Need an Easter Bunny Cake to surprise your kids and family with? This one has a cute little bunny surprise inside and tastes amazing at the same time!
No matter how great my Easter dessert turns out I never make the same one twice. I just love to surprise my granddaughters with a different one each year.
There’s no greater satisfaction than to see their little faces smile and their eyes open wide in wonder. Such was the case last year with this surprise Easter bunny cake.
I got inspiration from a YouTube video on how to make a rainbow tie-dye surprise cake and I made some adjustments. I don’t have step by step photos simply because I truly believed I could get away with only one lemon cake box, but I couldn’t.
The poor bunny ears were left exposed and I had to run to the store to buy one more, as suggested in the recipe. In the midst of all that I had no time, or desire quite honestly, to take photos.
The instructions are pretty straightforward and the video does help with the visuals, so I hope you’ll give this surprise Easter bunny cake a try. The surprise shape and the colors could be anything your heart desires. Do make ahead.
How to Make Surprise Easter Bunny Cake:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Make blue velvet cake batter, according to package directions. Bake in a 9x13 baking pan for 30 minutes or follow package directions. Cool the cake in the pan completely. Remove it from the pan and level the top using a serrated knife. Lay the cake on a baking sheet and place it in the freezer for at least 30 minutes. Using a bunny cookie cutter, or shape of your choice, cut the bunnies out of the cake.
- Line a large loaf pan with non-stick aluminum foil leaving the sides longer than the pan (handles). My loaf pan was 9x5-inch and I left those "handles" really long. I also had to occasionally press them to keep the shape of the cake even. I'd strongly suggest you find at least a 12" loaf pan. A disposable foil pan would work fine. Grease and dust with flour.
- In a large bowl, combine both of the lemon cake mixes according to package directions. Pour a thin layer of cake mix into the loaf pan. Bake for 5-10 minutes or just enough to firm up so it can keep the bunnies from sinking to the bottom of the pan.
- Pour about a cup of the batter down the center of the cake.
- Line the bunnies on the top in a single row. Pour the remaining batter gently over bunnies. Smooth the batter.
- Bake for 70-90 minutes, rotating pan 180 degrees after 40 minutes until a skewer or cake tester inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
- Cool the cake in the pan for 15 minutes. Using foil handles, lift the cake out of the pan and place it on a wire rack to cool completely. With a serrated knife cut off the dome of the cake and some of the sides, if you want a more even look. Apply frosting on the top and sides of the cake.
- Roll out fondant to 24x15-inches. Cover cake with fondant and trim off the excess. With scissors, cut off the corners and press together. Decorate the cake as you desire. Keep refrigerated.
Related Recipes:
- No-Bake Cheesecake in Kataifi Nests
- Sunny-Side-Up Cake
- Easter Bread Cheesecake
- Carrot Cake Cheesecake
- Bumblebee Chocolate Cupcakes
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Surprise Easter Bunny Cake
Ingredients
- 1 box Blue Velvet, or flavor of your choice Cake Mix
- 2 boxes Lemon, or flavor of your choice Cake Mix
- Eggs, oil, and water according to package directions
- 1 package Vanilla Cake Frosting
- 1 package - 24 oz. pink Fondant, or color of your choice
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Make blue velvet cake batter, according to package directions. Bake in a 9x13 baking pan for 30 minutes or follow package directions. Cool the cake in pan completely. Remove it from the pan and level the top using a serrated knife. Lay the cake on a baking sheet and place it in the freezer for at least 30 minutes. Using a bunny cookie cutter, or shape of your choice, cut the bunnies out of the cake.
- Line a large loaf pan with non-stick aluminum foil leaving the sides longer than the pan (handles). My loaf pan was 9x5-inch and I left those "handles" really long. I also had to occasionally press them as to keep the shape of the cake even. I'd strongly suggest you find at least a 12" loaf pan. Disposable foil pan would work fine. Grease and dust with flour.
- In a large bowl, combine both of the lemon cake mixes according to package directions.
- Pour a thin layer of cake mix into the loaf pan. Bake for 5-10 minutes or just enough to firm up so it can keep the bunnies from sinking to the bottom of the pan. Pour about a cup of the batter down the center of the cake.
- Line the bunnies on the top in a single row. Pour the remaining batter gently over bunnies. Smooth the batter.
- Bake for 70-90 minutes, rotating pan 180 degrees after 40 minutes until a skewer or cake tester inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
- Cool the cake in pan for 15 minutes. Using foil handles, lift the cake out of the pan and place on a wire rack to cool completely. With a serrated knife cut off the dome of the cake and some of the sides, if you want a more even look. Apply frosting on the top and sides of the cake.
- Roll out fondant to 24x5-inches. Cover cake with fondant and trim off the excess. With scissors, cut off the corners and press together (see the end of the video provided). Decorate the cake as you desire. Keep refrigerated.
Cara M says
Hi Jas,
I have 2 questions about this recipe. First, what size cookie cutter did you use? Also, did you use all of the 2nd lemon cake batter or did you have some leftover? If I use a 9×5 loaf pan, I'm thinking it would be too small to hold two batches of cake batter.
Thank you in advance!
Jas says
Hi, Cara! My cookie cutter is 3 1/2-inch tall, from the bottom to the highest ear tip. Of course, you can use a smaller one, but I wouldn't suggest larger than mine. In the post, I explained: "My loaf pan was 9x5-inch, and I left those "handles" really long. I also had to occasionally press them to keep the shape of the cake even. I'd strongly suggest you find at least a 12" loaf pan. A disposable foil pan would work fine". So, admittedly, it was a bit tricky to keep the cake from expanding above the pan, but you can totally use a larger pan or less cake batter (I did use it all). Just make sure that your bunny (or if you go with an egg-shaped cookie cutter) is completely covered with batter. I hope that helps. 🙂
2pots2cook says
Hello ! Spotted this beauty on Instagram and wondered how on earth would I make it.... thank you for detailed instructions !
Jas says
Hello, there! I'm so happy you like it! Thanks for stopping in. 😀
Carlee says
I absolutely love this! It is so festive and cute!
Jas says
Thank you!
Barrie Mooney says
This is such a fun idea! For adults too- like magic and delicious!
Jas says
Thank you, Barrie! It kind of is, isn't it? 😀
Barbara Chapman ~ French Ethereal says
This cake is super cute, Jas!!! Love it!!! Pinned to my Holidays and Yummy! boards for you and for our readers. Great ideas! Maybe one of these days I'll have some grandkids to make one. 🙂
Really fun!
Barb 🙂
Jas says
Hi, Barbara! I'm really happy that you like it. Thank you and thanks for pinning. Hope your wish for grandkids comes true and not because of the cake. 🙂 Hugs
Kelly Lynns Sweets and Treats says
This is the cutest cake ever! Thanks for sharing at Friday Frenzy Link Party! PINNED 🙂
Jas says
Thank you so much!