Coconut Easter Nest Dessert Toppers- 3 Easy Ways

What is rolled in sweet vanilla and toasted to golden perfection? One of Easter’s favorite dessert toppers, the classic edible “bird nest.” Always crunchy and aesthetically pleasing, edible bird nests may be created using a variety of ingredients such as chow mein noodles, marshmallows, peanut butter and more! For this particular recipe, I created an edible bird nest using coconut and vanilla extract. Top with egg-shaped candy on your favorite sweet treat for a dessert that will surely be a hit at the annual Easter brunch!

Easy Coconut Easter Nests

WHAT YOU NEED

• 2 Cups Shredded Unsweetened Coconut
• 1 Tsp. Clear Vanilla Extract

WHAT TO DO

• Preheat oven to 325.
• Pour coconut into a small bowl.
• Add clear vanilla extract and mix well.
• Evenly spread out dry shredded coconut onto a small baking sheet.
• Bake 3-5 minutes or until coconut is golden brown.

Pastel Layered Lemon Box Cake

WHAT YOU NEED

• 2 Round Cake Pans
• Electric Mixer
• Rubber Spatula
• 1 Betty Crocker Lemon Box Cake Mix- prepped and baked
• Coconut Nest Topping
• Egg-Shaped Candies

HOMEMADE BUTTERCREAM CAKE FROSTING

• 1 Stick Butter, Room Temperature
• 2 Cups Confectioners Sugar
• 2 Tsp. Clear Vanilla Extract
• 2 Tbs. Milk
• Pastel Food Coloring

WHAT TO DO

1. Once the two round cakes have fully cooled, remove the cake and place on pan.
2. Using dental floss or a knife, cut each cake in half resulting in 4 thin cake layers.
3. Create easy buttercream cake frosting by placing the room temperature stick of butter in an electric mixer and mix for 1 minute.
4. Slowly add the confectioners sugar along with the vanilla extract and milk.
5. Separate vanilla buttercream frosting into 4 small bowls.
6. Using the pastel food dye, apply one color of food dye per bowl and mix thoroughly.
7. Alternate cake and pastel frosting layers until the cake is complete.
8. Top with Easy Coconut Easter Nest and egg-shaped candies.

Sugar Cookie Easter Nests

WHAT YOU NEED

• Easy Sugar Cookie Mix- Prepped and Baked
• …or Store Bought Sugar Cookies
• Coconut Nest Topping
• Egg-Shaped Candies
• Small Plastic Bag
• Homemade Buttercream Frosting

WHAT TO DO

1. Place homemade or store bought sugar cookies onto a baking sheet.
2. Place Buttercream Frosting in a small plastic bag.
3. Use scissors to snip a hole in the corner plastic bag and gently pipe homemade frosting onto the sugar cookie forming a circle within the cookie.
4. Top with Easy Coconut Nest Topping and egg-shaped candies.
5. Enjoy!

Easter Nest In A Jar

WHAT YOU NEED

• Frosted Vanilla Buttercream Cake- crumbled
• Coconut Nest Topping
• Egg-Shaped Candies
• Mini Mason Jars

WHAT TO DO

1. Fill 3/4 of each miniature mason jar with crumbled frosted vanilla buttercream cake.
2. Top with Easy Coconut Nest Topping and egg-shaped candies.
3. Enjoy!

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