Easy Bunny Cake

An adorable bunny cake is a favorite dessert for Easter celebrations. These sweet faces often come out at the end of the holiday meal, ready to treat a family to a grand finale.

A bunny cake is also a fun way to get the whole family involved in the Easter dessert. Kids can help older bakers frost and decorate, right down to the sprinkles on the bow tie and the shredded coconut « fur » on the face and ears.

Learn how to make an Easter bunny cake, step by step. Plus, get tips from our Test Kitchens for making the best

bunny cake

you can.

Ingredients for a Bunny Cake

The great thing about this bunny cake recipe is that it can be as easy as you need—use boxed cake mixes and store-bought frosting. Or you can make it more special with favorite recipes. When you’re ready to make this, be sure to gather:

• 
  2 8-inch round cakes:
  
  Use a boxed mix to make these, or pick a favorite cake recipe. They should be cooked and completely cooled before you start.
• 
  Frosting:
  
  You can use the pre-made frosting from the baking aisle, or make a batch of a favorite
  
  buttercream frosting
  
  . You’ll need about 2 cups.
• 
  Shredded coconut:
  
  This forms the bunny cake’s « fur. »
• 
  Food coloring:
  
  You’ll need pink or red food coloring or gel so you can turn some of the frosting pink for the bunny’s sweet little face.
• 
  Sprinkles and jelly beans:
  
  These provide the texture and sweetness of the colorful bow tie.
  
  

How To Make a Bunny Cake

This adorable Easter bunny cake is created easily by using a

boxed cake mix

and frosting (homemade or store-bought—it’s up to you), and it is built and decorated on the tray on which it’ll be served. Here is a brief outline of the process; the full recipe is further below:

• 
  Cut cake pieces.
  
  Slice bunny ears and bow tie out of one of the 8-inch cake rounds. Use the cake pan as a guide to cut even curves.
• 
  Assemble bunny.
  
  Use the ears and bow tie, along with the whole cake round to make a bunny face. Take the ends of the bow, and place them on top of the round to form a bunny nose.
• 
  Prepare your frostings.
  
  Add food coloring or gel to some of the buttercream icing to make it pink. This will be used to draw the ears and face.
• 
  Frost the bunny cake.
  
  Use the remaining buttercream to cover the entire bunny face. This layer does not have to be perfect. You’re going to sprinkle the whole face and ears (but not the bow) with coconut.
• 
  Decorate the bunny.
  
  Now’s the time to have fun. Cover the bunny’s bow tie with sprinkles, and use some jelly beans to make the bunny’s eyes and nose. Use the pink frosting to draw ears and more details on the cake.

Making a bunny cake is a fun, creative project that the whole family can enjoy! If you prefer homemade components, consider one of these

editor-favorite cake recipes

or these

incredible buttercream recipes

.

Tips for the Best Bunny Cake

For the most successful cake-making project, keep these tips in mind:

• Before beginning the project, ensure that your 8-inch cake rounds are already baked and cooled so you’ll be ready to decorate.
• If the cake is soft and tearing as you frost it, chill it in the fridge to help firm it up.
• If kids are helping you decorate, consider putting the initial frosting on the cake before they arrive in the kitchen so they can focus on putting on the coconut and sprinkles.

Variations and Substitutions

If you are looking for variations to these decorations, the cake can be easily changed to make it more personal.

• For instance, consider white chocolate shavings instead of coconut, or use any of your favorite candies or fresh fruit to decorate the bunny’s face and bow tie.
• Edible glitter is certainly fun and would make for an extra sparkly bow tie.
• Use a coconut cake and frosting recipe to really double down on the coconut flavor.
  
  
• Use pink sprinkles for the inside of the ears.
• Use chocolate-covered peanuts or raisins for the eyes if you don’t like black jelly beans.

Can You Make a Bunny Cake Ahead of Time?

Yes, you can make the cake, frost it, and decorate ahead of time. However, this bunny cake is a large cake once assembled, so it may be difficult to store it. If you have the fridge space, just make sure the cake is well wrapped with storage wrap to protect it from air.

You can also make all the elements in advance so you can more quickly frost and decorate the cake before you serve. Make, bake, and cool the cake rounds. Make the pink frosting, and store both it and the buttercream until ready to use. Just be sure to let the frostings sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes so they’re easier to spread and pipe.