4 Easter Egg Nest Cupcakes

EASTER is on my heart this morning! :-)

I received this AMAZING sign for our front door this week from my sweet and super talented friend, Ashleigh!  Check out her etsy shop and her blog! Every time I come home and see our "He has RISEN" sign, it just makes me smile! :-)

Easter is one of the happiest holidays. . . it is a test that God truly keeps his promises. . . because Jesus ROSE 3 days after he was crucified. . . and now sits at the right hand of the Father. . . and BECAUSE of this miracle there is a spot for me. . . a lowly sinner, to be with my Father in heaven for all of eternity! At Kanakuk (my summer camp growing up), this is how the cross was always depicted.

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We could NEVER get to Heaven except through the cross. . . Thank you Lord for giving up your son to die for our sins so that we can be in paradise with you!
I LOVE EASTER!
Tonight we are going to be with some amazing friends so I went CRAZY baking last night! And, of course, the theme was EASTER! :-)

I will share everything on the table in the next week but, today, I wanted to share the Easter Egg Nest Cupcakes

I fell in love with these months ago when I was browsing through Williams Sonoma's Recipe Index and literally have been counting down the days until it was "Easter time!" Parts of this recipe are easy but the icing, oh, it is a labor of love. . .and you only need about 3 spoonfuls of icing to ice the 12 cupcakes and it makes 10 gallons worth (I exaggerate a lot) . . . so, next time I'll either triple the cupcake recipe or make a different icing. . .
Start with some coconut. . .

And brown it in the oven. . . (isn't it "nesty!") 

Make the muffins . . . 

While they are cooling make the icing

 Then sprinkle coconut in a circle around the iced cupcake

 Top with Easter egg candy 

Of course, you could top with one egg

Two eggs. . . 

or three. . . 

and cute cupcake liners make all the difference. . . 

and then make a sweet "Easter basket" for your friends!

I love Easter!

Have you entered the Casey Wiegand Art giveaway? It ends on Sunday!

I would suggest using this Vanilla Bean Cupcake Recipe instead of the William Sonoma Cupcake Recipe.
Vanilla Bean Cupcakes
Ingredients:
3 cups cake flour
1 tbsp. baking powder
½ tsp. salt
1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
16 tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 cups sugar
5 large eggs, at room temperature
1¼ cups buttermilk, at room temperature
1 tbsp. vanilla extract
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350° F.  Line two cupcake pans with paper liners.  Set aside. In a medium mixing bowl, combine the cake flour, baking powder and salt.  Whisk together and set aside.  Add the butter to the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.  Scrape the vanilla bean seeds into the bowl of the mixer with the butter and discard the pod (or reserve for another use.)  Beat on medium-high speed for 3 minutes, until light and creamy in color.  Scrape down the sides of the bowl and beat for one more minute.
Add the sugar to the butter mixture, ¼ cup at a time, beating 1 minute after each addition.  Mix in the eggs one at a time until incorporated.  Scrape down the sides of the bowl after each addition.  Combine the buttermilk and the vanilla extract in a liquid measuring cup.  With the mixer on low speed, add the dry ingredients alternately with the wet ingredients, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients and mixing just until incorporated.  Scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix for 15 seconds longer.
Divide the batter between the prepared paper liners, filling each about 2/3 of the way full (you will likely have batter left over after filling 24 wells.)  Bake 18-22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Allow to cool in the pans 5-10 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.  Replace paper liners and bake remaining batter if desired.  Frost cooled cupcakes as desired.
Yield: approximately 30 cupcakes 
Vanilla Buttercream Icing 

6 sticks unsalted butter
2 Tbs. vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups sugar
6 egg whites
1 3/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. cream of tartar
Have all the ingredients at room temperature.
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the flat beater, beat the butter on medium speed until creamy and smooth, about 2 minutes. Beat in the vanilla until combined, about 1 minute. Transfer to a bowl and set aside. Thoroughly wash and dry the mixer bowl.
In the clean mixer bowl, using a handheld whisk, whisk together the sugar, egg whites, salt and cream of tartar. Set the bowl over but not touching simmering water in a saucepan and whisk constantly until the mixture registers 140°F on a candy thermometer, about 10 minutes.
To test if the sugar has completely dissolved, rub a small amount of the egg white mixture between 2 fingers; it should be smooth and not grainy. If it feels grainy, continue to heat and retest every 30 seconds until smooth.
Remove the bowl from over the water. Fit the mixer with the whisk attachment, set the bowl on the mixer and beat on high speed until the mixture is cool and soft peaks form, 7 to 10 minutes. Gradually add the butter about 1 Tbs. at a time, beating well after each addition until smooth. Refrigerate the buttercream for 15 minutes before using. Makes 6 cups.
Williams Sonoma