Ingredients:
- 2 boxes cake mix (and accompanying ingredients needed to make the cakes)
- 4 cups white decorator icing
- 2 black jelly beans
- 1 pink jelly bean
- pink food coloring
- black food coloring
- Wilton Tip #47 (or similar basketweave tip)
- Wilton #5 (or similar small round piping tip)
- pastry bag
- large cakeboard/cardboard (at least 15 x 28 inches)
- cake foil
- 9 x 13 inch rectangular cake pan
- 9 inch round cake pan
- 7.75 inch oval cake pan
- no stick cooking spray with flour
Preparation:
Step 1: Preheat the oven as directed by the instructions on the cake mix (usually 350F).
Step 2: Spray all your cake pans with the flour added no stick cooking spray.
Step 3: Mix up one box of cake mix. Once the batter is ready, pour half of the cake batter into the round cake pan, and the other half of the batter into the oval cake pan. Slide the pans into the oven and bake as directed by the instructions on the cake mix box.
Step 4: While those cakes are baking, mix up the second cake mix according to the package directions and pour the batter into the rectangle cake pan.
Step 5: Once the round and oval cakes are finished baking, slide the rectangle cake into the oven and bake according to the package directions.
Step 6: While the cakes are baking, wrap the cake board with decorative foil.
Step 7: Divide the white decorator icing and mix 1¾ cups of the icing with pink food coloring to turn it pink. Color the remaining ¼ cup of white icing and color it black with the black food coloring.
Step 8: Once the cakes are baked, turn them out of the pan let them cool for a a few minutes on a cooling rack. Level the tops (the side that was up as they were baking) of each cake with a serrated knife so thet are even. Leave the cakes to cool completely.
Step 9: Use the serrated knife to cut bunny ears from the oval cake. Start a little to the right or left of the top of the oval and cut at a slight angle toward the center of the cake (don’t cross the center line). Once you hit the mid point of the cake gradually angle back in toward the bottom to make the ears (see photo below). Repeat the process on the other side of the cake to make the second ear.
Step 10: Arrange the cakes on the board. Place the rectangle cake lengthwise (cut-side down) across the bottom of the cake board to make the basket. Place the round cake (cut-side down) centered just above the rectangle cake to form the bunny’s head. The ears you made from the oval cake go on top of the head. Put a small amount of icing under each cake on the board; this will act as a glue to secure the cakes in place.
Step 11: Put a small amount of icing under each cake on the board; this will act as a glue to secure the cakes in place. Place most of the cakes cut side face down, on top of the icing. To make the ears look even you may have to place one of those cakes with the cut side up.
Step 12: Give the bunny a base coat of white icing, and the basket a base coat of pink icing.
Step 13: Give the icing some time to dry, then add a second layer of white icing to the bunny.
Step 14: Let the cake sit for a few minutes so the second layer icing can dry. Once dry, use a piece of wax paper to smooth the icing on the bunny.
Step 15: Add the two black jelly beans to the bunny’s face for eyes, and the pink jelly bean for a nose.
Step 16: Ice the centers of the bunnies ears with pink icing. Let the icing sit for a few minutes to dry, then smooth the pink icing on the ears with wax paper.
Step 17: To make the basket weave on the top of the rectangle cake: Add pink icing to a pastry bag with the Wilton #47 Tip (or similar) on the end. Start by putting one strip of icing down one side of the top of the cake.
Step 18: Pipe several short horizontal lines going across the vertical stripe, and continuing on for about an inch on the other side. Leave room between each horizontal stripe about the width of the decorator tip so you can put a row between. Make another vertical stripe down the cake going just over the ends of the horizontal stripes you just made.
Step 19: Repeat the horizontal stripes, but bury the beginning of the next set of horizontal lines under the first vertical line (between the first lines you made, in the spaces you left between your first set of horizontal lines, so it looks like the weave is coming out from underneath). Repeat the process until you go all across the top of the cake.
Step 20: Place the black icing in a pastry bag with the Wilton #5 Tip (or similar) round tip on the end, and pipe the bunny’s mouth just under his nose.
Step 21: Wipe the excess icing off of the cake board and you’re ready to display your Easter Bunny Cake!
Want more Easter recipes?
