Easter Bunny Cake Sprinkle Center (Print Version)

Whimsical bunny-shaped cake featuring a delightful hidden sprinkle center for festive occasions.

# What You'll Need:

→ Cake

01 - 3 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 2.5 teaspoons baking powder
03 - 0.5 teaspoon salt
04 - 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
05 - 2 cups granulated sugar
06 - 4 large eggs
07 - 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
08 - 1 cup whole milk

→ Hidden Sprinkle Center

09 - 1 cup assorted sprinkles

→ Buttercream Frosting

10 - 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
11 - 4 cups powdered sugar
12 - 2 to 3 tablespoons milk
13 - 1.5 teaspoons vanilla extract
14 - Pink food coloring, optional

→ Decoration

15 - Shredded coconut for bunny fur, optional
16 - Candy eyes
17 - Pink jelly beans or pink candy for nose
18 - Marshmallows for tail and ears, optional

# How To:

01 - Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease and flour two 8-inch round cake pans.
02 - In a bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.
03 - In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time, then mix in vanilla extract.
04 - Add flour mixture in three parts, alternating with milk, beginning and ending with flour. Mix until just combined.
05 - Divide batter evenly between prepared pans. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
06 - Let cakes cool in pans for 10 minutes, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.
07 - Once cool, level cakes if necessary. Using a 3-inch round cutter, cut a hole in the center of one cake layer.
08 - Place the intact cake layer on a serving plate. Spread a thin layer of buttercream, then top with the cake layer with the hole.
09 - Fill the hole with sprinkles. Place cake cut-out from the hole on top to seal.
10 - Beat butter until creamy. Gradually add powdered sugar, then vanilla extract and milk until fluffy and spreadable.
11 - Frost entire cake with buttercream. For bunny shape, use one round as the face and cut the other round to make ears and a bowtie. Assemble on a large board.
12 - Decorate with shredded coconut for fur, candy eyes, pink frosting or candies for nose and ears, and marshmallows for tail if desired.
13 - Chill for 30 minutes before serving to help set the frosting and surprise center.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The surprise sprinkle center gives you that magical reveal moment that makes people genuinely happy at the table.
  • It looks incredibly impressive even though the technique is straightforward enough that you won't second-guess yourself halfway through.
  • Kids can help decorate it, turning baking into an actual event rather than just another dessert.
02 -
  • The cutter size matters for the hidden center—too small and you don't get enough sprinkles, too large and your sealing cake circle is fragile.
  • Room temperature ingredients (especially butter and eggs) mix together smoothly without creating lumps or air pockets that bake unevenly.
  • Coconut frosting or chocolate frosting works just as well if vanilla feels too plain for your crowd.
03 -
  • The hidden sprinkle center gets more impressive when you use a mix of shimmer sprinkles, pearl sprinkles, and regular rainbow sprinkles so every bite is different.
  • Make the buttercream the day before and store it in the refrigerator, then let it come to room temperature and re-beat it before frosting, which gives you more flexibility with your baking timeline.
Go Back