Easter part deux.

Both cakes fit in the pie carrier basket. It was such a satisfying experience, plopping them in and toting them all cozy to the belated Easter Family event Sunday. It was actually thrilling. I realized I could fit 2 pies or 1 double layer or a cake and a pie, or 2 single layer cakes. So awesome.

I used this recipe for the upside down pineapple cake but added of 1/4 tsp of ground cardamom and a bit of almond extract and it was lovely. The chocolate ganache cake was a shocking success. It's from Ina's Parties book,(the exact recipe is here) and I was doubtful because it looked WAY too easy and it's main ingredient was an entire can of Hersey's syrup. It seemed too weird, so I had to try it. The cake itself was not all that chocolate-y, Hersey's syrup not being the pinnacle of chocolate flavor in my book, but the super easy chocolate ganache on top made it unreal. The whole cake seems so 1980s to me, (it even has gold leaf as a garnish in the book) and it was so gooooooooood, I will definately make it again.

Okay, I know these look a bit messy and perhaps even unappetizing, but it's only because I couldn't stop messing them up as I ate them. Made not by me, but by my aunt, they are a Henniger family tradition, (as is the fiercely competitive Easter egg contest that has been going since 1970 and deserves its own book, I'd say, full of family lore and craziness) never in my life has an Easter come without these deviled eggs garnished with the olive bunnies. The way Grandma (Grammie's mom) did it was with olives with the pits still in them, sliced long-wise, and the ears stuck on some how, but these did the trick and were easier to eat without the pit. I need to document these here because I can't stress enough the importance they have to me.

Grandma was big on garnishing and having fun with food. In an odd ironic, sly, way. Not in a goofy way. Hard to explain really. . .and my family does their best to carry on the tradition. I don't know if we will ever make a rat shaped meatloaf however, I don't know if we are that cool. Perhaps one day. Grandma's holiday was Easter, and we miss her so, it warms my heart that the craziness continues.

And good god, I just read about the tragedy at Virginia Tech. Ugh. my heart goes out to all those families.

Comments

[Sara Wright]

Love the bunny eggs! The tradition that goes with them makes it even better.

[Mama Urchin]

Family traditions are the best part of holidays, don't you think.

[Stitchy Fingers]

It's nice having food traditions. The only Easter one I've been doing is making hot cross buns because they don't have them here. I've never eaten or made deviled eggs. Are they hard to do?

[Rhonda]

I just printed out the recipe for the ganache cake...my mouth watered just at the thought of it! One more chocolate treat to feed my addiction! =] And those eggs w/ the bunnies are too darn cute.

[kelly]

oh, your cake looks so yummy - nothing quite like beautiful, caramelized pineapple! and, although I dislike olives, those bunnies are adorable - what a great tradition!

[Megan]

I love deviled eggs, but I've never had them with black olives. I'm going to have to try that!

[tiffany]

Olive bunnies??? That is going the extra mile!! We love the deviled eggs at our Easter supper as well. Fun post!

[theflyingmum]

hey, I posted how to dye some gorgeous eggs here, if the Easter egg contest has anything to do with really cool decorated eggs...
And your husband was right, Ask a Ninja is pretty stinkin' funny!

[theflyingmum]

hmm, that link didn't work, try this:
http://theflyingmum.blogspot.com/2007/03/save-your-skins.html

[Tina]

I love the pie carrier basket!
I had a recipe for deviled eggs that included coconut, now I have to look for it.....

[Natalie]

Came by and enjoyed my visit. You have a lot of nice things to share... thank you.

[Kay Gardiner]

Easter is the best. I consider the pineapple upside down cake to be HIGHLY unorthodox Easter fare. For me it's lemon meringue pie. Because it goes so well after ham you know. But then so does pineapple so perhaps you're onto something.

Olive bunnies outrageous. Hope I think of something half as clever to be remembered by. xox Kay

[Grammie]

The cardamom MADE that pineapple cake. Great addition. And as for the legacy of food garnishing, Mom was smiling down on us, and no doubt complaining about having never won the egg contest.

[africankelli]

I am seriously loving that picnic basket. It is Longaberger? Lovely!
And those eggs look mighty yummy to me.

[Jessica]

How wonderful to document your family traditions! I love the eggs!

[kate Shuttleworth]

mmmm pineapple

[Zélia]

Uau! i can't believe my mom makes that pine apple cake.... and we live in Portugal:)
yay!

[wren]

Rat shaped meatloaf - that's brilliant. Your Grandma sounds amazing.

[Kathie]

I have that pie carrier basket and it's a bit of a family heirloom. My dad bought it for my mother for Christmas one year and wrote our family name inside it.

My folks have been gone a long time and now the basket is mine. I get a thrill each time I make something and carry it in the basket with my maiden name written inside.

[Beth]

Our family makes black olive bunnies in a different way. We slice a small oval from one side of the olive, cutting from stem end to hole where the pit was removed, being careful not to cut through the pit hole or stem dimple. The dimple becomes the bunny nose. We then cut the slice we removed into bunny ear shape, cut a gash cross-wise just behind the dimple end of the olive and insert the ears. A small floret of cauliflower is inserted into the pit removal hole as a "cotton" tail. The bunny then rests on the side that we removed for the ears. Not sure this makes sense, no photo capabilities here, sorry, if you could see picture it would make sense immediately.

[Juno888]

It looks so delicious..Wanna try cooking one..Thanks for the recipe..=)