Sparkle Easter Bunny Cake (Printable Version)

Moist vanilla cake shaped like a bunny, adorned with buttercream and sparkling gold sprinkles.

# What You'll Need:

→ For the Cake

01 - 2½ cups all-purpose flour
02 - 2½ teaspoons baking powder
03 - ½ teaspoon salt
04 - 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
05 - 2 cups granulated sugar
06 - 4 large eggs, room temperature
07 - 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
08 - 1 cup whole milk

→ For the Buttercream Frosting

09 - 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
10 - 4 cups powdered sugar, sifted
11 - 2 to 3 tablespoons whole milk
12 - 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
13 - Pinch of salt

→ For Decoration

14 - 1 cup sweetened shredded coconut
15 - Pink gel food coloring
16 - 2 large marshmallows
17 - 2 mini marshmallows
18 - Black licorice laces or black gel icing
19 - Gold sprinkles

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour two 9-inch round cake pans.
02 - In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.
03 - In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy, approximately 3 to 4 minutes.
04 - Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in vanilla extract.
05 - Alternately add flour mixture and milk to the butter mixture, beginning and ending with flour. Mix until just combined.
06 - Divide batter evenly between prepared pans. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
07 - Cool cakes in pans for 10 minutes, then turn out onto wire racks and cool completely.
08 - Beat butter until creamy. Gradually add powdered sugar, milk, vanilla, and salt. Beat until fluffy and smooth.
09 - Place one cake round as the bunny face. Cut two ovals from the second round for ears and use the remaining piece for the bowtie. Arrange on a large platter to form the bunny shape.
10 - Frost entire cake with a thin layer. Chill for 20 minutes, then apply a thick, even layer of buttercream.
11 - Press shredded coconut onto the frosted areas to create fur texture.
12 - Tint a small amount of coconut with pink food coloring for the inner ears and nose. Arrange accordingly.
13 - Use marshmallows for cheeks and teeth. Use black licorice laces or gel for whiskers and eyes.
14 - Decorate with gold sprinkles for a sparkling finish.
15 - Serve and enjoy your festive Easter bunny cake.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It's genuinely moist and tender, not one of those dry vanilla cakes that tastes like you're eating sweetened air.
  • Watching people's faces when they realize the cake is shaped like a bunny never gets old, trust me.
  • The coconut fur and gold sprinkles make it feel fancy without requiring professional cake decorating skills.
  • Kids and adults both get excited about something this playful, making it perfect for any spring celebration.
02 -
  • Room temperature ingredients are not a suggestion; cold eggs and butter won't emulsify smoothly and you'll end up with a grainy, dense cake that makes you question your life choices.
  • Don't mix the batter any longer than necessary after combining wet and dry ingredients, or your cake will taste like a hockey puck.
  • The crumb coat is genuinely the secret to a polished-looking bunny; it saves you from spending an hour picking out crumbs from your final frosting layer.
  • Cooling the cakes completely is boring but absolutely necessary; frosting warm cake will just slide off and make you sad.
03 -
  • Sift your powdered sugar even if it seems tedious; lumpy buttercream is the one thing that will make you regret this decision, and smooth frosting makes everything look more intentional.
  • If your kitchen is warm, chill the frosted bunny for 15 minutes before adding coconut and decorations so nothing slides around or melts into chaos.
  • Gold sprinkles look best when added just before serving because they can absorb moisture and lose their sparkle if they sit on the cake too long.
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