As much as I make fun of the Jewish holidays, this week I remembered that matzah with butter is one of the greatest late night snacks in the history of late night snacks. Just don't eat too much— that shit is BINDING. Pun intended.

Also, as predicted, I broke Passover prematurely and completely by accident.

I'd been very good about staying away from leavened-bread-type-objects and then yesterday during a momentary brain malfunction, I ate a chicken sandwich for lunch. I continued my day, came home, ate Seder leftovers for dinner and then finally, at about 9pm, I was like— Oh wait…. oops.

So… since I messed up that whole keeping kosher thing, I'm gonna go back to talking about all things Easter.

One of my very best friends owns a very popular creperie/bakery/bar in Providence, Rhode Island called The Duck & Bunny. With that name, you might imagine they are open for Easter Sunday only, but no, they are open all year round. 

My friend's name is Jessica and she's owned The Duck & Bunny with her husband, Dan, ever since they fled NYC once everyone around them started having babies.

FUN FACT: Every crepe on the menu is named after one of their friends' kids. The Mazzy Star (portobello, fontina with rosemary and truffle oil) is named after my daughter, Mazzy.

ANOTHER FUN FACT: If Peeps were a cult of marshmallow extremists who would rather die than give up their right to pastel sugared chicks on the holidays, my friend Jessica would not only be a card-carrying member, she might kill someone to become their leader. 

When I signed on to do my Peeps post earlier this week, I told them about my Peeps-obsessed friend, who's restaurant happens to have been awarded RHODE ISLAND'S BEST CUPCKES OF 2012. Peeps agreed to send Jessica a bunch of marshmallow chicks to let The Duck & Bunny work its magic.

Here is the result.

I have not tasted them (although I am tempted to drive the 2+ hours just to do so) but having eaten many of The Duck & Bunny's cupcakes before, I can guarantee they are delicious. 

I'm particularly impressed with the Peeps buttercream filling which I'm told took multiple tries to get the consistency just right.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 cups (500 mL) sugar
• 4 egg
• 2 ½ cups (625 mL) all-purpose flour
• 1 cup (250 mL) milk
• ¾  cup
  (175 mL) vegetable oil
• 2 ¼ teaspoons (11 mL) baking powder
• 1 teaspoon (5 mL) vanilla

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C).
Line cupcake pan with papers.

2. In a
large mixing bowl, with an electric mixer, beat sugar and eggs together until
slightly thickened, about 1 minute. Add flour, milk, oil, baking powder,
and vanilla and beat for another minute, just until the batter is smooth and
creamy. Don't overbeat. Scoop batter into paper lined cupcake pans.

3. Bake in preheated oven for 30 to 40 minutes or
until the tops are golden and a toothpick poked into the center of the layer
comes out clean. Let cool completely.

FLUFF BUTTERCREAM

• 1 lb unsalted butter (room temperature)
• 4-5 cups 6x powdered sugar
• ¼ cup
  fluff (peep colored and warmed slightly) x4

INSTRUCTIONS

1. In a stationary mixer with paddle attachment, cream
butter until smooth

2. Slowly add powdered sugar, one cup at a time, beating
about a minute between each addition

3. Beat until creamy and smooth

4. Divide buttercream to match the number of peep colors
you have

5. Add colored fluff to each buttercream and stir with
spatula until combined

6. In a round tip fitted pastry bag, scoop colored
buttercream and begin to insert into cupcakes about half way, filling it with
fluff frosting until it barely peeks out of the top of the cupcake

7. Make another batch of buttercream by using the first
two ingredients and a teaspoon of
vanilla.

8. Follow instructions 1-3

9. Pipe a round “doughnut” shape on the top of the fluff
filled cupcakes

10. Sprinkle
green colored coconut on top of the buttercream and place peep in center

11. Enjoy!

The Duck & Bunny is on 312 Wickenden Street in Providence, RI. (401) 270-3300

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In addition to The Duck and Bunny's Peepcakes and my Matzah Sch'meeps from earlier this week, I had a lot of fun jumping around to all the participating bloggers in the Peeps campaign to see what fate they dreamed up for their pastel little chicks.

Here they are in no particular order:

Rants from Mommyland made Mojito Peepos

Naps Happen erupted a marshmallow Mt. Peeps

Sometimes Sweet drowned her Peeps in hot chocolate

Four Plus and Angel made No Bake Peeps in a Nest

My Life and Kids played Peeps Pranks on her kids

The Underachieving Domestic Goddess created Peepster Sundaes

How to Be a Dad made Peeps Proofing and Peeperpedic Pillows

Hollow Tree Ventures failed at crafting an Easter Peepster Hat

You Know it Happens at Your House Too poured herself Peeps in a Glass

The Frugalista made Peeps-ka-bobs

and Baby Rabies Peeped Her Mantle

I think it goes without saying that any one of those things sounds like a lot more fun than playing with a DEAD BABY PUPPET.

For even more Peeps-inspired Easter ideas, check out this video:

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SWEET DREAMS GIVEAWAY WINNERS

The two winners of a $60 Baby Jives gift credit to use on an adorable handmade mobile (like the ones above) are @abbydunncarter on Instagram and Temami from underneath the blog post. Congratulations! Please email me to claim your prize.

For everyone that didn't win, Baby Jives is offering 15% off to all Mommy Shorts readers on both her site and her Etsy shop if you purchase a mobile before March 30th. Just use the code MOMMYSHORTS to get the discount.

If you are curious, Temami's name for her unborn baby was Zuzu, after the little girl in It's a Wonderful Life. More on all those oddly endearing in utero names next week.

Before I go, I've got an Easter tip. Take it for what it's worth since it's coming from a Jew…

Hide those eggs really really really well around your house. I suggest places like inside the urn on the top of your bookshelf or behind the impossible-to-move dresser. Than sit back, watch the full season of House of Cards on Netflix, while your kids spend the entire day trying and failing to find them. 

Have a good weekend and Happy Easter!

— Mommy Shorts