This chocolate funfetti hidden bunny cake is deceptively simple to make and is the perfect addition to an Easter brunch!
Here we go again, another Easter recipe coming at you! It’s pretty much my favorite holiday because it’s in the SPRING, when we get to shake off the sleepiness of winter and finally stay up past eight.
Tell me I’m not the only one who goes to bed super-early when the days are short!
And not only is Easter in such a glorious time of year, but it’s a food holiday. Food holidays are the best holidays of all, because no one can complain when you bake three different cakes for brunch even though there will be only four of you in attendance.
True story.
I saw this loaf cake from Food 52 on pinterest months ago that was pretty much exactly this. Let me tell you: that cake haunted my dreams. All I could think was I MUST MAKE THAT! Because how cute is it? How ingenious? How perfect an ending to Easter brunch?
And I was pleased beyond words to discover that this is a cake that not only looks adorable but also tastes really, really good. I mean, a chocolate and vanilla cake is probably going to be good but you never really know. It’s light and moist and not super-rich, which means you can have two pieces if you want. I fully support you in that.
This cake looks pretty complicated but it couldn’t be more simple. It takes a few steps but it’s way easier to put together than a layer cake. And it’s customizable! Change up the holiday—maybe a star with red, white, and blue jimmies. Or a tree for Christmas. The possibilities are endless.
Just be sure to find a cookie cutter that fits inside your loaf pan. The first three cookie cutters I wanted to use were all a little taller than the pan. A bunny isn’t a bunny if its ears are chopped off :(.
As always, I’m not in love with the photos I’m sharing in this post. They don’t do justice to this little hidden bunny cake. I hope that my words are enough to encourage you to bake this, because I can’t imagine the pictures have you running to the kitchen. Someday my photography will improve. . .I’m hopeful it will happen before I reach retirement age.
In the meantime, I’ll just keep baking cakes. Chocolate funfetti hidden bunny cakes.
Because, adorable :). Happy Easter (season)!
This chocolate funfetti hidden bunny cake is a sure crowd-pleaser!
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 5 large eggs at room temperature
- 2 tablespoons jimmies I used an Easter mix
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 2/3 cup Dutch-process cocoa powder
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoons espresso powder optional
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 3 large eggs at room temperature
- 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup whole milk
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Spray a 9- by 5-inch loaf pan with cooking spray, then line with parchment paper, leaving an inch of paper hanging over the sides. Spray paper with cooking spray then dust with flour. Tap out excess flour and set pan aside.
- Sift the flour and salt together in a small bowl. Place butter, sugar, and vanilla in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Cream until light and fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stop to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl after each egg is incorporated.
- Turn mixer to low and gradually add the flour mixture until it’s just incorporated. Gently fold in jimmies.
- Pour batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 75 to 85 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Cool in pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes, then use parchment paper to remove the cake from the pan. Cool completely on a wire rack.
- Once cool, slice into 1-inch slices. Use your cookie cutter to cut out desired shapes. Set cut-outs on a large baking sheet lined with parchment paper and freeze them for 1 hour. Leave them in the freezer while you prepare the chocolate loaf.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9- by 5-inch loaf pan with cooking spray. Line with parchment paper, allowing a couple inches of excess to hang over the sides. Spray paper with cooking spray, then dust with flour. Tap out excess flour; set pan aside.
- Combine butter, sugar, cocoa powder, vanilla, espresso powder, salt, and baking powder in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium speed until combined and smooth, about 30 seconds. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well and scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl after each addition.
- Turn the mixer to low and add half of the flour and mix until just incorporated. Add all of the milk, mixing until just incorporated, then add remaining flour. Mix on low until just incorporated.
- Pour just enough batter into the prepared pan to cover the bottom evenly. Remove funfetti bunnies from the freezer and line them up to form a bunny log that is a little shorter than your pan—you’ll probably have an extra bunny or two. Set log carefully on top of batter, then carefully pour remaining batter over them, to just under the rim of the pan. You’ll have excess batter; I recommend pouring it into a ramekin and baking yourself a cupcake. Bake bunny cake for 44 to 50 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
- Cool in pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes, then use parchment paper to remove the cake from the pan. Cool completely on a wire rack. Serve, enjoy, and watch your friends’ faces light up when they see that little bunny hiding in their cake.
Funfetti loaf adapted from Myrecipes.com
Chocolate loaf adapted from King Arthur Flour
Method adapted from Food 52
ChocolaTess says
Cutest bunny cake ever Kelsie! I love those sprinkles in the bunny and it’s so festive! Who wouldn’t love this cuteness for Easter?? <3 I have wanted to try this, so I may have to do that for an upcoming holiday too! Thanks for the inspiration!
Kelsie says
Thank you Kim! You must try it! I love how customizable it is 🙂
Teesh Osita says
There’s a reason why I can’t make this – I’d be munching on the funfetti cake before I get around to making the other loaf hahaha. This is cute!!!
