Now that springtime is here, we start seeing daffodils, Easter baskets, and rabbits everywhere we go. So I thought it would be the perfect time to share two of my own unique creations: Velveteen Rabbit Cupcakes and Bunny Money. They’re sure to get your family hopping…for more!

The Velveteen Rabbit Cupcake was inspired by a dear friend who had a daughter with an allergy to red food dye. She couldn’t enjoy Red Velvet cake, and I thought, why not just leave out the unnecessary red coloring? But then, I decided, why stop there? Why not make it even better, by adding some shredded carrots, toasted coconut, and pecans? Keep the yummy cream cheese frosting, but give it a really cute name. Since it’s a cousin to Red Velvet, contains carrots, and it has a nice, light brown color, I christened it the Velveteen Rabbit. It has quickly become a family favorite and I’m sure your family will enjoy it, too!

Velveteen Rabbit Cupcakes

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 ¼ tsp baking soda

1 ¼ tsp salt

1 tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder

1 ½ cup vegetable oil

2 ¼ cup sugar

1 ¼ cup buttermilk

3 eggs

1 ½ tsp apple cider vinegar

2 tsp vanilla

2/3 cup shredded carrots

2/3 cup sweetened coconut, toasted

2/3 cup chopped toasted pecans

(frosting)

1 ½ lbs cream cheese, room temp.

1 lb unsalted butter, room temp.

2 lbs powdered sugar

1 tbsp vanilla

Preheat oven to 350°. Whisk flour, baking soda, salt, and cocoa powder together in a bowl and set aside. In a mixer bowl, add the oil, sugar, buttermilk, eggs, vinegar, and vanilla and mix well with a paddle attachment. Mix in the dry ingredients just until combined. Mix in the carrots, coconut, and pecans. Fill cupcake lines 2/3 full and bake for about 20 to 25 minutes or until done. Remove to rack to cool. Makes about 30 cupcakes.

For the frosting, mix your butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla together well. Add the softened cream cheese until well combined. Pipe onto cooled cupcakes. Garnish with a few chopped toasted pecans.

Bunny Money

This one is so simple, you don’t really need a recipe….but here’s one, anyway! Adjust the amounts to fit the size of your family. This one will serve two hungry people, or four who only want a small side serving. To give you an idea of proportions:

1 ½ cups of cut carrots, cut into 1/8^th of an inch rounds

½ tsp salt

2 tablespoons of butter

2 tablespoons of brown sugar

2 tablespoons orange juice

1 tablespoon fresh minced parsley

Sauté the carrots with the butter and salt in a skillet on medium heat, until slightly softened, around 5 minutes. You don’t want the carrots ‘mushy’! Sprinkle in the brown sugar and stir in. Deglaze the pan by pouring in the orange juice, scraping up all the goodies from the bottom of the skillet. Stir in the parsley and promptly remove from the heat and serve. It’s a great way to get reluctant kids to eat their veggies…and big people like it, too!

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