Easter is a very important holiday to us girls at Social Graces. It’s much bigger than easter eggs and candy (although we still love our eggs & candy!). We pray that this Easter season is a time of celebration in your life as well.
I came across a beautiful, airy Easter Picnic that Melissa from Ever So Pretty Events featured on Hostess with the Mostess. I had to share! To read about the details, click here.
Have a blessed Easter weekend!
Cindy from Skip to My Lou is offering a free download for Easter cupcake toppers. Such a cute way to had a little extra Easter cheer to this coming weekend!
Click here to download the printable and click here for further instructions.
Today’s post comes from a recipe on Tasty Kitchen. It’s a great way to start this beautiful Easter Weekend. We hope everyone enjoys time with their family.
Pupa con l’uova “Italian Easter Bread”
This bread is traditionally braided and shaped to look like a wreath and bright and beautiful decorated eggs are nestled in the dough. This bread is served on Easter Sunday . The eggs represent life, fertility and rebirth, and the ring shape represents the crown of thorns.
Buona Pasqua *Happy Easter*
Image found here
The Easter eggs do not need to be hard boiled. They will cook when the bread bakes. I usually dye the eggs right out of the refrigerator. Just be careful not to crack them when dying them!
In a large mixing bowl combine the yeast, warm milk (not hot), salt, softened butter, eggs and sugar. Add 1/2 of the flour(2 cups) and with your dough hook beat until smooth.
Slowly add in the remaining flour and beat until its forms a stiff dough. Don’t worry how much flour you add in extra, add in flour until you have a smooth and not sticky dough.
Knead dough for about 10 minutes either with your dough hook or on a lightly floured dough board. Place dough into a greased bowl, cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about an hour.
Punch dough down, divide into 12 pieces. Roll each piece to form a 1 inch thick rope about 14 inches long. Take two of the ropes and twist to form a braid, pinch the ends together, and loop it into a circle, or wreath, pinch ends together and tuck a bit under to secure the end. *If you prefer you can make your dough into 2 large rings instead of six small*. If you do decide to make them large,each large ring gets 3 Easter eggs .
Place dough rings on a greased baking sheet, cover and let rise until doubled, about an hour. Brush each bread with the beaten egg wash, sprinkle the candy over each one. Make an indentation in the middle of each ring and gently place a colored egg into each one. Bake at 350 degrees F until golden, about 20-25 minutes. Cool on rack.
Hostess with the Mostess posted a super fun and colorful kid’s Easter party by Wants & Wishes Design last week. We LOVED it! Our favorite part? The awesome carrot-filled vase that acts as a centerpiece for the dessert table. This design definitely screams “spring!!”
To learn how to make these fabulous edible easter baskets, click here.
These are perfect for your upcoming Easter party. If your family is anything like mine you have kids running all over the place at Easter, here is something they can put their egg in from the egg hunt or their favorite candy. It’s perfect!
Image by How About Orange
To watch an instructional video on how to fold these little bunnies, click here.
Jen, from Sweet Little Details has given us TWO wonderful Easter treats and we just had to share them both. These treats are so delicious and perfect for your Easter gathering.
Carrot Cake Cupcakes
Image by Jen Campbell
Carrot Cakes
4 eggs
1 1/4 cups vegetable oil
2 cups white sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
3 cups grated carrots
1 cup chopped pecans
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Line 30 muffin cups with paper liners.
In a large bowl, beat together eggs, oil, white sugar and 2 teaspoons vanilla. Mix in flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Stir in carrots. Fold in pecans. Pour into prepared muffin pan.
Bake in the preheated oven for 20 to 23 minutes, or until the center is set. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack and cool completely.
Cream Cheese Frosting
2 8 oz packages cream cheese, softened
1 cup butter, softened
2 pounds confectioners sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
Cream together cream cheese and butter. Beat in vanilla. On low speed, add confectioners sugar a little at a time. Once all sugar has been added increase to medium speed until frosting is creamy.
Using a pastry bag and a 1 M tip, frost cupcakes and garnish with finely chopped pecans.
The main thing I love about Spring and Summer is all the fresh fruit. It just makes the dead of heat go away. Our lovely friend, Jen over at Sweet Little Details has released the perfect Easter treat. Check out her Lemon Cream Cupcakes.
Image by Jen Campbell
Recipe from AllRecipes.com.
Lemon Cream Cupcakes
3 cups self-rising flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 cups white sugar
4 eggs, at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons lemon zest
1 cup whole milk, divided
2 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, divided
Lemon Cream Icing
2 cups chilled heavy cream
3/4 cup confectioners’ sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line 30 cupcake pan cups with paper liners.
Sift the self-rising flour and salt together in a bowl. In another bowl, beat the unsalted butter and sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, beating each egg until incorporated before adding the next. Mix in the vanilla extract and lemon zest.
Gently beat the flour mixture into the butter mixture, one third at a time, alternating with half the milk and half the lemon juice after each of the first 2 additions of flour. Beat until just combined; do not over mix.
Fill the prepared cupcake liners with batter 3/4 full, and bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 17 minutes. Let the cupcakes cool in the pans for about 10 minutes before removing them to finish cooling on a rack.
To make the icing, beat the cream in a chilled bowl with an electric mixer set on Low until the cream begins to thicken. Add the confectioners’ sugar and lemon juice, a little at a time, beating after each addition, until fully incorporated. Increase the mixer speed to High, and beat until the icing forms soft peaks, about 5 minutes. Spread on the cooled cupcakes. Refrigerate leftovers.
