Description
Celebrate Easter with this charming and delicious Easter Bunny Cake, perfect for family gatherings and festive occasions. This moist, vanilla-flavored cake is shaped like a bunny and decorated with fluffy frosting, shredded coconut for fur, and colorful candies for eyes and nose, creating a fun and festive centerpiece that’s sure to delight kids and adults alike.
Ingredients
Scale
Cake Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 4 large eggs
- 1 cup whole milk
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Frosting Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream (more if needed for desired consistency)
- Pink food coloring (for the bunny’s nose)
- Green food coloring (optional, for decorating the cake board)
- Shredded coconut (for bunny’s fur)
- Jelly beans or candy for eyes and nose
Instructions
- Prepare the Cake: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour two 9-inch round cake pans to prevent sticking.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: In a large mixing bowl, cream together the softened butter and granulated sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy, which helps incorporate air for a tender cake.
- Add Eggs: Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition to ensure even distribution.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt to combine the leavening and seasoning.
- Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients: Gradually add the dry ingredients alternately with the milk to the butter mixture, starting and ending with the dry ingredients, mixing just until combined to avoid overmixing.
- Add Vanilla Extract: Stir in the vanilla extract to impart flavor throughout the batter.
- Bake the Cake: Pour the batter evenly into the prepared cake pans and bake in the preheated oven for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Cool the Cakes: Allow the cakes to cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely before decorating.
- Make Frosting: In a large bowl, beat the softened butter until smooth. Gradually add powdered sugar, about 1 cup at a time, beating well after each addition.
- Add Vanilla and Cream: Mix in the vanilla extract and heavy cream, continue beating until the frosting is light and fluffy; adjust consistency by adding more cream if needed.
- Shape the Bunny: Once cooled, cut one cake layer in half to form the bunny ears. Place the whole cake layer on a platter as the face, then position the two halves at the top to create ears, using frosting to secure them if necessary.
- Frost the Cake: Apply a generous layer of white frosting over the entire cake including the ears to simulate bunny fur.
- Add Texture: Press shredded coconut onto the frosting all over the cake to create a fluffy fur texture.
- Decorate the Face: Tint a small amount of frosting with pink food coloring and pipe a small nose on the bunny’s face. Use jelly beans or candies to make the eyes, and add a smile and whiskers with additional frosting.
- Decorate Cake Board: Optionally, tint the cake board with green food coloring to resemble grass for an extra festive touch.
- Serve: Your Easter Bunny Cake is now ready to be enjoyed as a delightful centerpiece and delicious dessert for your celebration.
Notes
- Ensure the butter is softened to room temperature to make creaming easier and smoother frosting.
- Do not overmix the batter once the dry ingredients are added to avoid a dense cake.
- Use shredded coconut for an authentic bunny fur look, but you can substitute with finely grated white chocolate if preferred.
- Adjust the consistency of the frosting by adding more heavy cream gradually if it’s too thick to pipe.
- Use a serrated knife for clean cuts when shaping cake layers for better presentation.
- Store any leftover cake covered at room temperature for up to 2 days or refrigerate up to 4 days.
