<p>Looking for a tried and true recipe that is REASONABLY easy to make. For some reason, for the last week or so, all I can think of is coconut cream pie - so wondered if anyone has a favorite recipe. Calories don't count this time!!!</p>
<p>Sometimes we do carrot cake. (we never have just one dessert!). I might make a strawberry pie or the strawberry pretzel yummy thingy. </p>
<p>Anyone can offer a tried and true pie, or otherwise super yummy traditional Easter dessert???</p>
<p>We do strawberry and blueberry shortcake with vanilla bean whipped cream. I make an angel food cake instead of the shortcake, and I have the kids help me wash the berries and open up the vanilla beans for the whipped cream, and then, everyone gets to make their own.</p>
<p>I will admit that H makes an amazing vanilla ice cream, as well. Our D's make it, and the nephews, who are young, love to help with it.</p>
<p>If you're anti-mess. You can do it yourself. :)</p>
<p>I want the vanilla bean whipped cream! How do you make it??!</p>
<p>Well, you actually have time to still do it the right way. Go buy some vanilla beans and open them up and put them in a jar with some sugar. Over the course of the next few weeks this will become a vanilla sugar, to use in your baking. I don't use vanilla extract, but vanilla sugar (I learned this in some cookbook back when I was first learning)</p>
<p>On the other hand, if you don't want to go to the trouble of making vanilla sugar. Get some amazing extract, like the madagascar vanilla they sell at williams sonoma, and a vanilla bean or two. Slit open the vanilla bean and scrape out the beans into the bottom of the chilled bowl. pour in the whipping cream. Add some vanilla extract (we use a lot) to taste and whip. </p>
<p>this is from arizonavanilladotcom:</p>
<p>
[quote]
How to use the Vanilla Bean: To use the vanilla bean the first thing you need to do is split the bean lengthwise, using a paring knife. Then scrape the seeds free from both sides of the bean with the edge of the knife, and add to whatever it is you are cooking. If you are cooking a sauce, add the pod to the mixture as well. When the vanilla has steeped into the sauce, strain the pod out, but DON'T THROW IT AWAY! Rinse the bean and allow it to dry at room temperature. Bury the used, dry vanilla pods in your sugar for a wonderful vanilla flavored sugar</p>
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</p>
<p>
[quote]
or the strawberry pretzel yummy thingy
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Oh c'mon, you can't type something like THAT without explaining!!! Two of my favorite foods, but don't know how they would be together.</p>
<p>I used to make jello "eggs" when the kids were little...they LOVED them.</p>
<p>We always have this cake on easter, it is so refreshing....
It is named "Piggy Cake" ( I have no idea why), but I have a similar recipe with sugar alterations called "Diabetic cake"
We usually have strawberry pie also.
Here are both recipes, and I also put my strawberry pretzel dessert recipe as well...enjoy!</p>
<p>Ingredients
■FOR THE CAKE:
■1 box (18.25 Oz. Box) Yellow Cake Mix
■1 stick Margarine (softened)
■1 can (14 Oz. Can) Mandarin Oranges, Drained, 1/2 Cup Juice Reserved
■4 whole Eggs
■1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
■_____
■FOR THE TOPPING:
■1 package (4 Oz. Box) Vanilla Instant Pudding Mix
■1 can (20 Oz. Can) Crushed Pineapple, Juice Reserved
■½ cups Powdered Sugar
■4 ounces, fluid Frozen Whipped Topping (such As Cool Whip)
■Extra Mandarin Orange Slices, For Garnish
Preparation Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. For the cake, combine cake mix, margarine, 1/2 cup juice from the mandarin oranges, eggs, and vanilla. Beat for four minutes on medium-high. Add drained oranges and beat again until pieces are broken up and small. Pour batter into greased and floured 9 x 13 inch baking pan and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until golden brown and set. Remove from oven and cool completely. If desired, turn out cake onto a large platter.</p>
<p>Once cake is cool, blend juice from drained pineapples with the vanilla pudding mix. Add powdered sugar and mix, then mix in whipped topping. Stir in drained pineapple. Spread on cooled cake and refrigerate several hours. </p>
<p>To serve, cut cake into squares and top each square with a mandarin orange slice. </p>
<p>Strawberry Pie</p>
<p>Ingredients
2 (8 inch) pie shells, baked
2 1/2 quarts fresh strawberries
1 cup white sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 cup boiling water
1 (3 ounce) package strawberry flavored gelatin
Directions
1.In a saucepan, mix together the sugar and corn starch; make sure to blend corn starch in completely. Add boiling water, and cook over medium heat until mixture thickens. Remove from heat. Add gelatin mix, and stir until smooth. Let mixture cool to room temperature.
