CANDY EASTER EGGS RECIPES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325º and grease an 8" or 9" springform pan with cooking spray. Wrap bottom of pan with aluminum foil and place on a baking sheet. Make cheesecake filling: In a large bowl using a hand mixer or in a stand mixer using the paddle attachment, beat cream cheese and sugar. Add eggs, one at a time, then sour cream, flour, peppermint extract, and salt. Gently fold in crushed candy canes. Make crust: In a large bowl, mix together graham cracker crumbs, melted butter, sugar, and salt. Press mixture into prepared pan. Pour filling over crust. Bake until center of cheesecake only slightly jiggles, about 1 hour 30 minutes. (If you want to bake the cheesecake in a water bath, wrap bottom of pan and place in a deep baking pan. Pour in enough boiling water to come up halfway in the baking pan.) Turn off heat, prop open oven door, and let cheesecake cool in oven, 1 hour, then remove aluminum foil and refrigerate cheesecake in pan until firm, at least 5 hours and up to overnight. Add whipped cream along the border of cheesecake and sprinkle with crushed candy canes.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour three 8 or 9 inch round cake pans.
• Blend the cake mix, pudding mix, water, eggs and oil in a large mixing bowl. Beat at medium speed for 4 minutes. Stir in 2 cups of the coconut and the chopped walnuts. Pour the batter into the prepared pans.
• Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 35 minutes. Let cakes cool in pans for 15 minutes then remove and finish cooling on rack.
• To Make Frosting: Melt the butter or margarine in a skillet. Add the 2 cups flaked coconut and stir constantly over low heat until golden brown. Spread coconut on absorbent paper to cool.
• Cream the remaining 2 tablespoons butter or margarine with the cream cheese. Add the milk and confectioners' sugar alternately, beating well. Add the vanilla and stir in 1 3/4 cups of the toasted coconut.
• To Assemble Cake: Spread tops of cooled cake layers with some of the frosting. Stack them and then frost the sides of the cake. Sprinkle Cake with the remaining toasted coconut.