Include in Print View:

Easter Cake Recipe

Let me teach you how to make a beautiful lemon coconut Easter cake decorated like a nest! Top with silky lemon cream cheese frosting, fluffy feathery coconut, and, of course, chocolate Easter egg candies! You just need some basic baking staples, an electric mixer, and a standard Bundt pan to make this stunning springtime dessert that’s easy enough for cake decorating beginners.

Here’s Why This Will Be Your Favorite Easter Cake

  • Easy to make, easy to decorate—if you have young fledglings in your nest, they love to help!
  • You’ll find coconut both inside and on top of this Easter cake—toasting some for topping adds color and texture variation.
  • The cake and frosting aren’t overly sweet (save that for the Easter candy!), with a hint of tartness from lemon and tanginess from cream cheese frosting.
  • Can prep the cake the day before.
  • Decorating takes only about 10 minutes, tops.
  • Makes enough for a crowd of your favorite “peeps.” 😉
  • Cake with candy. You’re welcome; the end.

Start With the Bundt Cake

Let’s begin by constructing the interior of this nest: the cake. Cradling those precious pastel-hued chocolate eggs is a lightly sweet coconut-flavored cake with a hint of fresh lemon.

Recipe Testing This Coconut Easter Bundt Cake

This Easter cake is not as light and fluffy as this layered coconut cake, because a Bundt cake is always going to be more dense, with a tighter crumb. But that’s ok! The texture is similar to pound cake, and I just love how a Bundt cake gets that chewy golden crust on the exterior. LOVE!

Expect a thick and fluffy batter:

After baking, let the cake cool for 2 hours in the pan, then invert it onto a cake stand or serving platter to continue cooling, and eventually decorate.

Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting

How to Decorate This Easter Cake Like a Nest

Transforming this cake into a bird’s nest is quick and easy. Simply slather on the frosting (I use an icing spatula), then “feather the nest” by gently pressing the sweetened shredded coconut on top, so that it sticks to the frosting.

Finally, lay your eggs—er, I mean, fill the center of the nest with your favorite candy-coated chocolate eggs. Then be prepared to swat away any sneaky little hands this Easter cake will attract!

And you know what would launch the cuteness factor into overdrive? Adding marshmallow chick Peeps to your nest!

Optional: How to Toast Coconut for Topping

Prep Time 35 mins
Cook Time 1 min
Total Time 36 mins
Cuisine:
Courses:
Servings: 10
Description

This beautiful springtime nest cake is easy enough for cake decorating beginners. Top the lemon coconut Bundt cake with creamy lemon cream cheese frosting, feathery sweetened coconut, and, of course, candy-coated chocolate eggs!

Ingredients You’ll Need
  • 3 cups (360g)
  • 3 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup (16 Tbsp; 226g)
  • 1 and 1 3/4 cups (350g)
  • 1 heaping Tablespoon lemon zest
  • 1/2 cup (120ml)
  • 5 large eggs, at room temperature
  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon coconut extract
  • 1/2 cup (120g)
  • 2/3 cup (180ml)
  • 1/4 cup (60ml)
  • 1 cup (100g)
  • 8 ounces (226g)
  • 1/4 cup (4 Tbsp; 56g)
  • 2 cups (240g)
  • 1 Tablespoons 1–2 (15–30ml)
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1 and 1 1/2 cups (150g)
  • 1 cups 1–2 candy-coated chocolate eggs, such as Cadbury Mini Eggs
Instructions
  1. 1
    Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Generously grease a 10- to 12-cup Bundt pan.
  2. 2
    Whisk the cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a medium bowl. Set aside.
  3. 3
    In a large bowl using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter on high speed until smooth and creamy, about 1 minute. Add the granulated sugar and lemon zest and beat on high speed for 3–4 minutes until creamed. Scrape down the sides and up the bottom of the bowl as needed. Add the oil and mix on medium speed to combine. With the mixer running on low speed, add the eggs one at a time, then add sour cream and the vanilla and coconut extracts. Beat on medium-high speed until combined. Scrape down the sides and up the bottom of the bowl as needed.
  4. 4
    Whisk the lemon juice and milk together. With the mixer running on low speed, add the dry ingredients in 3 additions, alternating with the lemon-milk mixture and mixing after each addition until just incorporated. Do not over-mix. The batter will be thick and fluffy. Fold in the coconut.
  5. 5
    Spoon/pour evenly into Bundt pan and bake for 55–65 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown. If you find the top is browning too quickly, loosely cover with aluminum foil about halfway through bake time.
  6. 6
    Cool cake for 2 hours in the pan set on a cooling rack, and then invert onto a cake stand or serving plate. Cool completely before decorating.
  7. 7
    In a large bowl using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a whisk or paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese and butter together on medium speed until smooth, about 2 minutes. Add confectioners’ sugar, 1 Tablespoon lemon juice, and vanilla extract with the mixer running on low. Increase to high speed and beat for 3 minutes. Add 1 more Tablespoon of lemon juice to thin out, if desired. Taste. Add a pinch of salt if desired.
  8. 8
    Using an icing spatula or a knife, frost the cooled Bundt cake. Top with sweetened flaked/shredded coconut. Fill the hole in the center of the cake with candy-coated chocolate eggs. Serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to serve, up to 24 hours. If the cake has been refrigerated for longer than an hour, let it sit out at room temperature for about 30 minutes before serving, to soften up a bit.
  9. 9
    Cover leftover cake tightly and store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. I usually store frosted cakes in a cake carrier.
Keywords: cake flour, coconut, coconut extract, coconut oil, confectioners-sugar, cream cheese, lemons, milk
Read it online: https://recipetweets.com/recipe/easter-cake-recipe/
Recipe Tweets
Food Blogger