Mini Easter Bunny Cakes (Printable Version)

Moist vanilla sponge cupcakes with fluffy buttercream and festive bunny-shaped decorations for a kids party.

# What You Need:

→ For the Cakes

01 - 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1 cup granulated sugar
03 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
04 - 1/2 cup whole milk
05 - 2 large eggs
06 - 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
07 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
08 - 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

→ For the Buttercream

09 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
10 - 2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
11 - 2 tablespoons whole milk
12 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
13 - Food coloring in pink, green, and yellow (optional)

→ For Decoration

14 - Mini marshmallows
15 - White chocolate chips or candy melts
16 - Pink candy-coated chocolates for noses
17 - Mini chocolate chips for eyes
18 - Shredded coconut or green sprinkles for grass
19 - Edible markers (optional)

# Steps:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 12-cup muffin tin or line with paper liners.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, cream together softened butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy, approximately 2-3 minutes.
03 - Add eggs one at a time to the butter mixture, mixing well after each addition. Stir in vanilla extract until fully combined.
04 - In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.
05 - Add half of the dry ingredients to the butter mixture, followed by half of the milk. Repeat with the remaining flour mixture and milk. Mix until just combined, avoiding overmixing.
06 - Divide batter evenly among muffin cups, filling each approximately two-thirds full.
07 - Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool completely on a wire cooling rack.
08 - Beat softened butter until creamy. Gradually add sifted powdered sugar, mixing thoroughly. Add milk and vanilla extract, then beat until light and fluffy. Divide frosting into portions and tint with food coloring as desired.
09 - Apply buttercream frosting to each cooled cake using a piping bag or spatula.
10 - Cut marshmallows in half to form bunny ears and position on top of each cake. Affix pink candies as noses, mini chocolate chips as eyes, and white chocolate chips or candy melts as bunny teeth. Garnish with shredded coconut or green sprinkles to resemble grass.
11 - Arrange decorated cakes on a serving platter and surround with additional shredded coconut or sprinkles for a festive presentation.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • They're foolproof enough that kids can genuinely help without you redoing everything later.
  • The vanilla sponge stays moist for days, so you can bake ahead and decorate the morning of the party.
  • Decorating them is pure joy—there's no wrong way to make a bunny face, which takes the pressure off completely.
02 -
  • Room temperature ingredients are not a suggestion—they actually change the texture of your cake and frosting, so don't rush this part.
  • Overmixing the batter after you add the flour will develop gluten and make your cakes tough, so really do stop as soon as you can't see dry flour anymore.
03 -
  • Damp scissors make cutting marshmallows infinitely easier—wet the blade between cuts and the marshmallows won't stick and tear.
  • If your buttercream is too soft to pipe, pop it in the fridge for 10 minutes; if it's too stiff, add milk one teaspoon at a time until it reaches that perfect spreadable consistency.
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