Bake a 2-layer round 8-inch cake
Cool 10 minutes in the pans.
Trim any hump off top of bottom layer while still in pan.
<<<DO NOT TRIM TOP LAYER>>.

PUT BOTTOMS TOGETHER:
To do, turn out bottom layer onto serving tray.
Let top layer cool completely.
Flip top layer out of pan, then flip it over again.
Spread icing or fill for between layers.
Place top layer on bottom one.

NOTE: With bottoms of cakes together, it allows for a slight mound for the top of your basket.

ICE CAKE: Spread icing thinly on sides and regular thickness on the top

ASSEMBLY:

LID:
Pattern: Cut a circle of wax paper the size of the cake.
For tilted lid, fold and cut the pattern in half.
Put the wax paper pattern(s) a sheet of wax paper.
Put melted Merckens coating chocolate (available HERE) in a decorating bag fitted with tip 2.
Pipe chocolate carefully around the outer edge and work around to the center.
As soon as it sets up you have it finished!
Make this any color or flavor! YUMMY! Very interesting flavor too.

Make any color/flavor too. Make it thick so it holds up.
Prop with a drinking straw...
Alternate method: As in diagram, cut an 8-inch cardboard cake circle exactly in half, as shown by the broken lines.
Ice one side of each half. The other side will be iced only when you have the flowers and leaves on and are ready to put the lid in place permanently.
Lay the 2 half cardboard circles together on the iced cake and press an indention firmly into the icing at the halfway point so that you will know where to place the lid later. Lift the lid off and ice one side in the same color as basket is done in.

INSERT STRAWS: Insert one straw into iced cake, about 1-inch from edge.
Cut the straw to about 2 1/2-inches above the cake.
Cut another straw exactly the same height.

BASKET WEAVE THE SIDES.
(Use larger tip for larger cake).
Use a basket weave tip 48 for the horizontal weave.
Use a star tip of matching size for the vertical lines.

BORDERS: Pipe tip 21 bottom rope border and tip 18 top rope border.

FINISHED CAKE SHOWS LID, FLOWERS AND BASKETWEAVE
Above cake created by student, Sandy Potter, Germantown, Ohio, course 2, lesson 4

ADD FLOWERS NOW:
With the creases you made in the iced cake top, you’ll know where the flowers should go.
Don’t add large flowers in the back close to the crease or the lid won’t go down….use small ones here.
TIP: Periodically set the lid on to make sure it will still rest on the straws.
Place large flowers around the straws to hide them. Pipe tip 352 green leaves.

LID PLACEMENT: Ice the other side of the lid and set it in place.
Basketweave on top of the lid, having the vertical lines of the basketweave pattern from center-out to end of circle.
Pipe a tip 18 rope border all around the lid.

HANDLE: I’ve tried all kinds of edible handles. None worked perfectly.
Royal icing is heavy and may break. So I cut a 1 1/2-inch strip of appropriate length from a cake box.
Make a ‘V’ at bottom of both ends. Strip it between your fingers so that it bends evenly.
With icing on your fingers, spread on both sides of handle.
Set handle in place. Pipe icing at base of handle to help hold it.

Basket weave is shown step-by-step in the '97 Wilton Year Book page 100.
I like to use a 'rope' border top and bottom. '97 Year Book page 98.

Pipe green grass on the top. Use small tip 233 for small cakes, or use tip 234, for large ones.
Wilton's '97 Year Book has a basket weave cake on it's front cover.

FOR THE TOP, THERE ARE MANY IDEAS...
1. Add all flowers
2. Chocolate bunny with flowers and/or candy eggs all around.
3. Marzipan fruit.
4. TO MAKE AN EDIBLE LID: Use dough used for gingerbread houses and bake a large cookie. Cut in half before it cools.

BIG TIP! Rather than using cardboard, make the lid with chocolate!
Just make the pattern using wax paper, as above. Pipe coating chocolate from a bag from the outside in, like when doing color flow. Keep chocolate thin and the lid won't be so heavy! If it is too thick, add Paramount Crystals to thin the chocolate down so that the lid can be thin. If doing a pink basket, use pink chocolate. Delicious!