CAKE:

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
2 cups sugar
4 large eggs
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
3/4 cup buttermilk
1/4 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
1 tbsp. fresh grated lemon peel

Preheat oven to 350°F. Generously grease a Bundt pan.

In a large bowl beat butter until light and fluffy. Add sugar, beating until combined. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing after each addition. Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together to combine. Add lemon juice to buttermilk. Beginning and ending with the dry ingredients, alternately add dry and buttermilk mixtures to the butter mixture, beating well after each addition. Stir in lemon peel. Pour into prepared pan.

Bake at 350°F for 50 minutes to 1 hour, or until cake begins to pull away from side of pan and toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Let cool 10 minutes on cake rack. Turn out onto cake rack and let cool completely.

ICING:

1 (1 lb.) box confectioners' sugar
1/4 cup lemon juice, milk or water

Mix confectioners' sugar and lemon juice to combine. Ice upside-down cake with icing and let dry.

GRASS:

2 cups sweetened shredded coconut
a couple drops green food coloring

Mix coconut and green food color to combine. Top cake with coconut, making the edge a little higher.

HANDLE:

aluminum foil
long ribbon and bow

Fold an 18-inch long piece of aluminum foil lengthwise four times. Secure a ribbon at one end of the foil and wrap to cover. Shape covered foil into long handle. Insert ends of handle about 1/4-inch from the edge of the cake. Add a bow. Top coconut with Easter candies of your choice.

Submitted by: Brandi Levi