Easter Bunny Cake

This is the Easter cake that parents have been making for decades, and there’s a reason it keeps showing up. A boxed carrot cake mix bakes into two round layers. One gets set aside for later (or to make a second bunny); the other gets cut in half and sandwiched with frosting to form the body. A notch cut from one end shapes the head, and the trimmed piece becomes the cottontail.

White whipped frosting coats the whole bunny, then a shower of shredded coconut turns into convincing fur. Construction paper ears press into the top, jelly beans become eyes and nose, and a bed of green-tinted coconut grass surrounds the bunny on the platter.

The whole project takes about an hour of baking and cooling plus 15 minutes of cheerful decorating. Kids love the assembly. Grandparents lose their minds over the finished product. Carrot cake is the authentic touch: bunny eats carrots, after all.

Kitchen Tips

• Cool the cake layers fully before cutting. Warm cake crumbles and tears, ruining the clean notch that defines the head.
• Use toothpicks to attach the tail. It won’t stick with frosting alone. Two toothpicks keep the tail secure until serving.
• Apply coconut fur while the frosting is still tacky. Dry frosting means the coconut slides right off.
• Tint coconut grass in a jar with a tight lid. Shake vigorously to disperse the food coloring evenly without creating neon patches.

Variations

• Use vanilla or white cake mix for a classic white bunny instead of carrot.
• Dye patches of coconut pink or gray for accent details on ears, feet, or around the eyes.
• Use black licorice pieces or mini chocolate chips for eyes instead of jelly beans.