Kelsie says
Haha! I had a little trouble with that, too :). Thank you Teesh!
Pam says
This is the best little cake I’ve seen for Easter! It looks delicious and our grandson would love it! Thanks for sharing!
Kelsie says
Thank you so much Pam! I think it’s the perfect cake for kids 🙂
Julia Mueller says
Oh my gaaaaawsh I LOVE this! I have 10 nieces and nephews that would all go wild over this bread. Definitely fun inspiration for Easter!
Kelsie says
Haha! Thank you Julia!
kitchenriffs says
What a fun recipe! This does say “Easter!” Looks gorgeous, and I’ll bet it tastes even better. Thanks!
Kelsie says
Thank you so much! Have a great rest of your week 🙂
marcie@flavorthemoments says
This is TOO cute! I’ve never made a cake like this so I love the tutorial — it makes it look so easy!
Kelsie says
Thank you so much, Marcie! It really is simple to make; I was surprised at how easily it came together!
Julie is Hostess At Heart says
Kelsie, this is so darned adorable! That’s a great tip to not cut off the bunny ears LOL! We are invited to an Easter Brunch. I may have to sneak this in. The kiddos would love it!
Kelsie says
Awww thank you, Julie! Yep, cutting off those bunny ears is not such a good thing, haha :). It’s such a fun cake and I think it would be a total hit with kids!
annie@ciaochowbambina says
This wins the cutest cake award! Such a sweet and festive idea!!
Kelsie says
Thank you so much, Annie!
CakePants says
What an impressive and fun cake! The sprinkles in the bunny section really add a nice finishing touch. And I agree with you – food holidays are the best! But, then again, as food bloggers, we may be biased…
Kelsie says
Thank you so much, Mara! I think you nailed it–we’re naturally predisposed to like those food holidays :). Have a great rest of your week!
grace says
BRAVO! i’ve wanted to try this technique but have never found the motivation or courage, and you’ve done it masterfully! perfect easter cake! 🙂
Kelsie says
Thank you so much, Grace! It’s really so simple I couldn’t even believe it :). Have a great week!
Sara - beamingbanana.com says
Kelsie, this cake is TOO freaking cute! As a few others have mentioned, I’ve seen this idea before at other holidays and always thought my goodness that looks like so much cake/cutting/work! But you’ve made it so simple and sooo cute. I can totally relate to LOVING Easter, I’m so ready for the nice weather and super fun, pastel, cute baking like this cake!! Love it!
Kelsie says
Thank you Sara! I was so surprised by how EASY the cake is :). And so much fun! Hooray for spring and all things pastel!
gringalicioustori says
Omg, wow this is absolutely the cutest!
Kelsie says
Thank you Tori!
All That I'm Eating says
This is so sweet! What a lovely idea!
Kelsie says
Thank you so much!
David | Spiced says
First of all, Kelsie…your photos are amazing! So none of that talk. I want to pull that cake off my screen right now and shove it into my face. Is that socially acceptable? (Of course it is…we’re on the internet after all!) So you’ve inspired me to try a hidden character cake again. I tried one for Halloween a number of years ago, and it was a total fail. Like into the trash can total fail. I still have nightmares about that one. But you make this look so easy and so awesome. So I’ll try it again sometime. Oh, and you’re not the only one who goes to bed at 8 in the winter. <–OldManRightHere
Kelsie says
Haha! I welcome all my friends to grab cakes off the screen and shove them into their faces. I think that’s appropriate. Definitely try that cake again! They’re too much fun. . .except when they end up in the garbage :(. Here’s to the geriatric set, in bed by 8! Have a great week, David!
Liz Berg says
What a delicious, speckled surprise in every slice!! You aced this cake!!
Kelsie says
Thank you so much, Liz!
Marie @ Yay! For Food says
What a fun and cute cake! The hidden bunny turned out perfectly! Plus, you get to eat vanilla AND chocolate cake! 🙂
Kelsie says
Right? Perfect for those times (all times for me) when you just can’t decide between the two! Thank you Marie!
Tandy | Lavender and Lime says
Oh wow, and it is so easy to do! What a great idea for birthday parties 🙂
Kelsie says
Can you believe how simple it is? Thank you Tandy!
Alyssa @ My Sequined Life says
I think your photography is WONDERFUL! What a fun idea this cake is…love the flavors and how festive it is!
Kelsie says
Thank you so much, Alyssa! You’re too sweet :). Have a wonderful week!
Carlee says
That is cute as can be! My little guy would absolutely love this (and so would I!)
Kelsie says
Thank you Carlee! This would be so much fun with kids :). Have a great week!
Milena | Craft Beering says
Unbelievable! This is absolutely clever! I think that it could even work with meatloaf for the hidden shape and jalapeno corn bread around… Like you said, so many possibilities. Thank you for making this! Beautiful!
Kelsie says
Thank you so much Milena! I totally didn’t even think of all the savory possibilities. How much fun would cornbread be? Love it! Have a great week 🙂