It's almost time for Easter, and you know what that means? Yes, it is time to make an Easter bunny cake! They're easier to make than they look. You don't need a special bunny-shaped pan, just two round cake pans. And you can use just about any cake batter, though I don't recommend red velvet because some kids may find that a little disturbing. A good vanilla, lemon, or yellow cake batter is perfect. Best of all, once you've assembled and frosted the cake, your kids will have fun decorating it with you.
Easter Bunny Cake
Use a cake mix and store-bought frosting, or make cake batter and seven-minute frosting from scratch.
Martha Stewart's Lemon Cake Batter
Ingredients:
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for pans
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled), plus more for pans
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon lemon zest
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 large eggs plus 3 large egg yolks
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 cup low-fat buttermilk
Mixing and baking directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour two 8-by-2-inch cake pans, tapping out excess flour. In a medium bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and lemon zest.
2. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat butter and 1 1/2 cups sugar until light and fluffy. With mixer on low, beat in eggs and yolks, one at a time. Beat in 2 tablespoons lemon juice. Alternately beat in flour mixture and buttermilk beginning and ending with flour mixture; mix just until combined.
3. Divide batter between pans; smooth tops. Bake until cakes pull away from sides of pans, 32 to 35 minutes. Let cool in pans 10 minutes. Run a knife around edges of pans and invert cakes onto a wire rack.
Ingredients:
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
3 large egg whites
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
Directions:
1. In large metal bowl, whisk together 1/3 cup water, sugar, egg whites, cream of tartar, and salt. Set bowl over pan of barely simmering water and mix with handheld electric mixer at low speed. Gradually increase speed to high, beating until mixture holds stiff peaks, about 5 minutes.
2. Transfer bowl from pan to folded kitchen towel on counter and continue beating until mixture is cool and billowy, about 2 minutes more. Beat in vanilla. (Frosting can be made 4 hours ahead and chilled, covered.)
Directions for constructing your bunny
1. Reserve one round, baked cake for the bunny's head. From the other cake, cut two convex shapes for the ears. DO NOT cut the ears so wide that you cut all the way into the middle of the cake. Set each ear on either side of the bunny's head. Take the remaining piece and place it under the bunny's head for a bow tie.
2. Use some of the frosting as glue to attach the ears and bow tie to the bunny's head. Then frost the rest of the cake, including the sides. Use jelly beans, licorice, and anything else you like to decorate the bunny. Some people like coconut flakes to give the bunny a furry look.