Easter Sunday

So, we had planned to head down to Northern Virginia to go to church with my brother and his family, and then head over to Paul's sister's house to have Easter dinner with her family. But with Izzy being sick, we felt it would be better not to go and we ended up at home, in doors for a majority of the day.

The girl's still being young didn't have a clue that the exciting plans we had made had fallen through and went about their day with their usual naive joy, but I, well I was disappointed. Still being determined to make this Easter feel like Easter, I started the day with bunny and egg shaped pancakes...for the girls of course. Not for me.


Once Izzy was down for her morning nap, Eva and I hard boiled and dyed the 7 eggs I had left in the fridge with the Disney Princess Dye kit she picked out at Target weeks ago. She's been asking daily if it's time to make "princess eggs" so the look of thrill on her face when I told her the day had finally come was more than enough to lift my spirits.

Well, because we had originally planned to be at Lina's for Easter supper, she had asked me to bring the dessert. So I had gone to the store and gotten all the ingredients I would need for a yummy vanilla, lemon, raspberry cake. Even though we had no place to take a yummy dessert, Eva and I made it anyway. It turned out very well and I'll post the recipe below.

We closed the day with a brisk family walk, baths and bed time. We did make sure to thank Jesus for giving us this day. This day that is all about Him and His power and His victory over death and sin.

Maybe we didn't get to celebrate Easter the traditional way of going to church and wearing our Easter dresses and having a big dinner with family, but technically, as Christians we should be celebrating Easter every day. Because His mercies are new EVERY morning (Lamentations 3:22-23).

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Vanilla Lemon Raspberry Cake

Ingredients:

• 1 (18.25-ounce) box white cake mix (recommended: Duncan Hines Moist Deluxe)
• 1 1/3 cups water
• 3 large eggs whites
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 (6-ounce) containers fresh raspberries, cut in half or 1 (16-ounce) container fresh strawberries, coarsely chopped
• 1 cup heavy whipping cream
• 1/2 can of lemon frosting
  
• Confectioners sugar for dusting
  

Using an electric mixer, beat the cake mix, water, egg whites, melted butter and vanilla extract in a large bowl for 2 minutes, or until the batter is well blended. Divide batter evenly into three greased 9 inch round cake pans and bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes.

Using a fork, coarsely mash 1 1/2 containers of raspberries in a medium bowl. Beat the cream in a large bowl until firm peaks form. Fold the lemon frosting into the cream and then fold the mashed raspberries into the cream/frosting mixture.

Once the cakes have baked and cooled, release them from the cake pans and trim the top off of two of the layers until even. Spoon the cream/frosting mixture onto one of the trimmed layers leaving 1/2 of an inch of cake around the edge. Stack the second trimmed layer on top and do the same. Finally, place the 3rd layer of cake (untrimmed) on top and dust with powdered sugar. Use the remaining half of container of raspberries as garnish and enjoy!