Sparkle Easter Bunny Cake (Printable Page)

Moist vanilla cake shaped as a bunny, covered in buttercream and gold sprinkles for a festive look.

# 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

# Step-by-Step Guide:

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 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 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 of buttercream, chill for 20 minutes, then apply a thick, even layer of buttercream.
11 - Press shredded coconut onto the frosted areas for fur texture.
12 - Tint a small amount of coconut with pink food coloring for the inner ears and nose. Arrange accordingly on the cake.
13 - Use marshmallows for cheeks and teeth. Apply black licorice laces or gel for whiskers and eyes.
14 - Decorate cake with gold sprinkles for a sparkling finish.
15 - Present the decorated bunny cake to guests and serve.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It's genuinely fun to decorate, and even small imperfections look charming because, well, it's supposed to be a bunny.
  • The vanilla cake stays moist for days, so you can actually make it ahead without stress.
  • Watching someone's face light up when they see this cake emerge from the kitchen never gets old.
02 -
  • Room temperature ingredients (especially eggs and butter) really do make a difference in how smoothly everything comes together—I learned this after one dense, separated batch that taught me a hard lesson.
  • The crumb coat step feels optional until you skip it and realize how much cleaner your final frosting layer looks when you've taken that extra 20 minutes.
  • Gel food coloring is non-negotiable for the pink details if you want to keep your frosting's consistency intact; liquid coloring will turn everything watery.
03 -
  • If your buttercream seems grainy, it likely means your powdered sugar wasn't sifted—sifting really does make the difference between smooth and slightly gritty frosting.
  • Don't worry if your bunny looks a bit lopsided; it actually adds to the charm and makes it feel homemade rather than bakery-perfect.
  • Keep marshmallows in the freezer for 15 minutes before pressing them into frosting so they don't sink or shift as the cake sits.
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