Easter Bunny Cake
The perfect cake for every Easter brunch table! Delicious strawberry flavor with Italian meringue buttercream ombre, roses and the cutest little garden bunny!
- Prep time
- 30 min
- Cook time
- 35 min
- Yield
- 10 servings
- Difficulty
- MEDIUM
Ingredients
Quantities are shown as originally provided.
- 1 ⅔ cup all-purpose flour (213g)
- 1 cup granulated sugar (228g)
- 1 tsp baking powder (3g)
- ¼ tsp baking soda (1g)
- ¾ cup unsalted butter (176g, room temp or melted)
- ¼ cup whole milk (63g, warm)
- ¼ cup strawberry preserves (46g, strained, warmed )
- ½ cup sour cream (133g)
- 3 tsp vanilla extract (10g)
- 3 egg whites (large)
- Pink food coloring
- 1 chocolate bunny (medium size)
- 1 bag chocolate eggs (pastel)
- pinch salt
- 4 large egg whites (room temperature)
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar (342g)
- Pinch kosher salt optional
- 2 cups unsalted butter (456g, room temperature)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract (5mL)
- 1/3 cup water (40g)
- Dash of cream of tartar
- pink food coloring
- yellow food coloring
- 1 lb confectioners sugar (462g)
- 2 sticks butter (228g unsalted, room temp)
- 1 tbsp strawberry preserve (20g, strained)
- 2 tbsp lemon juice (30mL strained)
Instructions
- 1
For the Cake:
- 2
Preheat oven to 340F. Butter and flour three 6-inch cake pans. Soak baking strips in water. Strain the strawberry preserves.
- 3
Sift dry ingredients (including sugar). Whisk to combine.
- 4
In another bowl, whisk together wet ingredients.
- 5
Combine wet and dry mixtures. Whisk until combined. Add a few drops of pink food coloring until a desired consistency is reached. If the batter is lumpy, it’s okay!
- 6
Add baking strips to the cake pans.
- 7
Evenly distribute batter into pans. I like to use a kitchen scale for precision.
- 8
Bake for about 35 minutes or until the centers are set and springy to the touch.
- 9
For the Italian Meringue Buttercream:
- 10
Beat the egg whites, salt and cream of tartar, slowly add in 1/3 cup of sugar and continue beating until soft peaks form.
- 11
In a medium saucepan add the remaining sugar and 1/3 cup water then place on medium-low heat.
- 12
Stir until sugar melts and becomes clear. Maintain at medium-high heat until temperature reads 235-240F.
- 13
Drizzle the sugar into the mixer immediately.
- 14
Run the mixer until meringue is cool/tepid or for about 15 minutes. You can speed up the process by adding bags of frozen peas to the base of the bowl.
- 15
Add room temperature butter into running mixer one tablespoon piece at a time.
- 16
Add the salt and vanilla.
- 17
Beat until butter is combined and mixture has reached a silky consistency.
- 18
Distribute into small bowls.
- 19
Use food coloring to create a gradient of colors.
- 20
Transfer to piping bags. Snip off the tips of each bag.
- 21
For the Strawberry Buttercream:
- 22
In a stand mixer, cream the butter until fluffy.
- 23
Sift in half of the confectioners sugar. Mix, then add the rest.
- 24
Squeeze lemon juice and pour in 1 tbsp of strained strawberry preserves.
- 25
Transfer 2 cups of the buttercream to bowl. Dye some a darker pink. Add the dark pink and the light pink to a piping bag fitted with a 127 tip for the roses. Transfer the rest to another piping bag. Snip off the tip.
- 26
For the Roses:
- 27
Cut a square of parchment paper. Use a tiny bit of buttercream to glue the paper to the piping nail for more stability.
- 28
Pipe a small cone of very thick buttercream in the middle of the square.
- 29
Use a 127 tip with the pointy side up to make the petals.
- 30
Start with a spiral for the center.
- 31
Pipe small arches for each petal, pointing the tip outward as you get towards the outer petals.
- 32
For the Assembly:
- 33
Pipe the strawberry buttercream between each layer.
- 34
Crumb coat the cake with the strawberry buttercream. Smooth with a scraper.
- 35
Starting with the darkest pink, pipe the Italian Meringue gradient.
- 36
Smooth with a scraper.
- 37
Chill the cake for about 10-15 minutes.
- 38
Place the chocolate bunny in the middle.
- 39
Scatter the roses and eggs throughout the top of the cake.