eat your heart out martha stewart

This is my first time spending Easter away from home, and I wanted to bring a little of my family's traditions to my soon-to-be in-laws (I can't help but think of George Banks in 'Father of the Bride' when I say this word:

"You know, that's another thing.
I hate that expression: in-laws. What does it mean anyway? We're legally bound to these people? I don't wanna be 'in-lawed,' especially to people who live in Bel-Air."

Of course, I have quite the opposite feeling about my future in-laws...but in my mind that will always be the scene tied to the phrase.)
Anyway, back to the point. Every year for Easter, since my dad was little, my grandmother would make a bunny cake (pretty self-explanatory: cake shaped like the Easter bunny.) Last Easter was our first one without her, but we vowed to carry on the bunny cake tradition. So, not being at home this year, I wanted to keep things going and bring a cake for everyone to enjoy after Easter lunch. I thought it would all be so simple. Gather ingredients, bake, and assemble. I quickly realized that, of course, things would not be so easy. After the cake refused to stay in one piece and chunks of it were sticking to my hands, I had to resort to using not one but two giant tubs of frosting and dump copious amounts of coconut which, I've discovered, covers a multitude of baking sins, on top to cover up what looked like an Easter bunny who just got out of a street fight. Despite my struggle with Betty Crocker and her "Moist Deluxe" cake mix (maybe I should just buy plain old "Moist" next time?) I think the cake turned out pretty well. That's not to say I won't be holding my breath when we cut into it, hoping it doesn't fall to pieces all over the carefully-dyed coconut grass and jellybean Easter eggs.