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Easter Bunny Cake

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By Betty Crocker Kitchens
Updated Sep 12, 2024
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The secret to crafting this adorable Easter Bunny Cake is the shredded coconut! It adds an extra boost of flavor and texture to the already delicious carrot cake. Start with Betty Crocker™ Super Moist™ Carrot Cake Mix, and follow our premade diagram to form the shape—before you know it, a cute-as-can-be bunny cake will be hopping down your Easter table. But don’t forget about the decorations! The shredded coconut adds a fur-like texture, and the jelly beans add a pop of color that’s perfect for the eyes and nose. It’s a great way to get your little bakers in on the Easter fun.

How to Make an Easter Bunny Cake

This adorable bunny rabbit cake will be the star of your Easter table, as the sweetest centerpiece, ever! Made with Betty Crocker™ Super Moist™ Carrot Cake Mix, we’ll show you how to transform a round cake layer into a simple bunny shape with ##this simple diagram##. Requiring only 30 minutes of hands-on prep time, you can make this cute cake while enjoying some “me time” or enlist the kiddos to help and savor some tasty time together!
With a tub of Betty Crocker™ Whipped Fluffy White Frosting and shredded coconut, it’s simple to frost and decorate this cake like a pro! Simple jellybeans or gumdrops are used for the eyes and nose, and pink construction paper is used for the sweet little ears. You can even make “grass” for the bunny to sit on, with additional coconut and green food color.

Get out your bowl and apron and let’s get hoppin’ to make this easy bunny cake!

Bunny Cake Ingredients

For the best homemade Easter cake rabbit in the garden, Betty Crocker™ Super Moist™ Carrot Cake Mix and a tub whipped fluffy white frosting are used to get to the fun of assembling and decorating the cute centerpiece cake. Here are the general directions—use the recipe for all the specifics:
Bake the Cake: Bake two round cakes, layers, using the Betty Crocker™ Super Moist™ Carrot Cake Mix, water, oil, and eggs called for on the box.

Cool, Freeze and Cut: Cool the cake layers and freeze them. One layer is saved for another use and the layer used to make the bunny cake is frozen for 45 minutes, to cut down on the crumbs, when cutting it.

Cut Pieces to Form Bunny: Using our ##the simple diagram## to guide cutting the pieces into simple shapes.

Frost and Fluff: Using the tub of fluffy white frosting, frost the cake and sprinkle with the coconut, to look like a fluffy bunny.

Decorate and Devour: Cut and place the ears from the construction paper as directed on the diagram and use the jellybeans and/or gumdrops, make the eyes and nose. Tint remaining coconut green with the food color, to surround the bunny. Then grab a fork and dive in (or do your best to let it be the centerpiece until after your Easter feast)!

What are variations of this bunny cake?

For even more bunny cake ideas, try any of these fun ways to change it up:
Swap the Sweets: If you are not a fan of jellybeans for the eyes and nose, you can always use other candies, like M&M’s® or candy Easter eggs to decorate this cake, too! Or use these fun edible candy eyeballs and a small red gumdrop for the nose.

Change the Cake: Not everybunny loves carrot cake. If you are not a fan, feel free to make one of our other flavors of Super Moist™ cake mix as directed on the package for two round layers.

Bunny Cake Love: If this cake inspires you for even more bunny cake ideas, then you will love our Bunny Butt Cake, Bunny Cupcakes and our Bunny Cake Poppers.

More About This Recipe

  • We love a pretty spring-time dessert for our Easter table! For even more delicious dessert options, whether you are hosting the meal or bringing dessert to a holiday celebration, check out these scrumptious Easter dessert recipes.
    Want help planning an Easter feast that brings the oohs and aahs? We have you covered, with Betty’s best Easter recipes.

Frequently Asked Questions

Bunny Cake Toppings - Shredded coconut vs flaked coconut?

For this recipe, we use the most-common type of coconut you can find. This is the sweetened shredded coconut found in the baking aisle of most grocery or discount stores. The moist, fluffy texture means it will adhere nicely to the frosting and give the fluffiest bunny texture of all the coconut products.
Flaked coconut is usually larger or smaller, flat pieces of coconut, based on the size you buy. We do not recommend using it for this cake, as it tends to be drier than sweetened shredded coconut, so it won’t stick as well to the frosting, and will give the bunny’s fur a more matted appearance.

Can I make this bunny cake ahead of time?

Yes, you could make this moist, easy bunny cake the day before you plan to serve it if you wish.


Make and frost the cake with frosting and sprinkle with coconut as directed in Step 3, but do not add the bunny ears or eyes and nose to the cake.

Loosely cover the cake with plastic wrap and refrigerate it for up to 24 hours.

When you are ready to serve it, unwrap the cake and continue decorating the cake and making the “grass” as directed in Steps 3 and 4.

Easter Bunny Cake

  • Prep Time 30 min
  • Total 1 hr 50 min
  • Servings 12
  • Ingredients 9
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Ingredients

  • 1 box Betty Crocker™ Delights Super Moist™ Carrot Cake Mix
  • Water, vegetable oil and eggs called for on cake mix box
  • Tray or cardboard covered with wrapping paper and plastic food wrap or foil
  • 1 tub (12 oz) Betty Crocker™ Whipped Fluffy White Frosting
  • 1 cup coconut
  • Construction paper
  • Jelly beans or small gumdrops, as desired
  • 1 cup shredded coconut
  • Green liquid food color

Diagram/Template Download

Instructions

  • Step 
    1
    Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pans). Make, bake and cool cake as directed on box for two 8-inch or 9-inch round pans. Wrap and freeze 1 layer for later use. Freeze remaining layer 45 minutes before cutting to reduce crumbs.
  • Step 
    2
    Cut cake layer in half. (See link below for diagram.) Put halves together with frosting to make body. Place cake upright on cut edge on tray.
  • Step 
    3
    Cut out a notch about one-third of the way up one end of body to form head (small end). Attach half of cutout piece from tail with toothpicks. Frost with remaining frosting, rounding body on sides. Sprinkle with 1 cup coconut. Cut ears from construction paper; wrap ends that will be inserted into cake with plastic food wrap. Press into notch on top. Use jelly beans for eyes and nose.
  • Step 
    4
    Add 1 cup coconut to a 1-quart resealable food storage plastic bag. Add food color; tint to desired color, shaking bag to coat coconut. Surround bunny with tinted coconut. Add additional jelly beans if desired. Remove ears, plastic wrap and toothpicks before serving. Store loosely covered.

Nutrition

300 Calories
16g Total Fat
2g Protein
37g Total Carbohydrate
28g Sugars

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size: 1 Serving
Calories
300
Calories from Fat
140
Total Fat
16g
25%
Saturated Fat
9g
44%
Trans Fat
0g
Cholesterol
25mg
8%
Sodium
190mg
8%
Potassium
55mg
2%
Total Carbohydrate
37g
12%
Dietary Fiber
0g
0%
Sugars
28g
Protein
2g
% Daily Value*:
Vitamin A
0%
0%
Vitamin C
0%
0%
Calcium
4%
4%
Iron
4%
4%
Exchanges:
1/2 Starch; 0 Fruit; 2 Other Carbohydrate; 0 Skim Milk; 0 Low-Fat Milk; 0 Milk; 0 Vegetable; 0 Very Lean Meat; 0 Lean Meat; 0 High-Fat Meat; 3 Fat;
Carbohydrate Choice
2 1/2
*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

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