Childhood Bunny Cake

This cake was a highlight of my childhood celebrations. I loved it when my Mom made this bunny cake for my brother and me. It is such a special Easter memory. This cake is fun to make and something memorable to make for someone you love!

Bunny Cake 

Ingredients for Buttermilk Cake 

4 egg whites, room temperature

2 cups all-purpose flour


1 teaspoon baking powder


1⁄2 teaspoon baking soda 

1⁄2 teaspoon salt


11⁄2 cups butter, room temperature, divided

1 3⁄4 cups sugar


1 teaspoon vanilla


1 1⁄3 cups buttermilk, room temperature 

Ingredients for Icing

1 lb. powdered sugar 

2 teaspoons vanilla 

1-2 tablespoons milk 

To Decorate

14 oz. bag sweetened, flaked coconut

Jelly beans 
Black, and red, licorice laces


Food coloring 

Directions for Buttermilk Cake 

Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and lightly flour two 8”x11⁄2” round cake pans. 
In a medium bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. 


In a mixer bowl, beat 1⁄2 cup butter on medium high speed for 30 seconds. Add 
sugar and vanilla; beat until light and fluffy. 


Add egg whites, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition, scraping bowl as 
needed. 


Alternately add flour mixture (1⁄3 each time) and buttermilk (1⁄2 each time) to batter, 
beating on low speed after each addition just until combined, being careful not to 
over beat. 


Divide batter evenly into the prepared pans. 


Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted near center comes out 
clean. Be careful not to overbake. 


Cool cake layers in pans on wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove cake layers from 
pans. Cool thoroughly on rack. 


Combine 1 cup softened butter and vanilla in a mixer bowl; beat on low speed until light and fluffy. 


Add 1⁄2 of powdered sugar and beat on low speed until it is incorporated. Add remaining sugar and beat on low until all sugar is incorporated. 


Increase speed to medium and continue beating about 4 minutes, scraping sides and bottom of bowl often. 


When finished beating, drizzle in 1 teaspoon of milk at a time and continue beating until icing reaches a good consistency for spreading on the cake. 


Directions for assembling Bunny Cake 

Using a piece of waxed paper, trace a circle on the paper using your cake pan as a template. Cut out the circle and fold circle in half. Again, using the cake pan as a template, trace an arc on the curved side of the circle that results in a long oval that looks like a bunny ear - the oval will be about 6” long and about 3“ across the middle. With the paper still folded, cut away the oval. When the circle is opened, the middle should now look like a bow tie. 


Place the “bow tie” pattern on one of the completely cooled cakes, and using a serrated knife, cut the cake carefully along the pattern. When done, the cake will be in 3 pieces: two ears and one bow tie. 


Place whole cake about 2⁄3 the way down your cake board or serving platter. Position the ears on the board, touching the top of the cake, and using a little icing as glue, attach the ears to the cake. (Cut a little cake off the ear tip for better positioning.) 


Again using icing as glue, attach the third cut out to the bottom of the cake so that all of the cake pieces together form a bunny head with a bow tie. 


Completely cover the cake with the buttercream. Now cover the bunny face - including sides - lightly with coconut, pressing gently so the coconut adheres. Leaving the middle of the ears open, cover the rest of the ears with coconut. 


Place 1⁄3 cup of coconut in a container with a lid; add a drop of pink food coloring to a little water & add to the container. Shake vigorously until coconut is pink. Cover middle of the ears with the pink coconut and add a sprinkle to the bunny cheeks too. 


Place 2⁄3 cup of coconut in a container with a lid; add a drop or two of another color to a little water & add to the container. Shake until coconut is colored. (OR, toast this coconut for a few minutes in a 350°F oven instead of coloring) 


Cover the bow tie with the colored coconut and press jelly beans into the tie. Use jelly beans for eyes and a nose. Cut lengths of licorice to form whiskers. Enjoy!