Sparkle Easter Bunny Cake (Printable)

Moist vanilla cake shaped like a bunny, topped with buttercream and gold sprinkles for a festive touch.

# What You'll Need:

→ 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

→ 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

→ 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

# How-To Steps:

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, about 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; 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 for 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, black licorice laces or gel for whiskers and eyes.
14 - Decorate with gold sprinkles for a sparkling finish.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It's a showstopper that looks professionally decorated but comes together with basic piping and creative arrangement skills.
  • Kids and adults genuinely get excited when a cake becomes a character they can recognize and connect with.
  • The moist vanilla cake stays fresh for days, which means you can actually prep this ahead without stress.
02 -
  • Room temperature eggs and butter aren't optional—they actually emulsify differently than cold ingredients, and this changes your cake's texture completely.
  • Don't skip the crumb coat step; it's the difference between a polished-looking cake and one that looks shaggy because of loose crumbs caught in frosting.
  • Gel food coloring is essential for tinting coconut without making it wet and clumpy like liquid coloring does.
03 -
  • Use gel food coloring for everything except the frosting itself—it won't thin out your buttercream and colors develop more vibrantly.
  • If your frosting seems too soft, refrigerate it for 10 minutes before piping or spreading; temperature really does matter.
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