Easter is a time for indulging in delicious treats and spending quality time with loved ones.

These Easter Bunny carrot cupcakes are the perfect way to do both.

So get creative in the kitchen this Easter, with cupcakes that every-bunny of all ages can help with.

Easter Bunny carrot  cupcakes. Photo: SALife

Preparation time 45 minutes
Cooking time 30 minutes
Serves 12

1 ½ cups self-raising flour
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 cup light brown sugar
2/3 cup desiccated coconut
2 cups grated carrot
1 cup fresh pineapple, chopped into ½ cm pieces
½ cup canola oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 large eggs, lightly beaten

Cream cheese icing
100g low-fat cream cheese, softened
30g unsalted butter, softened
½ teaspoon lemon zest
1 ½ cups icing sugar

Decorations
1 cup shredded coconut
24 lolly bananas
24 purple jelly tots
12 white marshmallows
12 red jelly tots
1 roll licorice, cut into 2cm long whiskers along the lines
24 peppermint Tic Tacs

Preheat oven to 180C (160C fan-forced) and line a 12-hole standard muffin tray with paper cases.

In a large mixing bowl combine flour, cinnamon, sugar and coconut, stirring until well combined. Add carrot and pineapple, stirring until well combined.

In a medium-sized jug, combine oil, eggs and vanilla together, whisking until well combined. Pour over the carrot mixture, stirring until well combined. Divide mixture evenly into prepared pan. Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes. Allow cakes to cool in the tin for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

While the cake is cooking, mix the cream cheese and butter together with an electric mixer, until smooth. Then add lemon zest and icing sugar and mix until well combined. Chill in the fridge until cakes have cooled and then ice with ¾ of the icing.

To decorate the cakes, place coconut in a small bowl and dip each cake, until well coated. Using the remaining icing, stick 2 bananas for ears, 2 purple jelly tots for eyes, 1 marshmallow halved for cheeks (cut side up), 1 red jelly tot for the nose, 6 licorice strips for whiskers and 2 Tic Tacs for the teeth on each cake.

– first published in SA Life