With spring in full swing, it’s time to dust off those baking chops and serve up some springtime magic in the form of this DIY Bunny Cake. This cake is very simple to make—perfect for any DIYer that wants to try their hand at baking and cake decorating. The minimalist style of this cake is easy to achieve with just a little fondant work and piping—just enough to impress, but not enough to stress.
So, why the bunny? The origins of the Easter bunny store are uncertain, but it is believed that the tradition of having a hopping furry animal leaving kids candy and baskets started around the 1700s with German immigrants and “Osterhase”. For Osterhase, children would make nests and the fabled rabbit would lay colorful eggs in the nest. Some cultures celebrate Easter do so with other animals, like foxes or birds. As for us, we’ll stick with the ever famous bunny.
DIY Bunny Cake
You will need:
3 6” layers of vanilla cake (recipe below)
1 batch of buttercream frosting (recipe below)
6 oz. pink fondant
6 oz. white fondant
6” cardboard round
Black food coloring
Pink food coloring
Piping bag and tips
Directions:
- Roll out white fondant to ½” thickness. Cut out bunny ears.
- Roll out pink fondant to ½” thickness. Cut out the inside of bunny ears.
- Brush the back of the pink fondant ear with water and stick to white fondant ear.
- Put ears aside and let dry out overnight, uncovered.
- Place one layer of vanilla cake on cardboard round. Frosting a thin layer of buttercream across the top of the cake.
- Place the second layer of vanilla cake on the first layer and repeat.
- Place the third layer of vanilla cake on top.
- Frost a thin layer over the entire cake.
- Place cake in the fridge to solidify for about 30 minutes.
- Dye a few spoonfuls of frosting black with black food coloring. Fill a piping bag with small round tip and with the black buttercream frosting.
- Pipe two half circles on the front of the cake for the eyes.
- Dye a spoonful of frosting pink with pink food coloring. Fill a piping bag with small round tip and pink buttercream frosting.
- Pipe a small triangle on the front of the cake for the nose.
- With the black piping bag, pipe mouth below the nose.
- Once ears are dry, place on top of cake.
- Enjoy your bunny cake!
Vanilla cake recipe:
Ingredients:
2 c. all-purpose flour
1 T. baking powder
1 t. salt
1 ½ c. sugar
1 c. butter
2 eggs
1 c. milk
1 T. vanilla
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
- Grease three 6” round cake pans and line with parchment paper.
- In a stand mixer with a fitted paddle attachment, cream butter and sugar on a medium-high speed until light and fluffy.
- Add eggs one at a time. Mix thoroughly.
- Add vanilla.
- In a separate medium-sized mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt.
- Add the dry ingredients and milk in alternating thirds, mixing after each addition, beginning and ending with dry ingredients.
- Pour batter into prepared cake pans.
- Bake for 20 – 25 minutes or until done.
- Allow the cakes time to cool before frosting.
Buttercream Frosting Recipe:
Ingredients:
1 ½ c. softened butter
4 c. powdered sugar
1 T. vanilla
2 T. milk
Directions:
- In a stand mixer with a fitted paddle attachment, combine butter and powdered sugar. Mix on low speed until combined.
- Once fully combined, add milk and vanilla.
- Turn the mixer up to a medium-high speed and whip buttercream for 4 – 5 minutes or until light and fluffy.
