Orange Chiffon Easter Bunny Cake with Orange Cream Cheese Frosting

My grandmother was a wonderful baker. Years ago, My mom gave me a bunny cake pan that had been my grandmother’s, along with her bunny cake recipes. I take it out as an Easter decoration. 🙂

I always say that I am going to make a bunny cake for Easter but have been apprehensive; the cake pan is like a cake pop pan in that the batter is supposed to rise into the second half of the pan and fill the mold. This year, (finally!) I had the brilliant idea to bake each half of the bunny separately and then ice them together! Seems like an obvious solution now…. My mom was so happy to see the bunny cake. 🙂

This cake was incredibly moist, light, and bright-flavored from the orange zest and juice. This recipe was adapted from Cupcakes! via Wilde in the Kitchen and The Not So Creative Cook and was originally for 24 cupcakes. DELICIOUS!

Yield: Makes one Bunny Cake or 24 standard cupcakes

For the Orange Chiffon Cake or Cupcakes:

• 1 ½ cups cake flour
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 tsp baking powder
• ¼ tsp coarse salt
• 1/3 cup canola oil
• 4 large eggs, separated
• 1/3 cup water
• grated zest of one half of an orange, about 1 1/2 tsp
• ¼ cup orange juice, freshly squeezed, about 1/2 of an orange
• 1 tsp vanilla
• ¼ tsp cream of tartar

1. Preheat oven to 325 F and prep the cake pan with cooking spray; alternatively prep 24 muffin cups with paper liners.
2. Sift together cake flour, ¾ cup sugar, baking powder and salt. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and pour in oil, egg yolks, water, zest, juice and vanilla extract. Beat the mixture until smooth, about 3 minutes.
3. In another bowl, beat egg whites and cream of tartar until foamy. Slowly add the remaining 1/4 cup of sugar and beat until whites are glossy and smooth.
4. Add whites in three portions to the batter mixture, folding gently until no streaks remain.
5. Pour batter into prepared pan, about 1/4-inch below the top and/or pour about ¼ cup of batter into each muffin cup, should be about ¼-inch below the tops of the liner. If using a cake mold, place the cake pans on a rimmed cookie sheet.
6. Bake for 22-26 minutes (convection) for the cake, or 14 minutes for cupcakes (convection), or until tops are golden and cupcakes test done with a toothpick. (I cook the deeper side of the bunny cake mold 1-2 minutes longer than the more shallow side.)
7. Remove to a wire rack and allow to cool for 1 minute in pan. Remove cupcakes/cake from the pan and rest them on their sides to cool completely.

For the Orange Cream Cheese Frosting: (you will have extra if making the cake)

• ½ cup butter, 1 stick, room temperature
• 6 ounces cream cheese, room temperature (I used light cream cheese)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• grated zest of 1/2 of an orange, about 1 1/2 tsp
• pinch of coarse salt
• 3 cups powdered sugar, plus more for dusting
• 3 jellybeans for the eyes & nose

1. Cream together butter and cream cheese.
2. Add vanilla and orange zest, beating until smooth.
3. Add powdered sugar and salt; beat on medium for about 2 minutes, until frosting is light and fluffy.
4. Generously frost one half of the bunny, then sandwich it with the other side of the cake mold. Generously frost the bottom of the cake so that it will stand upright on a platter.
5. Fill a pastry bag with the remaining frosting. Using a decorative tip, pipe the seam between the 2 halves with the remaining frosting. Alternatively, frost the cupcakes after filling the pastry bag.
6. Glue jelly bean eyes and nose to bunny with frosting.
7. Dust the cake with powdered sugar and serve.

I made a Carrot Cake Bunny Cake as well… Yes, a Bunny Cake Baking Monster has been created! TWO Bunny Cakes for one Easter… Madness! 🙂

I made a mistake by making half of this fabulous recipe to fill my mold. 😦 Because of the weight of the cake and the thickness of the cake (really the thinness!) it was not as successful in appearance as the Orange Chiffon Bunny Cake. It was sooooo delicious though! I used the orange cream cheese frosting as well. Next year, I will make the full recipe (as below) (with extra cupcakes) and post a new photo.

This recipe was adapted from Food and Wine, contributed by Jodi Elliot of Urban Farmer in Portland, Oregon. It was a “staff-favorite” recipe, my favorite recipes to make! I liked how the carrots were weighed versus measured after being grated. It was very moist and delicious!! I can hardly wait to make it again… 🙂

For the Carrot Cake:

• 1 cup pecans (4 ounces)
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 4 large eggs
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 pound carrots, peeled and coarsely shredded

1. Preheat the oven to 325°. Butter two 9-inch cake pans; line the bottoms with parchment. Butter the paper and flour the pans. (Alternatively, butter and flour the bunny mold and additional cupcake liners.
2. Spread the pecans on a baking sheet and toast for 8 minutes, until fragrant. Cool and finely chop the pecans.
3. In a bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt.
4. In a small bowl, whisk the oil, buttermilk and vanilla.
5. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat the eggs and sugar at high speed until pale, 5 minutes. Beat in the liquid ingredients.
6. Beat in the dry ingredients just until moistened. Stir in the carrots and pecans. Divide the batter between the pans and bake the cakes for 55 minutes to 1 hour, or until springy and golden. Let the cakes cool on a rack for 30 minutes, then unmold the cakes and let cool completely.
7. Frost, decorate, and dust the cake with confectioner’s sugar as in the Orange Chiffon Cake above. Serve.

One Year Ago:

• Easter Carrot Cake

About Josette@thebrookcook

I live in Stony Brook, New York on Long Island. I love garlic and baking. My hobby (and love) is to try new recipes. My favorite recipe resources include The New York Times, Food and Wine, Bon Appetit, and Martha Stewart Living. Enjoy!

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