour. In small bowl, beat cream cheese and 1/4 cup sugar with spoon until smooth. Stir in 1 egg, the mint extract and food color until well mixed; set aside. 2. In 3-quart saucepan, melt 1 cup butter and 4 oz chocolate over very low heat, stirring constantly; remove from heat. Cool 15 minutes or until slightly cooled. 3. Stir 2 cups sugar and 2 teaspoons vanilla into chocolate mixture. Add 4 eggs, one at a time, beating well with spoon after each addition. Stir in flour. Spread in pan. Carefully spoon cream cheese mixture over cake mixture. Lightly swirl cream cheese mixture into cake mixture with knife for marbled design. Mixture will be somewhat thick. 4. Bake 45 to 50 minutes or until set. Cool 30 minutes at room temperature. Refrigerate 1 hour. 5. Meanwhile, in 2-quart saucepan, heat 2 tablespoons butter, the corn syrup and water to rolling boil, stirring frequently; remove from heat. Stir in 2 oz chocolate until melted. Stir in 1 teaspoon vanilla and the powdered sugar. Beat with spoon until smooth. Frost chilled bars with Chocolate Frosting. For bars, cut into 6 rows by 6 rows. Store covered in refrigerator.

Mint Chocolate Cheesecake

Ingredients

2 cups finely crushed graham crackers

1/2 cup butter or margarine, melted

4 8-ounce packages cream cheese, softened

1-1/4 cups sugar

1/4 cup creme de menthe or milk, or 1/3 cup amaretto

2 teaspoons vanilla

5 eggs

1 16-ounce carton dairy sour cream (2 cups)

1/3 cup sugar

1 cup milk-chocolate pieces

1 teaspoon shortening Directions 1. For crust: In a bowl, combine crushed graham crackers and melted butter or margarine. Press evenly on bottom and 2 inches up sides of a 10-inch springform pan. Set aside. 2. For filling: In a large mixing bowl, beat cream cheese, the 1-1/4 cups sugar, the creme de menthe, and vanilla with an electric mixer on medium speed for 2 minutes. Add eggs all at once, beating on low speed until just combined. Pour mixture into prepared crust. Place on a shallow baking pan in oven. 3. Bake in a 325 degree F oven for 1 hour and 10 minutes or until the filling is just set. 4. Stir together the sour cream and the 1/3 cup sugar. Carefully spread over cheesecake. Bake for 10 minutes more. Cool for 15 minutes. Loosen the edges. Cool for 30 minutes. Remove the sides of pan. Cool completely. 5. In a small saucepan, heat milk-chocolate pieces and shortening over low heat until melted. Remove from heat. Cool. Spread the melted chocolate over the top of the cheesecake. 6. After 5 minutes, score the chocolate layer into 9 to 16 pieces so it will be easier to cut later. Cover and chill the cheesecake until it's time to serve. Makes 9 to 16 servings. Note: Instead of spreading the melted-chocolate mixture on top of the cheesecake, you can pour it in a mound on a foil-lined baking sheet. Spread into a 7-inch circle. Cool for 5 minutes. Use a cake comb to make swirls on the chocolate, if you like. Cool until chocolate holds a cut edge. Cut into wedges. Place on top of the cheesecake.

St. Patrick's Chocolate Mint Dessert

Ingredients:

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine,
  
• softened
• 4 eggs
• 1-1/2 cups (16-oz. can) chocolate syrup
• MINT CREAM CENTER(recipe follows)
• CHOCOLATE GLAZE(recipe follows)

Directions:
1. Heat oven to 350° F. Grease 13x9x2-inch
baking pan.

2. Combine flour, sugar, butter, eggs and syrup
in large bowl; beat until smooth. Pour batter
into prepared pan.

3. Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until top springs
back when touched lightly in center. Cool com-
pletely in pan on wire rack. Spread MINT CREAM
CENTER on cake. Cover; refrigerate. Pour CHOCO-
LATE GLAZE over chilled dessert. Cover; refriger-
ate at least 1 hour before serving. Cover; refrigerate
leftover dessert. About 12 servings.

MINT CREAM CENTER: Combine 2 cups powdered
sugar, 1/2 cup (1 stick) softened butter or margarine
and 2 tablespoons green creme de menthe (OR 1 table-
spoon water plus 1/2 to 3/4 teaspoon mint extract and
3 drops green food color may be substituted for creme
de menthe) in medium bowl; beat until smooth.

CHOCOLATE GLAZE: Melt 6 tablespoons butter or mar-
garine and 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips in small
saucepan over very low heat. Remove from heat; stir
until smooth. Cool slightly.

CHOCOLATE MINT TRIANGLES: Cut dessert into
about twelve 3-inch squares; cut each square diagonally
into halves. About 24 triangles.

DOUBLE CHOCOLATE MINT DESSERT: mint chocolate
chips may be substituted for semi-sweet chocolate chips
in chocolate topping. Omit creme de menthe in Mint
Cream Center.

Mint-Chocolate Pudding Cake

Ingredients:
1 pkg. (2-layer size) yellow cake mix

1 pkg. (4-serving size) pistachio flavor
instant pudding & pie filling

4 eggs

1 cup water

1/4 cup oil

1/2 tsp. peppermint extract

8 drops green food coloring

1 pkg. (8 squares) semi-sweet baking
chocolate, chopped

20 chocolate-covered thin mint candies

Instructions:
PREHEAT oven to 350°F. Place cake mix,
dry pudding mix, eggs, water, oil, extract
and food coloring in large bowl of electric
mixer. Beat on low speed just until blended.
Beat on medium speed 4 minutes. Stir in
chocolate. Pour into greased and floured
13x9-inch baking pan.

BAKE 40 to 45 minutes or until toothpick
inserted in center comes out clean and cake
begins to pull away from sides of pan.
(Do not overbake.)

REMOVE cake from oven. Place candies in
single layer on top of cake. Return to oven.
Bake an additional 3 minutes or until candies
begin to melt. Immediately spread melted
candies evenly over cake to cover top of cake.
Cool completely.