2.Place strawberries in baked pie shells; position berries with points facing up. Pour cooled gel mixture over strawberries.
3.Refrigerate until set. Serve with whipped cream, if desired. </p>
<p>Strawberry Pretzel Dessert</p>
<p>Ingredients:
2 cups crushed thin pretzel sticks (see Notes)
3 Tablespoons sugar
3/4 cup (1-1/2 sticks or 12 Tablespoons) butter, at room temperature
2 cups boiling water
1 package (6 ounce) strawberry flavor gelatin
8 ounces (1 large block) cream cheese, at room temperature
1 cup sugar
1 cup whipped topping (see Notes)
2 heaping cups sliced strawberries, fresh or frozen
Preparation:
Preheat oven to 400 F. </p>
<p>Finely crush pretzels with a rolling pin or food processor. Combine crushed pretzels with 3 tablespoons sugar and butter. With a spatula, press pretzel mixture into the bottom of a 9 x 13-inch baking pan to form a crust. Bake 6 to 10 minutes until lightly browned. Cool completely. </p>
<p>Pour 2 cups boiling water over strawberry gelatin. Stir until melted and let cool to room temperature. </p>
<p>Beat cream cheese, 1 cup sugar, and whipped topping until combined. Spread evenly over cooled crust. </p>
<p>Add strawberries to cooled gelatin and let thicken slightly. Spread over cream cheese layer. Refrigerate until firm. </p>
<p>Cut into squares to serve. </p>
<p>Yield: 24 to 36 servings, depending on cut size </p>
<p>Notes: As for the pretzels, select thin pretzel sticks. A 9-ounce package is plenty for the pie shell. Real whipped cream may be used, of course, but Cool Whip and prepared Dream Whip work equally as well and are not quite as rich and heavy</p>
<p>I have made the strawberry - pretzel dessert the way listed above, but had it THIS way at a grad party last summer - I could have eaten scoop after scoop of it!:</p>
<p>Strawberry Pretzel Salad</p>
<p>1 1/2 cups crushed pretzels
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup margarine
Mix above ingredients and bake 8 minutes @ 400 degrees. Let cool.</p>
<p>8 ounces cream cheese mixed with 1/2 cup powdered sugar
8 ounces Cool Whip
1 1/2 - 2 cups fruit ( strawberries or could instead use pineapples and bananas)
Mix above ingredients and then add glazed pretzels just before serving.</p>
<p>For the last five years I've made this easy-peasy Paula Dean cake to rave reviews:</p>
<p>Ingredients</p>
<pre><code>* 1 (18.25-ounce) box yellow cake mix, plus ingredients to prepare
* 1 (20-ounce) can crushed pineapple
* 1 1/3 cups sugar
* 1 (3.4-ounce) box French vanilla pudding, plus ingredients to prepare
* 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
* 1 cup flaked, sweetened toasted coconut
</code></pre>
<p>Directions</p>
<p>Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.</p>
<p>Prepare yellow cake mix as directed using a greased 13 by 9 by 2-inch pan and bake for 30 to 35 minutes. While cake is baking, combine the pineapple and 1 cup of sugar in a saucepan, and bring to a boil over medium heat stirring constantly. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly.</p>
<p>Remove cake from oven and using a fork, pierce holes into cake. Pour pineapple mixture over hot cake and set aside.</p>
<p>Prepare pudding according to package directions. Spread pudding over cake and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled. Whip heavy cream and remaining sugar until stiff. Cover top of cake with whipped cream and sprinkle toasted coconut on top.</p>
<p>For a carrot cake, I use my favorite recipe (sounds as though the OP has one), and then I make a pipe-cleaner "basket" handle and wrap it in ribbon; then put coconut colored green with food coloring on top and add jelly beans. It is a cute Easter basket cake.</p>
<p>Not exactly what you asked for but this is a family favorite. It just seems like spring since it is the only time I make it. I have done it in a bundt pan, too, reduce the frosting amount. </p>
<p>Hummingbird Cake</p>
<p>Ingredients:</p>
<pre><code>3 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3 eggs, beaten
1 1/4 cups vegetable oil
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 can (8oz) crushed pineapple, well drained
1 cup chopped pecans
2 cups chopped firm ripe banana
.
