Easter Bonnet Cheese Spread Recipes

EASTER BONNET CHEESE SPREAD

Steps:

• Combine cream cheese and butter in bowl; beat at medium speed until creamy. Reserve 1/2 cup. Cover with plastic food wrap; refrigerate.
• Add all remaining cheese mixture ingredients to remaining cream cheese mixture in bowl. Beat at medium speed until well mixed.
• Form crown for hat by lining (11-ounce) custard cup with plastic food wrap, extending over edges. Firmly press 1 1/4 cups cheese mixture into lined cup; cover with plastic food wrap.
• Create hat brim by placing remaining cheese mixture onto serving plate. Shape into 9-inch round; cover with plastic food wrap. Refrigerate crown and brim at least 2 hours or until firm.
• Remove cheese mixture from refrigerator 1 hour before using.
• Remove plastic wrap from crown and brim; invert crown onto center of hat brim. Peel off plastic wrap. Re-shape with hands, if necessary. Frost hat with reserved cream cheese mixture. Use carrot peels for ribbon. Garnish with edible flowers and basil leaves, if desired. Cover; refrigerate until ready to serve.
• Remove from refrigerator 15 minutes before serving. Serve with crackers and cut-up vegetables.

EASTER BONNET CAKE

Steps:

• Split 11 of the cookies in half, leaving filling on 1 side of each cookie. Reserve split cookies with filling for brim of hat. Coarsely chop plain split cookies and remaining 4 whole cookies; set aside.
• Beat cake mix, water, oil and eggs in large bowl with electric mixer on low speed until moistened. Beat 2 minutes at medium speed. Stir in chopped cookies. Pour 3 cups of the batter into greased and floured 9-inch round cake pan and 3/4 cup batter into greased and floured 10-oz. glass custard cup. Bake at 350°F for 25 to 30 minutes or until toothpick inserted into centers comes out clean.
• Divide remaining batter evenly into 6 to 8 paper-lined medium muffin pan cups. Bake at 350°F for 15 to 25 minutes or until toothpick inserted into centers comes out clean. Let stand in pan for 10 minutes. Remove from pan; cool completely on wire rack.
• Place cooled 9-inch cake layer on serving plate; frost top of cake with some of the frosting. Place cake round from custard cup, top side down, slightly off-center on top of cake layer. Reserve 1/3 cup frosting for cupcakes; frost side and top of bonnet with remaining frosting. Sprinkle with coconut; press gently into frosting. Halve reserved split cookies; place filling side up and rounded edge out around brim of hat. Decorate cupcakes with reserved frosting and candies.

EASTER BONNET CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Split 11 of the cookies in half, leaving filling on 1 side of each cookie. Reserve split cookies with filling for brim of hat. Coarsely chop plain split cookies and remaining 4 whole cookies; set aside.
• Beat cake mix, water, oil and eggs in large bowl with electric mixer on low speed until moistened. Beat on medium speed 2 min. Stir in chopped cookies. Pour 3 cups of the batter into greased and floured 9-inch round cake pan and 3/4 cup of the batter into greased and floured 10-oz. glass custard cup. Spoon remaining batter into 8 paper-lined medium muffin cups.
• Bake 15 to 20 min. or until toothpick inserted in centers of cake in custard cup and cupcakes comes out clean. Remove to wire racks to cool. Continue baking cake in cake pan 10 to 15 min. or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Let cakes stand in custard cup and cake pan 10 min. Remove to wire racks to cool completely.
• Place 9-inch cake layer on serving plate; spread top with some of the frosting. Place cake round from custard cup, top side down and slightly off-center, on top of 9-inch cake layer. Reserve 1/3 cup of the frosting for spreading onto tops of cupcakes; frost side and top of bonnet with the remaining frosting. Sprinkle with coconut; press coconut gently into frosting to secure.
• Halve reserved split cookies; place, filling side up and rounded edge out, around brim of hat. Decorate cupcakes with reserved frosting and candies. Cut cake into 12 pieces to serve. Serve with cupcakes.