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July 6, 2026
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Make your own or let someone else do the baking, but celebrate Easter and spring with something sweet

By • April 1, 2015

  • 6 mins to read

Make your own or let someone else do the baking, but celebrate Easter and spring with something sweet
Ray Ray Rodgers shows a few of the Easter treats on hand at State Fountain Bakery on the Mississippi State campus Monday. Whether you opt for ready-made sweets from an area bakery or have time to make your own, Easter is just three days away. Photo by: Mark Wilson/Dispatch Staff

Ahh, spring. We’ve been teased before, but surely it well and truly arrives on the wings of Easter. The hum of lawn mowers echoes around the city, the birds are busy and shorts are back on the fashion menu. We have Easter to look forward to and area bakeries are doing their part to stock us up on good things to eat — from bunny-shaped cookies and flower-topped petit fours to pastries swirling in every hue.

At the State Fountain Bakery on Mississippi State’s campus, Ray Ray Rodgers and the rest of the staff are keeping display cases stocked with ready-to-take-home sweets for the special weekend. Hoover’s Bakery in West Point is busy making lemon bars, iced cookies and cupcakes in spring motifs and colors. The Cake Box in Starkville stands ready to take your order for a family dessert or munchies, and the Corner Bakery in Columbus has cakes and specialty breads.

If you have the inclination and the luxury of time, you may still be looking for a sweet you’d like to make yourself.

We share a few recipes today for your weekend table. The bird nest cupcakes and bunny cake cheerfully say Easter. The Strawberry fromage tartlets would be hits for any spring or summer festivity. You can make them without their toppings up to a day ahead and reheat them in the oven before servings. Children may prefer them without the balsamic drizzle, so be sure to set some aside if you’re having young guests. Fromage blanc is a soft, mild, fresh cream cheese.

BIRD NEST CUPCAKES

4 egg whites

1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/3 cups granulated sugar

1/4 teaspoon vanilla

1 1/2 cups slivered almonds, toasted

Browned butter frosting (see recipe, below)

18 2-1/2-inch white, yellow or spice cupcakes in paper bake cups

Small piece of a milk chocolate bar, melted, or brown decorating gel

For browned butter frosting:

3/4 cup butter

6 cups powdered sugar

4 tablespoons milk

2 teaspoons vanilla

  • To use on your favorite white cupcakes: For meringue birds, allow egg whites to stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 225 degrees F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside.
  • In a large mixing bowl beat egg whites, cream of tartar and salt with an electric mixer on medium speed until soft peaks form (tips curl). Add granulated sugar, about 1 tablespoon at a time, beating on high speed until stiff peaks form (tips stand straight) and sugar is almost dissolved. Beat in vanilla. (With a light hand, add food coloring, by drops, if desired.)
  • Transfer meringue to a decorating bag fitted with a 1/2-inch round decorating tip. Pipe meringue in teardrop shapes onto the parchment paper-lined baking sheet to resemble birds.
  • Bake about 1 hour or until meringues appear dry and are firm when lightly touched. Turn off oven. Let meringues stand in the closed oven about 1 hour or until cool and crisp.
  • Place almonds in a shallow dish. Spoon browned butter frosting (see instructions at end of recipe) into a decorating bag fitted with a 1/2-inch round decorating tip. For each nest, pipe frosting in a ring around the top of each cupcake. Carefully dip frosted cupcake in almonds, turning to coat.
  • Pipe a small mound of frosting into the center of each nest; gently press a meringue bird into frosting. For a beak, use a dab of frosting to attach a small piece of slivered almond onto bird. Using a toothpick, add dots of melted chocolate for the eyes.

    (Tip: To toast almonds, preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a shallow baking pan with parchment paper. Spread almonds in the prepared pan. Bake for 5 to 10 minutes or until golden brown, stirring once.)

  • For the frosting: In a small saucepan heat butter over low heat until melted. Continue heating until butter turns a light golden brown. Remove from heat. In a large mixing bowl combine powdered sugar, 4 tablespoons of the milk, and the vanilla. Add browned butter. Beat with an electric mixer on low speed until combined. Beat on medium to high speed, adding enough of the remaining 1 tablespoon milk, if necessary, to reach spreading consistency. Makes about 3 cups.

    (Source: bhg.com)

    CHOCOLATE EASTER BUNNY CAKE

    You’ll need:

    8-inch round cake with white frosting

    3 to 4 packs of edible grass

    Candy eggs

    Chocolate bunny

    Scissors

  • Prepare an 8-inch round cake with white frosting according to directions. Use your favorite recipe. Bake it from a mix or purchase one at the market.
  • Unroll one package of edible grass and cut into 1 to 2 inch pieces using clean kitchen scissors.
  • Spread grass clippings out onto a tray and, very sparingly, sprinkle a few drops of water over the top. One teaspoon of water per package is plenty. You do not want the grass to get too wet or it will break down. (Note : Work with one package of grass at a time.)
  • Using your hands, mix up the grass and allow the water to spread. This will make the grass start to clump together.
  • Pull off a tiny clump of grass and stick it to the side of the cake. Just gently push it right on to the frosting, letting it stick out from the side of the cake. Repeat with another small clump of grass, sticking it very close to the last clump. Repeat with additional clumps and additional packages of grass until the entire cake is covered in grass. Step back and look for any holes or bare spots. Fill in with a tiny clump of grass or single blade. (Note: If your grass dries and is no longer clumping together, simply add another drop of water and mix. Remember to go light on the water.)
  • Place chocolate bunny on top of cake and sprinkle eggs around him. The grass will dry in place and become quite firm.

    (Source: Carrie Sellman, thecakeblog.com)

    STRAWBERRY FROMAGE TARTLETS

    1 (6-ounce) container fromage blanc

    1 large egg

    4 tablespoons honey

    1 tablespoon orange liqueur

    1 tablespoon lemon juice

    Pinch of nutmeg

    2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

    2 (1.9-ounce) packages frozen mini-phyllo pastry shells

    1 cup balsamic vinegar

    1/2 pint fresh strawberries, chopped

    2 tablespoons sugar

  • Preheat oven to 350 F. Process first six ingredients in a food processor until smooth. Slowly sift in flour; process until blended.
  • Spoon 1 heaping teaspoonful mixture into each phyllo shell. Place on a baking sheet.
  • Bake at 350 F. for 10 minutes or until set.
  • Meanwhile, cook balsamic vinegar in a large saucepan over medium heat 10 minutes or until reduced to 1/4 cup. Cool completely (about 30 minutes).
  • Toss strawberries with sugar. Spoon strawberries over tartlets; drizzle with balsamic reduction. Serve immediately.

    (Note: Southern Living tested with Belle Chevre fromage blanc, Grand Marnier orange liqueur and Colavita Balsamic Vinegar.)

    (Source: Southern Living/Tasia Malakasis, Huntsville, Alabama, 2011)

    Jan Swoope is the Lifestyles Editor for The Commercial Dispatch.

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    You can help your community

    Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 34 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.

    • Related Photos

    Slivered almonds and meringue birds turn these cupcakes into a whimsical bird nest. Use a 1/2-inch tip to pipe teardrop shapes for birds. Photo by: bhg.com

    Photo by: bhg.com

    Edible grass turns a regular cake into a meadow. Photo by: thecakeblog.com

    These strawberry fromage tartlets can be made up to a day ahead of time. Photo by: southernliving.com

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