Strawberry Easter Bunny Cake
A festive cake for Easter, this adorable bunny cake is flavoured with vanilla bean and filled with strawberry pie filling. Prepared using two round cake pans, the bunny shape is a fun and fanciful project that’s easy to assemble and tastes delicious, too!
Ingredients
Strawberry Cake:
- 2 1/2 cups 625 mL all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp 10 mL baking powder
- 1/2 tsp 2 mL baking soda
- 1/2 tsp 2 mL salt
- 3/4 cup 175 mL milk
- 1/2 cup 125 mL plain Greek yogurt
- 2 tsp 10 mL vanilla bean paste
- 1 cup 250 mL granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup 175 mL unsalted butter, softened
- 3 eggs
- 1 can (540 mL) E.D.SMITH® Strawberry Pie Filling
Vanilla Frosting:
- 1 cup 250 mL unsalted butter, softened
- 4 cups 1 L confectioners’ (icing) sugar, sifted
- 1/4 cup 60 mL milk
- 2 tsp 10 mL vanilla bean paste
Assembly:
- Storebought coloured icing tubes for decorating
- Assorted candy for decorating
- Licorice string for decorating
- 1/4 cup 60 mL sprinkles for decorating
Directions
Strawberry Cake:
- Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Grease and line bottoms of two 8-inch (20 cm) round cake pans with parchment paper.
- In medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
- In large measuring cup, whisk together milk, Greek yogurt and vanilla paste.
- In large bowl, using electric mixer on medium speed, beat together sugar and butter until light and fluffy. One at a time, beat in eggs, incorporating each fully before adding another.
- With mixer on low speed, alternate adding flour mixture in 3 parts and milk mixture in 2 parts, finishing with flour mixture until combined. Divide batter between prepared pans; smooth tops.
- Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until a tester comes out clean when inserted into centre. Let stand for 15 minutes before turning cakes out onto wire rack to cool completely.
Vanilla Frosting:
- In large bowl, using electric mixer, beat butter until light and fluffy. On low speed, beat in confectioners’ sugar, milk, and vanilla until combined. Increase speed to high; beat for 1 to 2 minutes or until frosting is smooth and creamy.
Assembly:
- Transfer frosting to piping bag fitted with round tip. (Alternatively, transfer to sealable bag and snip off ½-inch/1 cm corner.)
- Cut cakes in half horizontally but keep them stacked. Transfer 1 stacked cake to serving platter, forming the bunny’s “head.”
- Cut 2 convex-shaped “ears” from each side of the second stacked cake and arrange them at the top of the head to form ears. Transfer the remaining stacked concave-shaped piece about 1/2 inch (1 cm) below the head to make a “bowtie.”
- Remove top layers of the cake. Pipe 1/2-inch (1 cm) strip frosting around edges of bottom layer of bunny head cake, creating an outline. Spread strawberry pie filling in centre of frosting. Cap with top cake layers.
- Pipe remaining frosting all over cake, spreading evenly over top and sides using offset spatula.
- Using coloured icing, assorted candy, licorice and sprinkles, decorate bunny’s ears, eyes, nose, whiskers and bowtie. Refrigerate cake for at least 2 hours before serving.
Tips
- Tip: If desired, sprinkle cake with coconut for a fluffy-looking texture before decorating with candy.
