How To Make The Cutest Easter Bunny Cake Ever Recipe

I made a Bunny Cake that looks so unexpectedly brilliant and cheeky your relatives will argue over who gets the ears.

I’m obsessed with this Easter Bunny Cake because it actually tastes like a celebration, not a sugar blob. I love the ridiculous cuteness of a Bunny Cake sitting on the table, begging to be smashed.

For real, I crave that tender crumb and the tang of buttermilk paired with clouds of powdered sugar frosting. It’s the kind of cake that makes people pause mid-conversation.

And the pastel details? Honestly totally unnecessary but impossible to resist.

I want every bite to be a little messy, sticky, and bright. Makes the meal feel like the sweet part worth fighting for every time.

Ingredients

• Flour: the cake’s backbone, gives structure so it holds bunny shape.
• Baking powder/soda/salt: basically the lift and balance, keeps it light.
• Sugar: sweetness and tender crumbs, makes it feel like dessert.
• Butter (cake): rich flavor and moistness, gives that buttery crumb.
• Eggs: they bind everything together and add some protein heft.
• Vanilla: it’s cozy and round, ties the flavors without shouting.
• Buttermilk/sour cream/oil: adds moisture and keeps cake soft for shaping.
• Powdered sugar/butter (frosting): creamy spread that holds fondant and details.
• Fondant: smooth finish for ears and face, easy to sculpt.
• Pink gel and pastel gels: tiny pops of color, makes it cute.
• Mini eyes/black icing: personality in two dots, so expressive.
• Mini eggs/coconut/licorice: texture, color, fluff, and playful whisker detail.

Ingredient Quantities

• 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon fine salt
• 1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup unsalted butter softened (1 1/2 sticks)
• 3 large eggs, room temperature
• 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup buttermilk, room temperature
• 1/2 cup sour cream or plain yogurt (for extra moisture)
• 1/4 cup neutral oil like vegetable or canola (optional, makes cake softer)
• 1 pound (about 4 cups) powdered sugar for frosting
• 1 1/2 cups unsalted butter softened (for buttercream)
• 2 to 4 tablespoons heavy cream or milk (to thin the frosting)
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract for the buttercream
• Pinch of salt (for buttercream)
• 1 pound white fondant (or marshmallow fondant if you prefer)
• Small jar pink gel food coloring
• Black gel icing or edible black marker (for eyes and details)
• Mini candy eyes (8 to 10) or small chocolate chips
• About 1 cup mini chocolate eggs or pastel candy eggs
• 2 cups shredded coconut (optional, for fluffy fur)
• 1/2 cup desiccated coconut colored pink lightly (for inner ears, optional)
• Black licorice strings or thin black candy for whiskers
• Small amount cornstarch or powdered sugar for rolling fondant
• Gel food colors in pastel shades if you want extra accents

How to Make this

1. Preheat oven to 350F and grease and flour two 8 or 9 inch round cake pans; line bottoms with parchment for an easier release. In a bowl whisk together 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour, 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda and 1 teaspoon fine salt.

2. In your mixer beat 3/4 cup softened butter with 1 3/4 cups granulated sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add 3 large eggs one at a time, scraping bowl, then beat in 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract.

3. Combine wet and dry by alternating: add about one third of the dry mix, then half of 1 cup buttermilk, then more dry, then 1/2 cup sour cream or plain yogurt, then dry, then the remaining buttermilk. If you want a softer crumb add 1/4 cup neutral oil too. Don’t overmix, stop when just combined.

4. Divide batter between pans, smooth tops and bake 25 to 35 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Let cool in pans 10 minutes then turn onto racks to cool completely before decorating. Cakes frosts never look good when warm.

5. Make buttercream: beat 1 1/2 cups softened unsalted butter until creamy, then gradually add 1 pound powdered sugar. Add 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, pinch of salt, and 2 to 4 tablespoons heavy cream or milk until spreadable. Taste and adjust sweetness or thickness. If it’s too soft chill briefly.

6. Trim cake tops level, place one layer on your board and spread a thin layer of buttercream, press a handful of mini chocolate eggs into the middle for a surprise center if you like, then top with second layer. Crumb coat with a thin layer of buttercream and chill 15 minutes, then do a final smooth coat.

7. Roll out 1 pound white fondant on a surface dusted with cornstarch or powdered sugar. Cover the cake smoothly, trim excess. Use small amounts of gel food colors in pastel shades to tint extra fondant for little accents like bow or carrot. Use the pink gel food coloring mixed into a tiny bit of fondant for inner ear details.

