Happy Easter / Joyeuses Pâques to all my Peeps!

Non, I did not create this Peep Eiffel.  I am a total idiot when it comes to crafty ideas.  I just stay in the kitchen.  This is Arizona Tammy's Easter hommage to La Tour Eiffel, created out of Bunny Peeps.  For those not in the U.S. or who have been living under a rock, Peeps are a marshmallow concoction with their own webpage.  I rarely buy them.  But  Arizona Tammy bought enough for both of us, n'est-ce pas?


Fun Facts about Peeps (from Son #1 via Yahoo via Good Housekeeping/Shine Food)

1.  In 1953, they made each Peep by hand and it took 27 hours to make each one.
2.  It now takes 6 minutes to make a Peep.
3.  4.2 million Peeps are produced each day.
4.  Each Peep Chick has 28 calories.
5.  3500 candy eyes are produced in 1 minute.
6.  The record for most Peeps eaten in 30 seconds is 25 by Takeru Kobayashi in 2012.


As for moi, I have been looking at all the fun Facebook posts-- from Nutella

 to the new bells at Notre Dame Cathedral who celebrates her 850th birthday this year (from Bonjour Paris)

to a Peep line-up at the Montgomery County Police department

to Virginia Jones' picture of a chocolate Tour Eiffel

to Mme P's oeufs de Pâques. (note the American touches-- baseball and football!)

Son #1 is home for the weekend.  We have taken him to downtown Durham every day that he has been here- from Lily's Pizza at Brightleaf Square to Alivia's to the farmer's market to Bull City Burger and Brewery's Hands on the Bull contest (I was a judge!).  Son #2 went to Florida for spring break and now is back in Knoxville.  The Easter Bunny (and his mommy) miss him.  The Easter Bunny brought a little bit of chocolate to our house.  (There is a secret stash of Cadbury Creme Eggs waiting for Mme P's arrival!  Ne t'inquiète pas, mon amie!)

I got up before anyone else (other than the cats) and turned on Mozart's Requiem in D Minor, dragged Mildred the Mixer out of her hiding place, and started measuring and mixing.

Cinnamon Roll Swirl Cake
from Cheryl at The Pampered Chef

For the batter:
3 c. flour
1/4 tsp. salt
1 c. sugar
4 tsp. baking powder
1 1/2 c. milk
2 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
1/2 c. butter, melted

For the topping:
1 c. butter, soft to the point of almost melted
1 c. brown sugar
2 Tbsp. flour
2 Tbsp. cinnamon

For the glaze:
2 c. powdered sugar
5 Tbsp. milk
1 tsp. vanilla

Preheat oven to 350˚F.
In a large bowl, mix all the batter ingredients together except for the butter.  Once mixed, slowly pour in the butter.  Pour into a greased 9x13-inch pan.

For the topping, mix all the ingredients together until well-combined.  Drop evenly over the batter and swirl with a knife.  Bake for 30-40 minutes or until cake tests done.

Remove from oven.  While the cake is still warm, drizzle the glaze over the cake.

Bon appétit and Happy Easter Bunnies to all!