One of the more endearing memories I have, when my kids were younger, was decorating our Easter dessert. We have done some different desserts. One year we made flower cookies another year we made this bunny made of carrot cake. (See below) The best thing about making a recipe is that after you make it you can then eat it. Last year, this carrot cake bunny cake was a huge success.
This year I wanted to do a cake that was gluten-free and dairy-free. Years ago I heard of people using unsweetened applesauce in place of butter so I figured I would try it. With the pineapple and the maraschino cherries, it would just add to the moistness of the cake. Here's how I made this cute GF DF Teddy Bear Easter Egg Hunt Cake Recipe. Be sure to read the notes in the ingredients area also.
Ingredients:
One box Betty Crocker Gluten Free Vanilla Yellow Cake
⅔ cup water
2 teaspoon Gluten-Free vanilla
3 eggs
½ cup of unsweetened apple sauce
One can of chopped pineapples
½ can of maraschino cherries - chopped if you want
½ cup of unsweetened apple sauce
Cake Top Ingredients:
One extra-large container of vanilla whipped icing - Look for Gluten Free Dairy Free type of you are staying away from both.
One container of green sprinkles or colored sugar (only use enough to cover the area you want to be grass)
One small container of yellow sprinkles or colored sugar (only use to cover the area you want to be yellow)
One container of white colored sugar crystals (only use enough cover the edge of the baking pan)
¼ cup of fine coconut flakes
One green cookie icing - cut open and mixed with coconut to make the bushes
9-12 small teddy bear cookies (Look for Gluten free, dairy free)
Pearl candy to represent the Easter eggs on the cake
14 toothpicks
14 mini flag labels (I used decorative Post-it mini flag
Double stick tape (if needed)
Instructions:
Make the cake as instructed on the back of the box. Instead of using butter, replace with ½ cup of unsweetened apple sauce. Make the cake according to the packaging.
Let the cake completely cool.
Then add the vanilla icing. Add the green and yellow crystals or sprinkles anyway you wish. Then use the white crystals around the edges using a spoon for more control.
In a small bowl, mix the coconut and the cookie icing till the coconut is green. With a small spoon, scoop out a little bit and add it to the top of the green or yellow areas of the cake.
Make the signs for the cake. Write one letter on each flag. H A P P Y E A S T E R. Make two flags that say Happy Easter on them. And fold the flat side around the toothpick (use double-stick tape to help it stick).
Add the teddy bears and the "eggs" to the top of the sprinkles.
Here's the final picture of the cake. I was experimenting with the yellow. You can make a more narrow path if you want.
Here's a printable for you to take with you to the grocery store.
Save to BigOven 
Ingredients
- One box Betty Crocker Gluten Free Vanilla Yellow Cake
- ⅔ cup water
- 2 teaspoon Gluten-Free vanilla
- 3 eggs
- ½ cup of unsweetened apple sauce
- One can of chopped pineapples
- ½ can of maraschino cherries - chopped if you want
- ½ cup of unsweetened apple sauce
- Cake Top Ingredients:
- One extra large container of vanilla whipped icing - Look for Gluten Free Dairy Free type of you are staying away from both.
- One container of green sprinkles or colored sugar (only use enough to cover the area you want to be grass)
- One small container of yellow sprinkles or colored sugar (only used to cover the area you want to be yellow)
- One container of white-colored sugar crystals (only use enough to cover the edge of the baking pan)
- ¼ cup of fine coconut flakes
- One green cookie icing - cut open and mixed with coconut to make the bushes
- 9-12 small teddy bear cookies (Look for Gluten-free, dairy-free)
- Pearl candy to represent the Easter eggs on the cake
Instructions
- Make the cake as instructed on the back of the box. Instead of using butter, replace with ½ cup of unsweetened apple sauce. Make the cake according to the packaging.
- Let the cake completely cool.
- Then add the vanilla icing. Add the green and yellow crystals or sprinkles anyway you wish. Then use the white crystals around the edges using a spoon for more control.
- In a small bowl, mix the coconut and the cookie icing till the coconut is green. With a small spoon, scoop out a little bit and add it to the top of the green or yellow areas of the cake.
- Make the signs for the cake. Write one letter on each flag. H A P P Y E A S T E R. Make two flags that say Happy Easter on them. And fold the flat side around the toothpick (use double-stick tape to help it stick).
- Add the teddy bears and the "eggs" to the top of the sprinkles.
Notes
Additional things you will need:
14 toothpicks
14 mini flag labels (I used decorative Post-it mini flags.)
Double stick tape (if needed)