8. Shape bunny ears and a small tail from fondant. For inner ears, press a little pink desiccated coconut into the pink fondant or lightly color 1/2 cup desiccated coconut pink and press into ear centers. Attach ears and tail with a dab of buttercream. For fluffy fur texture press shredded coconut into buttercream patches or sprinkle it around the base.

9. Add face: use mini candy eyes or small chocolate chips for eyes, or draw tiny pupils with black gel icing or an edible black marker. Use black licorice strings or thin black candy for whiskers. Place extra mini candy eggs around the bunny for decoration.

10. Final touches and hacks: chill cake before serving so fondant and buttercream set. If fondant gets sticky dust with cornstarch. If buttercream splits a little warm the whisk and beat till smooth. Transport on a flat surface and keep out of direct heat. Enjoy the cutest Easter bunny cake ever and try to not eat all the mini eggs first.

Equipment Needed

1. Oven (set to 350F)
2. Two 8 or 9 inch round cake pans plus parchment rounds
3. Electric mixer (stand or hand) and mixing bowls
4. Measuring cups and spoons (for dry and wet ingredients)
5. Rubber spatula and whisk (for folding and scraping)
6. Offset spatula or bench scraper for frosting and smoothing
7. Rolling pin and a small bowl of cornstarch or powdered sugar for dusting fondant
8. Sharp knife or cake leveler and cake turntable or flat board for assembling
9. Small tools: pastry brush, toothpicks and a pair of small scissors for fondant details

FAQ

How To Make The Cutest Easter Bunny Cake Ever Recipe Substitutions and Variations

• All purpose flour: swap with cake flour for a softer crumb (use 2 cups plus 2 tablespoons cake flour for every 2 1/2 cups AP flour) or use a 1-to-1 gluten free baking blend if you need it to be GF.
• Buttermilk: if you dont have buttermilk, stir 1 tablespoon lemon juice or white vinegar into 1 cup milk and let sit 5 minutes, or use plain yogurt or thinned sour cream in equal amounts.
• Eggs: replace each egg with 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce for moistness, or use a flax egg (1 tablespoon ground flax + 3 tablespoons water, let gel 5 min) for a vegan option.
• Unsalted butter for buttercream: you can use vegetable shortening for a more stable frosting (taste is blander), or try coconut oil (solid, chilled) for a subtle coconut note; if using oil expect the frosting to be softer so chill before piping.

Pro Tips

1) Make everything room temp. Eggs, buttermilk and butter all at room temp make the batter come together faster and bake more evenly. If something is cold it can make the batter curdle or give you dense spots.

2) Don’t overmix once the flour goes in. Mix just until you can’t see streaks of flour. Overmixing makes the crumb tough and you’ll lose the soft, tender texture you want.

3) Chill between coats. After the thin crumb coat chill the whole cake 15 to 30 minutes so the crumbs set. That makes the final buttercream layer smooth and it helps the fondant lay flat without tearing or sliding.

4) Keep fondant and coconut workable. Dust your board with a little cornstarch or powdered sugar so the fondant won’t stick, but don’t use too much or it’ll dry the fondant out. If fondant gets sticky from humidity, chill it briefly or dust lightly again. For the shredded/desiccated coconut, lightly tint small batches so you can control color and texture, and press it into slightly tacky buttercream so it stays put.

How To Make The Cutest Easter Bunny Cake Ever Recipe

Recipe by Tina Braven

0.0 from 0 votes

I made a Bunny Cake that looks so unexpectedly brilliant and cheeky your relatives will argue over who gets the ears.

Pin

Servings

12

servings

Calories

1082

kcal

Equipment: 1. Oven (set to 350F)
2. Two 8 or 9 inch round cake pans plus parchment rounds
3. Electric mixer (stand or hand) and mixing bowls
4. Measuring cups and spoons (for dry and wet ingredients)
5. Rubber spatula and whisk (for folding and scraping)
6. Offset spatula or bench scraper for frosting and smoothing
7. Rolling pin and a small bowl of cornstarch or powdered sugar for dusting fondant
8. Sharp knife or cake leveler and cake turntable or flat board for assembling
9. Small tools: pastry brush, toothpicks and a pair of small scissors for fondant details

