BUNNY CARROT CAKES & COOKIES RECIPE

Steps:

• In a large bowl, beat cookie dough and flour until combined. On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough to 1/4-in. thickness. Cut out bunny ears with floured 3-in. cookie cutters. Reroll remaining dough; cut out 1-1/2-in. carrots. Place 1 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets.
• Bake at 375° for 6-8 minutes or until firm. Let stand for 2 minutes before removing to wire racks to cool.
• In a large bowl, combine confectioners' sugar, meringue powder and warm water. Beat on high speed with a portable mixer for 10-12 minutes or on low speed with a stand mixer for 7-10 minutes until peaks form. Tint 1 cup icing pink, 1/4 cup orange and 1/4 cup green. Cover frosting with damp paper towels or plastic wrap between uses.
• Pipe white outlines on bunny ears; thin remaining white icing slightly with water. Fill ears with thinned icing; let stand 30 minutes. Pipe orange outlines on carrots; fill in centers. Let stand 30 minutes.
• Pipe greens carrot tops, sprinkle with colored sugar. Pipe 3 orange lines on each carrot. Using pink icing, pipe inside of bunny ears. Let dry at room temperature for several hours or until firm.
• Prepare cake batter according to package directions. Fold in carrots and cinnamon.
• Fill paper-lined muffin cups half full. Bake at 350° for 18-23 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Remove from pans to wire racks to cool completely.
• In a microwave, melt baking chocolate; stir until smooth. Cool to room temperature.
• In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and butter until light and fluffy. Beat in cooled baking chocolate and lemon juice until smooth.
• Generously frost each cupcake with about 1/4 cup cream cheese icing. Just before serving, add bunny ears, candy-coated sunflower kernels for eyes and nose. Pipe a smile with chocolate frosting. Yield: 2 dozen cupcakes. Editor's Note: Find bunny cookie cutters in the 24-piece Progressive Cookie Cutter and Stencil Kit at KitchenKrafts.com. Mini carrot cookie cutters are available as part of the Easter 12-piece Mini Metal Cutter Collection from Wilton Industries, wilton.com. For a festive presentation, bake cupcakes using regular cupcake liners, then wrap the cooled cupcakes in a pretty paper liner. The ones shown on page 79 are available at etsy.com/shop/PaperNPeace. For bunny tails, attach 1/2-inch craft pompoms with a glue dot. You can also wrap the cupcake base in "edible grass," usually available in your grocer's candy aisle at Easter time.