Little Deviled Egg Cakes

0

 

You knew it was coming.

 

Or maybe you didn’t, and I’m just assuming you give a flying cupcake about my treat of the week. Well, whether you were on the edge of your exercise ball or not, here it is. Little Deviled Egg Cakes.

Yes, my sweet friends, an Easter treat that will have the Easter Bunny running down the bunny trail (hopping is so 2010). The great thing about this dessert is that although it is perfect for the holiday, it can work for any gathering, any season. They look like deviled eggs — an egg that popped out of a chicken on steroids, mind you, but still just an egg. I’m presenting them on a bed of Easter grass on an Easter platter, making them a perfect holiday treat.

The base is a vanilla, orange-scented cake. I use an egg-shaped cookie cutter (I’m sure all the creative minds here in the People’s Republic could just freestyle the shape; me, I need a cookie cutter) to make a nice thick-looking egg. Topping the egg with a cream cheese frosting is a fabulous complement to the vanilla orange flavor of the cake. And, of course, the big finish, the yellow-tinted frosting glob in the middle to resemble the yolk. Yeah, I know, I’m really wearing my creative pants for this one.

I know using the word “glob” is about as appetizing as referring to your banana bread pan as a loaf pan (visions of meatloaf being baked in the same pan turn some people off … whatever). But I’m sticking with the glob reference. It just feels right.

Not to worry, there is no mustard, chives or sage in these devilish little treats, just sweet goodness running through every bite. You could put some real deviled eggs on the same platter just to mess with people, but that would be so un-Easter-like and, well, I think I’m doing it. It is an eggcellent idea, and holidays are meant to be fun.

Now, follow the directions, put some love into it and invite me over when it’s done.

Little Deviled Egg Cakes

2 1/2 cups flour

1 1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. salt

3/4 cup unsalted butter (softened)

1 1/4 cup granulated sugar

3 eggs Orange zest (whole orange)

Juice from 1/2 orange (approx. 1 1/2 tbsp. You will use the other half of the orange in the frosting)

1 tsp. vanilla

1 cup milk (I used skim, use what you have)

Cinnamon for garnish

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9-by-13 baking pan with cooking spray. Cover bottom with parchment paper, with sides slightly hanging over ends. Lightly spray parchment paper with cooking spray.

In small bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt. In large bowl, cream butter and sugar. Add in eggs. Stir in orange zest, orange juice and vanilla.

Add flour mix into wet ingredients, stir until almost incorporated. Mix in milk, and stir until cake batter is smooth.

Pour batter into prepared baking pan.

Bake for 25-30 minutes, until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Let cool in pan.

When ready to frost (frosting recipe is below), pull on parchment paper and slide out onto counter. Using any size egg-shaped cookie cutter, cut out your eggs. The number will vary, depending on the size of the cookie cutter. Frost tops with white frosting, dollop a small amount of yellow frosting in center of egg. Sprinkle a bit of cinnamon on top. Serve on a deviled egg platter or cake platter. Enjoy!

Cream Cheese Frosting

1 8-oz. package of cream cheese (softened) 2 cups powdered sugar Juice from half an orange 1-2 tbsp. milk (put in one at a time, to determine how much you need) 1 drop yellow food coloring Beat all ingredients until smooth. Take out 1/4 cup of frosting, and add yellow food coloring. Keep the rest of frosting white.

Note: I just frost the tops, but you can frost the whole egg. Be careful, as the cake is a bit fragile. Cutting up mint (to resemble chives) and garnishing the top of the yellow yolk is a cute idea too.

Respond: letters@boulderweekly.com