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour

• 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

• 1 teaspoon fine salt

• 1 3/4 cups granulated sugar

• 3/4 cup unsalted butter softened (1 1/2 sticks)

• 3 large eggs, room temperature

• 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

• 1 cup buttermilk, room temperature

• 1/2 cup sour cream or plain yogurt (for extra moisture)

• 1/4 cup neutral oil like vegetable or canola (optional, makes cake softer)

• 1 pound (about 4 cups) powdered sugar for frosting

• 1 1/2 cups unsalted butter softened (for buttercream)

• 2 to 4 tablespoons heavy cream or milk (to thin the frosting)

• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract for the buttercream

• Pinch of salt (for buttercream)

• 1 pound white fondant (or marshmallow fondant if you prefer)

• Small jar pink gel food coloring

• Black gel icing or edible black marker (for eyes and details)

• Mini candy eyes (8 to 10) or small chocolate chips

• About 1 cup mini chocolate eggs or pastel candy eggs

• 2 cups shredded coconut (optional, for fluffy fur)

• 1/2 cup desiccated coconut colored pink lightly (for inner ears, optional)

• Black licorice strings or thin black candy for whiskers

• Small amount cornstarch or powdered sugar for rolling fondant

• Gel food colors in pastel shades if you want extra accents

Directions

• Preheat oven to 350F and grease and flour two 8 or 9 inch round cake pans; line bottoms with parchment for an easier release. In a bowl whisk together 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour, 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda and 1 teaspoon fine salt.
• In your mixer beat 3/4 cup softened butter with 1 3/4 cups granulated sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add 3 large eggs one at a time, scraping bowl, then beat in 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract.
• Combine wet and dry by alternating: add about one third of the dry mix, then half of 1 cup buttermilk, then more dry, then 1/2 cup sour cream or plain yogurt, then dry, then the remaining buttermilk. If you want a softer crumb add 1/4 cup neutral oil too. Don’t overmix, stop when just combined.
• Divide batter between pans, smooth tops and bake 25 to 35 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Let cool in pans 10 minutes then turn onto racks to cool completely before decorating. Cakes frosts never look good when warm.
• Make buttercream: beat 1 1/2 cups softened unsalted butter until creamy, then gradually add 1 pound powdered sugar. Add 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, pinch of salt, and 2 to 4 tablespoons heavy cream or milk until spreadable. Taste and adjust sweetness or thickness. If it’s too soft chill briefly.
• Trim cake tops level, place one layer on your board and spread a thin layer of buttercream, press a handful of mini chocolate eggs into the middle for a surprise center if you like, then top with second layer. Crumb coat with a thin layer of buttercream and chill 15 minutes, then do a final smooth coat.
• Roll out 1 pound white fondant on a surface dusted with cornstarch or powdered sugar. Cover the cake smoothly, trim excess. Use small amounts of gel food colors in pastel shades to tint extra fondant for little accents like bow or carrot. Use the pink gel food coloring mixed into a tiny bit of fondant for inner ear details.
• Shape bunny ears and a small tail from fondant. For inner ears, press a little pink desiccated coconut into the pink fondant or lightly color 1/2 cup desiccated coconut pink and press into ear centers. Attach ears and tail with a dab of buttercream. For fluffy fur texture press shredded coconut into buttercream patches or sprinkle it around the base.
• Add face: use mini candy eyes or small chocolate chips for eyes, or draw tiny pupils with black gel icing or an edible black marker. Use black licorice strings or thin black candy for whiskers. Place extra mini candy eggs around the bunny for decoration.
• Final touches and hacks: chill cake before serving so fondant and buttercream set. If fondant gets sticky dust with cornstarch. If buttercream splits a little warm the whisk and beat till smooth. Transport on a flat surface and keep out of direct heat. Enjoy the cutest Easter bunny cake ever and try to not eat all the mini eggs first.

Notes

• Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.

Nutrition Facts

• Serving Size: 250g
• Total number of serves: 12
• Calories: 1082kcal
• Fat: 54g
• Saturated Fat: 28g
• Trans Fat: 0.25g
• Polyunsaturated: 1.7g
• Monounsaturated: 6.7g
• Cholesterol: 143mg
• Sodium: 333mg
• Potassium: 167mg
• Carbohydrates: 136.5g
• Fiber: 2.2g
• Sugar: 81.5g
• Protein: 5.8g
• Vitamin A: 326IU
• Vitamin C: 0.5mg
• Calcium: 31mg
• Iron: 0.5mg