Can I make this bunny cake ahead of time?

Yes, you could make this moist, easy bunny cake the day before you plan to serve it if you wish. Make and frost the cake with frosting and sprinkle with coconut as directed, but do not add the bunny ears, eyes, nose, or additional decorations. Loosely cover the cake with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. When you are ready to serve the cake, unwrap it and finish decorating.

Kitchen Tested

Easter Bunny Cake

Name: Easter Bunny Cake
Prep time: 30 min
Total time: 1 h 50 min
Yield: 12
Ingredients: 1 box Betty Crocker™ Delights Super Moist™ Carrot Cake Mix; Water, vegetable oil and eggs called for on cake mix box; 1 tub (12 oz) Betty Crocker™ Whipped Fluffy White Frosting; 2 cups sweetened shredded coconut, divided; Construction paper; Jelly beans or small gumdrops, as desired; Green liquid food color

Ingredients:7
Servings:12

By Betty Crocker Kitchens(Opens in a new tab)Updated 02/23/2026

Easter Bunny Cake

Ingredients:7
Servings:12

The secret to crafting this adorable Easter Bunny Cake is the shredded coconut! It adds an extra boost of flavor and texture to the already delicious carrot cake. Start with Betty Crocker™ Super Moist™ Carrot Cake Mix and follow our premade diagram to form the shape—before you know it, a cute-as-can-be bunny cake will be hopping down your Easter table. But don’t forget about the decorations! The shredded coconut adds a fur-like texture, and the jelly beans add a pop of color that’s perfect for the eyes and nose. It’s a great way to get your little bakers in on the Easter fun.

Recipe Ingredients

Let's break down the ingredients that make this Easter Bunny Cake so special!

Carrot Cake Mix: The foundation of our adorable bunny rabbit. It's your shortcut to a moist carrot cake that gets you to the fun of decorating in no time.

Fluffy White Frosting: Betty’s fluffy white frosting is easy to spread and is the perfect foundation for adding coconut and decorations.

Sweetened Shredded Coconut: The secret for creating that irresistible, fluffy bunny look. It also serves as the grass, when tinted green, giving our bunny cake a festive place to nestle.

Green Liquid Food Color: Just a few drops are needed to turn the coconut green to create grass.

Jelly Beans: These iconic Easter candies become the adorable eyes and nose of our bunny rabbit cake.

Construction Paper: While technically not an ingredient, you will need construction paper to make the ears for this Easter Bunny Cake. We have provided a diagram, but feel free to be creative and come up with a look all your own. Wrap the portion of the paper that will be inserted into the cake with plastic wrap.

Other Ingredients You’ll Need: Water, vegetable oil, and eggs.

How to Make an Easter Bunny Cake

This adorable bunny rabbit cake will be the star of your Easter table, as the sweetest centerpiece ever! Get out your bowl and apron, and let’s get hoppin’ to make this easy bunny cake. Here are the general directions—use the recipe for all the specifics.

1. Bake the Cake

Bake two round cake layers using Betty Crocker™ Super Moist™ Carrot Cake Mix and the water, oil, and eggs called for on the box. Mix, bake, and cool according to package directions. Reserve one layer for another use, or double the recipe and make two bunny cakes.

2. Freeze the Cake

Freeze the cake layer for 45 minutes. Freezing cuts down on the crumbs when cutting the cake.

3. Cut and Assemble Cake to Form Bunny Shape

Use our simple diagram in the link below as a guide for cutting the cake into simple shapes and assembling the bunny cake.

4. Frost the Cake

Using the tub of fluffy white frosting, frost the cake and sprinkle with the coconut to look like a fluffy bunny.

5. Decorate

Use the jellybeans and/or gumdrops to make the eyes and nose. Tint the remaining coconut green to make the grass surrounding the bunny. Cut out the bunny ears, wrap the ends in plastic wrap, and insert in the cake.

Possible Variations

For even more bunny cake ideas, try any of these fun ways to change it up.

Swap the Sweets: If you are not a fan of jelly beans for the eyes and nose, you can always use other candies to decorate this cake. Try these fun edible candy eyeballs and a small red gumdrop for the nose.

Change the Cake Flavor: Not “everybunny” loves carrot cake. Feel free to make this cute bunny out of another flavor of Super Moist™ cake mix. Just follow the directions on the package for two round layers.

Bunny Cake Love: If this cake inspires you, Betty has even more fun bunny ideas. You will love our Bunny Butt Cake, Bunny Cupcakes, and our Cupcake Bunny Cake.

How to Store Easter Bunny Cake

Store loosely covered at room temperature using a large cake dome, a spacious container with a lid, or even plastic wrap tented over the cake. Your Easter Bunny Cake will stay fresh and delicious for up to 3 days.

Frequently Asked Questions

For this recipe, we use the most common type of coconut—sweetened shredded coconut. It can be found in the baking aisle of most grocery or discount stores. The moist, fluffy texture means it will adhere nicely to the frosting and give the fluffiest bunny texture of all the coconut products.
Flaked coconut is usually larger or smaller, flat pieces of coconut, based on the size you buy. We do not recommend using it for this cake, as it tends to be drier than sweetened shredded coconut, so it won’t stick as well to the frosting, and will give the bunny’s fur a more matted appearance.