Easter Bunny Cakes
Fun for the whole family to make togetherBunny cakes are a family favorite as a special once-a-year treat during the Easter holiday. Debbie’s mom made many Easter Bunny Cakes every year to share with family and friends. Each bunny cake required one yellow or white cake mix. Her Mom became renowned for her bunny cakes. Family members and friends who received one hoped they would be on her list for next year. Such a big hit, full of color and great tasting cake with delicious frosting. And it looked like an Easter Bunny. Quite the treat!Debbie decided to make the Bunny cakes gluten-free and smaller by using a jumbo muffin tin with six cavities. She used the yellow cake recipe from her cookbook (cut in half). Her family had a lot of fun putting them together, decorating and of course, eating them. Each cake is just the right size for one serving. And just the right size for little hands to be creative with.While Debbie’s Mom frosted her bunny cakes with Seven-Minute Frosting, Debbie uses easy-to-make Marshmallow Creme Frosting that is similar to the consistency and flavor of filling in the Hostess cupcakes and Twinkies. You can decide what works best for you as either frosting works great.In the photo you can see two bunny cakes; one white and one chocolate. You can make the Bunny Cakes with Inspiration Bakery & Mixes Chocolate Cake Mix. Follow the instructions as shown on the bag to make the cake batter. You will need two jumbo muffin tins as the cake mix makes 12 bunnies! Chocolate bunnies deserve the Marshmallow Creme frosting or use a chocolate buttercream frosting with chocolate shreds instead of white coconut. A chocolatey, decadent, delicious treat!
Yield: 6 Bunny Cakes
Equipment
- 1 Stand Mixer with paddle attachment
- 1 Medium Bowl
- 1 Rubber Spatula
- 1 Jumbo Cupcake or Muffin Tin 2 Jumbo Muffin tins if making the Chocolate Cake bunnies
- Measuring Cups and Spoons
- 1 Frosting knife
Materials
Ingredients for Yellow Bunny Cakes
- 1 ¼ cup Inspiration Bakery & Mixes All Purpose Baking Mix
- 1 tablespoon Double Acting Baking Powder
- ⅔ cup granulated sugar
- ½ tablespoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon almond extract
- 2 large whole eggs
- ½ tablespoon distilled or white vinegar
- 1 tablespoon applesauce or mayonnaise
- 3 tablespoons butter or margarine softened
- ½ cup sour cream or yogurt (substitute dairy free)
- 1 bag unsweetened coconut shreds
- 3 large marshmallows
- green food dye
- 1 bag colorful jelly beans (use pink ones for the nose and eyes)
- 2 light pink pieces of construction or printing paper
Marshmallow Creme Frosting
- ½ cup butter or margarine
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 7oz jar Marshmallow Creme (aka "Fluff")
Fluffy Chocolate Butter Cream Frosting (recipe in Debbie's cookbook)
- ½ cup butter or margarine
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- ⅔ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 3 tablespoons heavy whipping cream or milk of choice (any milk without vanilla)
Instructions
Yellow Cake Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F degrees. Grease jumbo muffin tins
- In a medium bowl, combine Inspiration Bakery & Mixes All-Purpose Baking mix with baking powder. Whisk and set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine sugar, vanilla extract, almond extract, eggs, vinegar, applesauce, butter and sour cream. Beat on low for about 30 seconds, scrape the bowl at least once
- Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and blend for another 2 minutes on medium high until the mixture is somewhat smooth. Butter may be lumpy. Scrape the bowl at least once.
- Scoop batter evenly into each muffin cavity. Bake 15-20 minutes until toothpick comes our fairly clean.
- Remove from oven and let cool on a wire rack in the muffin tine for 5 minutes. Place a piece of parchment paper over the muffin tin, turn upside down, then flip cakes right side up on the parchment paper. Cool on wire rack before icing and decorating.
Shaping your Bunny Rabbit---Photo in Note section below
- Using a sharp knife, about 1 inch from the top edge, cut into the cake about halfway down, leaving a shelf. This shelf will later become the bunny tail where you place half a large marshmallow. Cut the extra piece of cake in half which will be used for the bunny's face when you frost the bunny cakes.
Instructions to make the Marshmallow Creme frosting
- Add butter to a mixing bowl, and whip on high for about 30 seconds. Add vanilla and powdered sugar. Blend on medium for another 30 seconds, scraping the bowl at least once. Blend until frosting is smooth. Add Marshmallow Creme and stir by hand with a large spoon. It is pretty sticky, but really good. You can add a little more powdered sugar if needed.
Instructions for Fluffy Chocolate Butter Cream frosting
- Add butter o a mixing bowl and whip on high for about 30 seconds. Add vanilla and cocoa powder. Blend for another 30 seconds scraping the bowl at least once.
- Add half the powdered sugar. Blend for 30 seconds, scrape the bowl. and add the other half of the powdered sugar and heavy whipping cream. Blend for 30 seconds, scrape the bowl at least once and blend on high for about 2 minutes making the frosting very fluffy.
Decorate your Bunny---Photo in Note section below
- Bunny ears are placed on last. Decorate each bunny on its own serving plate. Take a dab of frosting and place underneath the cake so it won't move while you frost it. Frost the sides first, then the ledge where the bunny tail goes and frost the top last.
- Frost the two face pieces together and attach to the body. Using a flat knife or frosting knife, fill in the sides and smooth out the front to create the cute bunny face,
- Take the shredded coconut and sprinkle all over the cakes. Making sure the bunny cake is secure, you can lift and rotate the plate to sprinkle the coconut shreds on all sides. Cut the tips of 3 pink jellybeans for each cake. Discard the middle or eat it. Use the tips for the eyes and nose. Press them into the frosting on the bunny face.
- Place 1/2 of a large marshmallow where the bunny tail goes. Take a cup of shredded coconut and pour into a resealable plastic bag. Add a few drops of green food coloring. Close the bag and shake. Add more green dye if needed. Use a spoon and sprinkle the green grass around each bunny. Place the colored jellybeans on top of the green grass. Wallah! You have a great looking Easter Bunny Cake ready for ears.
Bunny Ears
- Use heavy pink construction or printing paper to make the ears. The ears are inches tall and 1 inch wide at the bottom. Fold a 8.5"x11 inch piece of paper into an accordion making enough folds for 6 ears. Cut the ears out at the same time to ensure a consistent look. Repeat for the rest of the ears. Fold ear in half making a crease. Once all your decorating is done, place the ears behind the face and secure.
- You can make bunny cakes a head of time without the ears and freeze them. Make sure they are in freezer bags. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight. Take out of the refrigerator at least 45 minutes before serving. When the frosting is soft, place bunny ears behind the head and serve. These are a great treat for your children at any time.
Notes
Shelf for bunny tail and face pieces.
If using chocolate shreds, use a cheese grater to shred chocolate pieces on top of the chocolate bunny. Making sure the bunny cake is secure, you can lift and rotate the plate to sprinkle the chocolate shreds on all sides.