Cream Cheese Frosting:
16 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 cup butter, room temperature
2 pounds confectioners' sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 to 1 cup chopped pecans
</code></pre>
<p>Preparation:
Preheat oven to 350°. Sift flour, sugar, salt, baking soda and cinnamon together into mixing bowl several times. Add eggs and salad oil to the dry ingredients. Stir with a wooden spoon until ingredients are moistened. Stir in vanilla, pineapple and 1 cup pecans. Stir in the bananas. Spoon the batter into 3 well-greased and floured 9-inch round cake pans. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes,or until a wooden pick or cake tester inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn onto cooling rack. Cool completely before frosting.</p>
<p>Cream Cheese Frosting:
Combine cream cheese and butter; cream until smooth. Add powdered sugar, beating with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Stir in vanilla.</p>
<p>Frost the tops of all 3 layers, stack and then frost sides. Sprinkle top evenly with the 1/2 to 1 cup chopped pecans. </p>
<p>The other thing family loves is a plain old box yellow cake that I bake in a lamb mold. When unmolded it sits upright and I decorate with butter cream frosting, swirled, and jelly beans. Then serve with strawberries, juiced lightly. It looks fancier and harder than it is.</p>
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<blockquote> <p>Anyone can offer a tried and true pie....<<</p> </blockquote>
<br>
<p>Sure. Try Mrs. Smith's frozen natural juice apple pie or Claim Jumpers frozen lattice cherry pie. They never fail me.</p>
<p>HAHA^^^^ I come from a family of somewhat "foodies" - don't think that will cut the grade!</p>
<p>The Hummingbird cake sounds WONDERFUL!</p>
<p>I love all these ideas. Here's what NOT to make (like 'what not to wear') -- the "bunny" cake from the metal bunny form you buy at Williams Sonoma. Yes, it makes a genuine looking bunny, perched on its haunches, with very real looking eggs, but it takes ALL DAY and tastes...not very good. Just trying to save you from this.</p>
<p>I think this year I'm serving stale Hallowe'en candy.</p>
<p>Back when the kids were little I used to make a Bunny Cake. You can make it with any recipe that you would do round cake pans. You assemble it to make it bunny shaped and cover it with coconut flakes. Directions here if you scroll down: Easter</a> Bunny Cake Ideas and How-To Recipes It's easy.</p>
<p>^^^ My kids are no longer little but I still do the stupid bunny cake (the easier one made with two round cake pans from above). I use box mix and canned frosting, do not bother with the coconut, and don't adorn with anything but colored icing. (FWIW, I also do a stupid heart cake for V Day and a flag cake for July 4th that doesn't even require any baking.)</p>
<p>I am probably going to do an Amaretto cheese cake. It is topped with almonds and mandarin oranges. I think cheese cakes are pretty easy, but others don't.</p>
<p>If you want really easy pies, the ones that use instant pudding and cool whip with graham cracker crusts are really easy. Everyone loves them though. I do key lime and chocolate all the time. And when I use the sugar free fat free pudding and the fat free cool whip and reduced fat graham cracker crust, I almost feel virtuous :)</p>
<p>I love this Mandarin Orange Cake - it is absolutely delicious! Very similar to the "Piggy Cake" upthread. </p>
<p>Mandarin</a> Orange Cake I Recipe - Allrecipes.com</p>
<p>And I love the bunny cake. I made that when I was first learning to bake. Maybe I'll make that this year!</p>
<p>Too late to edit my post - but here is the coconut cream pie version in consideration of title of thread. </p>
<p>Mom is making Angel Food cake with a homemade fudge frosting...... mmm mmm... even better- licking the pot when she gets done frosting the cake. Of course, now that DD is old enough, we fight over the pot. :) </p>
<p>On the plus side, the cake is no or low fat.... so you don't feel as bad eating it!</p>