You will need:

Edibles:

Equipment:

• 18cm (7 in) round sponge cake
• chocolate buttercream
• 1 teaspoon CMC / gum tragacanth or similar
• 500g (1lb 2oz) brown sugarpaste
• 350g (10oz) green sugarpaste
• 250g (8oz) grey sugarpaste
• 75g (3oz) pink sugarpaste
• 100g (3 1/2 oz) yellow sugarpaste
• 15g (1/2oz) orange sugarpaste
• 15g (1/2oz) white sugarpaste
• tiny bit of black and blue sugarpaste
• 1 strand raw uncooked spaghetti
• Superwhite *
• chocolate eggs or decorations to fill the basket
• *If you don’t have any Superwhite, use tiny sugarpaste dots to create the highlights on the eyes instead

• 30cm (12in) round cake board
• Small sharp non serrated knife
• carving knife
• palette knife
• 2 cocktail sticks
• paintbrush
• tin can
• cling film
• ball tool
• small scissors
• rolling pin

1

Knead a good heavy pinch of CMC into 60g (2oz) brown sugarpaste. Roll it into two strings about 28cm (11in) long. Paint a light line of water down the length of one string then twist the two sections together to. Cut the twisted string in half. Gently insert half a cocktail stick into each end of each handle and drape over a tin can to firm up.

2

Carve a slope into the side of the cake to create the basket shape. Split the cake and fill with buttercream, Reassemble the cake. Place it off-centre on the board and cover the top and sides with chocolate buttercream.

3

Moisten the exposed board around the cake with a little water. Thinly roll out the green sugarpaste into a wide strip. Lay this around the base of the cake. Don’t worry if you need to use more than one section simply hide any blemishes with flowers later. Trim and neaten the edges.

4

To cover the basket, take 100g (3 1/2oz) brown sugarpaste and roll into two long strings about 45cm (18in) long. Paint a light line of water along the length of one string then twist the two together to form a rope. Lay around the base of the cake with the join at the back. Repeat with a second rope and lay on top of the first. Continue with 4 or 5 layers until you have built up the sides your basket.

5

To make the bunny’s body, mould 150g (5oz) grey sugarpaste into a sort of boot shape. Poke a short length of spaghetti into the body to help support the head. Use 60g (2oz) grey sugarpaste to make a head. Press two oval eye sockets into the head with a ball tool.

6

Use tiny white, blue and black sugarpaste ovals to create the eyes. Paint two white dots with Superwhite for the hightlights. Add a pink ball for the nose. Stick the head in place and place the bunny in position on the board. Add a tiny white sugarpaste ball for the tail. Poke a hollow with the end of a paintbrush for the mouth.

7

To make an ear, Roll 15g (1/2oz)grey into a sausage shape then flatten it. Repeat with 10g (1/3oz ) pink then stick the two together. Stick against the head so it drapes down the side of the body. Repeat with a second ear.

8

To make a chick, roll 15g (1/2 oz) yellow into a ball for the body. Make a second smaller 5g (1/8oz)ball for the head and stick the two together. Make two small snips into the side of the body to create the chick’s wings.

9

Add two tiny white ball shapes for the eyes and stick two tiny black disks on top. Paint two tiny white dots as highlights with Superwhite. Make a tiny orange sugarpaste square for the beak. Fold it in half diagonally and stick on the face. Finish with a tiny yellow sugarpaste string squiggle on the top of his head. Make another two chicks and stick in place.

10

Roll out the remaining pink sugarpaste and cut out 5 or 6 flower shapes. Stick these around the board and stick a small flattened yellow ball in the centre of each one.

11

Place the handles in place in the cake. They should just lean over the edge of the basket. Fill the top of the basket with eggs.