Sparkle Easter Bunny Cake (Printer View)

Moist vanilla cake shaped like a bunny, covered in 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

# Method:

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 together 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 softened 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. Use the remaining piece for the bowtie. Arrange on a large platter to form the bunny shape.
10 - Frost entire cake with a thin base layer, chill for 20 minutes, then apply a thick, even layer of buttercream.
11 - Press shredded coconut onto the frosted areas to create the bunny fur texture.
12 - Tint a small amount of coconut with pink food coloring. Arrange tinted coconut on inner ears and nose area.
13 - Use marshmallows for cheeks and teeth. Apply black licorice laces or gel for whiskers and eyes.
14 - Decorate entire bunny cake with gold sprinkles for a shimmering festive finish.
15 - Present and serve the completed Easter bunny cake.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It's the kind of cake that makes people smile before they even taste it—because it looks like something from a storybook.
  • The vanilla cake underneath is genuinely moist and tender, not one of those dry showpieces that photographs better than it eats.
  • Decorating becomes a creative playground where there's no such thing as a mistake, just happy accidents.
02 -
  • Room temperature ingredients aren't just a suggestion—they're the difference between a dense, heavy cake and one that's genuinely fluffy and tender.
  • The crumb coat step feels unnecessary until you see how it prevents frosting from getting speckled with cake crumbs, making your final layer look professional.
  • Coconut works better for the fur if you press it on while the frosting is still slightly tacky; if it's completely set, the coconut won't stick properly.
03 -
  • If your bunny cake starts leaning or feels unstable, a small wooden skewer through the center of the face helps hold everything steady without showing.
  • Make the buttercream frosting the night before—it actually tastes better after sitting, and you'll have one less task on cake day.
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