Chocolate Easter Bunny Cake

🧁 Ingredients

For the Chocolate Cake:

• 1¾ cups (220g) all-purpose flour
• ¾ cup (65g) unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1½ tsp baking powder
• 1½ tsp baking soda
• ½ tsp salt
• 2 cups (400g) granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup (240ml) milk
• ½ cup (120ml) vegetable oil
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 cup (240ml) boiling water or hot coffee (enhances chocolate flavor)

For the Chocolate Buttercream:

• 1 cup (226g) unsalted butter, softened
• ½ cup (45g) unsweetened cocoa powder
• 3½–4 cups (420–480g) powdered sugar
• 4–6 tbsp milk or cream
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• Pinch of salt

🧰 Tools (Optional but Helpful):

• Two 8-inch round cake pans
• Bunny ear cutouts (from cake or paper)
• Piping bags + star or grass tips
• Shredded coconut (for a fuzzy effect)
• Candy eyes, jellybeans, marshmallows, or mini chocolate eggs

🐣 Instructions

Step 1: Bake the Cake

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and line two 8-inch cake pans.
2. In a large bowl, whisk flour, cocoa, baking powder, soda, and salt.
3. In another bowl, beat sugar, eggs, milk, oil, and vanilla until smooth.
4. Add dry ingredients to wet, then mix in hot water or coffee.
5. Divide batter into pans and bake 30–35 minutes. Let cool completely.

Step 2: Make the Buttercream

1. Beat butter until fluffy.
2. Sift in cocoa powder and beat until smooth.
3. Add powdered sugar, vanilla, salt, and enough milk for a smooth, spreadable consistency.

🐰 Assembly Ideas

🥚 Option A: Bunny Face Cake

1. Cut one 8-inch round cake into two ears (cut out curved sides to form ear shapes).
2. Arrange second full round as the face and position ear pieces at the top sides.
3. Frost entire cake with chocolate buttercream.
4. Decorate:
   • Coconut or piped white buttercream cheeks
   • Marshmallow/mini cookie muzzle
   • Chocolate eggs for eyes or cheeks
   • Pipe pink inner ears and a jellybean nose

🌷 Option B: Sheet Cake with Easter Bunny Theme

1. Bake in a 9×13-inch pan and frost top with chocolate buttercream.
2. Decorate with:
   • A chocolate bunny in the center
   • A “nest” made from toasted coconut and mini eggs
   • Piped grass, flowers, or a bunny tail (marshmallow + frosting)

✅ Tips

• Chill cake before frosting to prevent crumbs.
• Use desiccated coconut dyed with food coloring for added texture (optional).
• You can substitute store-bought chocolate bunnies as toppers for a fast finish!