Woven Easter Basket Cake

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter and lightly flour a 13x9-inch baking pan. In a medium bowl stir together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

2. In a large bowl beat shortening with a mixer on medium 30 seconds. Add sugar and vanilla; beat on medium 3 to 5 minutes or until light and fluffy. Add egg whites, one at a time, beating after each. Add flour mixture and buttermilk alternately, beating on low after each addition just until combined.

3. Divide batter in half. Stir chocolate pieces and coconut extract into half the batter and 1/3 cup of the cocoa powder into remaining half. Alternately spoon mounds of each batter into prepared pan. Using a table knife, swirl batters together.

4. Bake about 30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool in pan 10 minutes. Remove cake from pan; let cool on a wire rack.

5. Prepare Brown Butter Frosting. Set aside 2 cups of the frosting. Stir remaining 3 tablespoons cocoa into the remaining frosting, adding additional milk (1 to 2 teaspoons) as needed to reach spreading consistency. Place cake on a serving platter. Frost entire cake with plain frosting. Place frosting with cocoa into a pastry bag fitted with a basket-weave decorating tip. Pipe a basket pattern on lower half of cake according to directions. Pipe on a basket handle. Sprinkle coconut at top of basket and around cake on platter. Add decorated Egg Sugar Cookies at top of basket. Makes 12 to 16 servings.

Egg Sugar Cookies

1. In a large bowl beat butter with an electric mixer on medium speed 30 seconds. Add sugar, baking powder, and salt; beat until combined. Beat in eggs and 2 teaspoons vanilla until combined. Beat in as much of the flour as you can; stir in remaining flour. Divide dough in half; wrap each half in plastic wrap. Chill 30 to 60 minutes or until easy to handle.

2. Preheat oven to 375°F. On a lightly floured surface roll a dough half out to 1/4-inch thickness. Using a 2 1/2- to 3-inch egg-shaped cutter, cut out cookies. Arrange 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets. Reroll scraps. Bake 7 minutes or until edges are firm. Remove; cool on a wire rack. Repeat with other dough half.

3. For icing, in a medium bowl combine the powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla. If necessary, add enough milk, 1 teaspoon at a time, to make of glazing consistency. Divide icing among bowls. Tint each with desired food coloring. Dip tops of cookies into glaze, allowing excess to drip off. Set on waxed paper. In a small bowl combine 4 teaspoons vanilla and cocoa powder. Dip a small, clean paint brush into cocoa mixture and flick onto cookies to make spots (if cocoa mixture thickens, add a few drops of water at a time until desired consistency). Allow to stand until set.

Brown Butter Frosting:

In a small saucepan heat 3/4 cup butter over low until melted. Cook until light golden brown. Remove from heat; let cool. In a large mixing bowl combine 6 cups powdered sugar, 4 tablespoons milk, and 2 teaspoons vanilla. Add brown butter. Beat with a mixer on low until combined. Beat on medium to high while adding additional milk 1 teaspoon at a time to reach spreading consistency. Makes 3 cups.

Basket-Weave Eggs:

If desired, place Browned Butter Frosting in a pastry bag fitted with a basketweave tip. Pipe basketweave pattern on 3-inch cookies.