tasty tuesday: Easter egg bird's nest cupcakes (with toasted coconut nests!)

Is it just me?  Or is Easter supremely early this year?

I can't believe it's just around the corner!  And that means that school is done for me....potentially forever!  Which is both scary and exciting!

Back to the food.  I was inspired by Martha Stewart's version of bird nest cupcakes...and put my own spin on it.  There's cake, toasted coconut, and chocolate.  'Nuff said.

Easter Egg Bird's Nest Cupcakes

Materials:
-cupcakes (doesn't matter what kind....chocolate, mocha, vanilla, brown sugar, etc.)
-icing (again, it doesn't matter! whatever suits your fancy. here's the recipe for our classic buttercream) *your icing should also be pretty soft so that the coconut will stick!
-shredded coconut
-mini eggs

Directions:
Bake your cupcakes and let them cool completely.  Also get your icing ready to go!
Then, place your shredded coconut onto a baking sheet, and bake at 350 degrees for about 8 minutes (or until nice and golden!).  While your coconut is cooling, ice your cupcakes and top them with your mini eggs.  Finally, sprinkle/press the toasted coconut onto the remaining icing, forming the nest.

{next time I'll probably pipe a small amount of icing in a circle around the mini eggs in order to build up the "nest" around them...but either way looks great!}

I also chose to make a few of these cupcakes without the coconut since I know that not everyone's a fan, and they still look cute!

 For me Easter means much more than the Easter bunny and chocolate eggs, but it's still fun to participate in a bit of the frivolity of the season!

p.s. ♥ kelsey