If you haven't found out by now, I love breakfast foods any time of the day and I enjoy dreaming up new "breakfast" items almost as much as I enjoy consuming them.

Now, if you have been paying attention, you'll notice that because I was too hungry to take a picture of my pancake batter before cooking it, I am borrowing this submerged ladle picture from this previous pancake post.

Having been living in New York now for eight months and most of the time dealing with the dreary weather I was warned about (although, to be completely fair to my new state, it was a very mild winter), I found myself wishing I was in a tropical setting digging my feet into wet sand (not the type that ends up in my coffee, see below) and slurping something slushy and delicious preferably with alcohol to ease my winter woes. My favorite of the slushy alcoholic substances? Pina Coladas, and not just because there's a catchy song to sing while drinking one. 

If I had had some heavy whipping cream handy and some "whipped cream" flavored rum, I would have thrown together a satisfying topping for my pancakes. Nevertheless, these turned out pretty scrumptious and I didn't have to clean up any wandering sand. 

Jump to the next page for my recipe!

To be completely honest, no one--before now--in my family or network of friends who has tried this cake has EVER called it by this name. 

I made it up for the purposes of this post because Mom always makes this cake on Easter, and the occasional birthday when I request it because it's my favorite of the family cake recipes. 

Resurrection cake has the best elements: spongy, Springtime-esque yellow cake, a custard-like filling, a layer of fruit, a light whipped topping, and the best way to finish off any dessert: coconut. Pastel M&M candies have been added for a "nest" effect on top of the cake because of Easter, but do not be fooled, this is not nor has it ever been a chocolate-based cake. 

This cake is light and refreshing and even good for the day-after-Easter breakfast; I am biased because I already mentioned it's a favorite, so try it for yourself.

Reminiscent of a pina colada sans alcohol (just like these beauties), this cake is just the thing to trick a very full holiday stomach into thinking it can come out of retirement and eat a couple more bites...a resurrection of the stomach, if you will.

Read on for the recipe...

This is no April Fool's joke. The Easter bunnies came to me via a picture of my adorable nieces; it's safe to say there's no cuter way to wear a fuzzy tail!

Having been raised Catholic, I was taught to appreciate the sacrifice that Easter represents; but as a kid, Easter also meant that I got a week off of school, a day of skiing with my family in Lake Tahoe, and the chance to eat as many chocolates as I could unwrap before being sent back to school. 

Easter also represents rebirth through the dead of winter into spring. Unfortunately it's still rainy and cloudy here in New York but I am told that the sun is shining two-fold for me back home in California. 

As an excuse to get together, eat too much food, and feel comforted by the love around you; most people celebrate occasions with an abundance of food. Although it was my first Easter living on the opposite coast away from my family and many friends, it didn't stop me from making a feast and inviting my friend A and her roommate J over for a bottle (or two) of wine and some lovely conversation...as well as shoving them out the door, happy, full, and bogged down with leftovers. I made the traditional spiral sliced ham with a honey and stone ground mustard glaze, mashed potatoes, garlic mushrooms, creme de cauliflower (a favorite creamy cauliflower with crunchy cracker topping, I just made up that name), and my friend A made a salad and J brought dinner rolls. I also made my favorite cake that my mother always makes on Easter, it's light, fruity, custardy, and satisfying without being dense and pant-button busting, as it's usually the last course of the day. 

As a new treat, I wanted to make a simple appetizer that my guests could nosh on (already picking up the NYC colloquialisms) while grabbing a drink and catching me up on their lives while I cooked. Since I love mozzarella but can't stand tomatoes (it's a texture issue) I wanted to make something easy like a Caprese salad on a stick, but I also wanted to enjoy it. Instead, I fell back on meat...I had given it up for Lent and it seemed the best time to bring it back into my menu.

I have included the appetizer recipe below; see Feaster #2 for the cake recipe. 

Enjoy!