These Easter Bunny Cake Pops are festively fabulous and delightfully decadent.
Featuring homemade vanilla cake mashed with tangy cream cheese frosting that is shaped into adorable bunnies, dipped in white candy melts, and decorated to look like everyone’s favorite springtime character, these animal cake pops are the weekend baking project you’ve been looking for.
Cake pops are great for any occasion if you ask me. With a tender, cake batter-textured interior and a delicious chocolate exterior, they’re essentially truffles made from cake!
Not only are they perennial crowd-pleasers, but they’re also perfectly portioned, totally customizable, and easy to decorate in dozens of fun ways.
Easter Bunny Cake Pops Recipe
If you’ve loved my gender reveal cake pops, Thanksgiving turkey cake pops, Halloween-themed donut cake pops, and wintry snowman cake pops, you’re going to flip for this floppy-eared addition to the lineup.
Not only are they absolutely divine to eat, but they’re also the perfect addition to any Easter table. Best of all, this simple Easter recipe is easy enough for even the most novice bakers.
- It only uses a few basic ingredients, most of which you probably already have on hand.
- It's so easy to make that even the kids can get involved.
- You can easily alter it to fit your tastes by swapping in a different cake flavor, frosting, or the candies and decorations of your choice.
- Not only do these bunny cake pops act as dessert, but they’re also an adorable Easter centerpiece decoration to boot!
Ingredients & Substitutions
This cake pop recipe only uses some basic baking and decorating ingredients that you can easily find at your local grocery store. The major ingredients are listed here, but you'll find the complete list along with exact amounts in the recipe card at the end of the post.
- Unsalted Butter - I prefer using unsalted butter for most cooking projects since it gives me greater control over the final product. Feel free to substitute butter with vegetable shortening or vegan butter if needed.
- Sugar - White sugar has the most neutral flavor, so it’s my go-to in white cake recipes. Feel free to replace white sugar with coconut sugar or brown sugar for a more caramelly flavor profile.
- Eggs - For binding the batter. I haven’t tried it personally, but experience leads me to believe you could swap in a commercial egg replacer, flax or chia eggs, or even applesauce or mashed banana.
- Vanilla - Vanilla is a universal crowd-pleaser, but feel free to swap in almond, coconut, peppermint, lemon, banana, maple, orange, or rum extract instead.
- All-Purpose Flour - Plain white flour is perfect here. You can also use cake flour for a slightly more tender crumb.
- Baking Powder - You’ll need this leavener to create the perfect fluffy cake consistency. Make sure not to confuse it with baking soda, which is a different beast.
- Salt - A touch of salt helps to enhance the sweetness of cakes.
- Whipped Cream Cheese Frosting - I’m a big fan of the tangy-sweet flavor of cream cheese frosting. You’re welcome to try different flavors of frosting like vanilla, chocolate, peanut butter, or berry buttercream.
- White Candy Melts - For coating the cake pops. Use white chocolate chips or vanilla or almond bark in place of candy melts for a different flavor.
- Pink Sanding Sugar - For decoration. Use rainbow sprinkles or mini candy beads in place of sanding sugar.
- Pink and White Mini Marshmallows - For making bunny noses and tails. Use any pastel-colored mini marshmallows.
- Black Edible Food Marker - For drawing on mouths, eyes, and whiskers. Try using gel icing pens for decorating instead of edible marker.
Optional Variations
As much as we love these adorable bunny-shaped Easter cake pops, there is always room for you to customize the recipe to fit your dietary preferences.
- Gluten-Free - While I haven’t tried replicating this exact cake recipe using GF flour, you’re welcome to swap in any gluten-free cake (boxed, store-bought, or homemade) that you enjoy. You’re also welcome to try using a cup-for-cup GF flour mix, but make sure to let the batter rest for a minimum of 30 minutes before baking to prevent the cake from having a grainy texture. If you try using GF flour, let me know how it turns out in the comments below!
- Dairy-Free - Feel free to swap in plant-based butter or vegetable shortening in place of the butter and use the dairy-free frosting of your choice.
- Vegan - Swap in the vegan cake mix and vegan frosting of your choice, and make sure that your candy melts, marshmallows, and other decorations are all plant-based.
- Extra Easy. Swap in boxed cake mix or use a store-bought cake to make life even easier.
- Extra Precious. Make mini carrot shapes from orange fondant and attach them with melted chocolate for added cuteness
- Different Flavors. I went with a vanilla cake here because of its universal appeal. Feel free to swap in any flavor of oil-based cake (e.g. almond, lemon, coconut, carrot, chocolate, pink velvet, or any non-pound cake flavor you can think of) and any flavor of frosting you prefer.
Get creative here — the possibilities are endless!
How To Make Cake Pops Shaped Like Bunnies
This simple recipe only takes a few easy steps to make. Making bunny cake pops is actually very easy! The highlights are below, but you'll find the full instructions in the recipe card at the end of the post.
Step 1: Combine the wet ingredients.
Step 2: Mix wet & dry. Add the combined dry ingredients to the wet ingredients.
Step 3: Bake & cool the cake.
Step 4: Crumble the cake and mix it with cream cheese frosting.
Step 5: Scoop out a regular ball and make 2 cake pop “rods” (about the size of a Tylenol) with your hands.
Step 6: Add the ears. Press the rods gently onto the cake ball to make a bunny shape. When all the cake pop bunnies are assembled, chill them in the fridge to set up.
Step 7: Melt the candy and dip the end of a popsicle stick into it.
Step 8: Add a stick, then dip. Press the dipped popsicle stick into the bunny cake pop and submerge in the melted candy.
Step 9: Let the pops set until hard. Feel free to speed up this process by using the fridge.
Step 10: Decorate the cake pops as you see fit. I like to add pink on the centers of the ears and feet, stick on a marshmallow nose and draw a mouth and whiskers around it, and add a fluffy tail.
Allow cake pops to set and enjoy!
Storage
Room Temperature: Store covered for up to 2 days.
Refrigerator: Store for up to a week in a covered container in the refrigerator:
Freezer: Store in an air-tight, freezer-safe container for up to a month. Leave the pops at room temperature for 2 to 3 hours prior to serving.
Make Ahead: These cake pops can be made a day or two in advance.
What to Serve with Cake Pops
These tasty little bunny pops are great with some milk or coffee. I like to set them out as a sort of edible centerpiece on our Easter dessert table. Bonus points if you dye some shredded coconut flakes to make it look like the bunnies are resting in grass!
Expert Tips
- Consistency is key. Ensure that your cake is properly crumbled with no big chunks and the icing is incorporated evenly.
- If your candy melts get lumpy, add a small amount of coconut oil and melt until you reach the desired consistency.
- A small, deep, microwaveable glass works great for dipping these pops. You need something deep enough to cover the ears and the body, but you don’t want to waste too many melts with a wide bowl!
- Be sure that the chocolate is fully set before decorating and drawing on the eyes and mouth.
- Make sure to cream the butter and sugar together until light yellow in color — this helps to give the cake its structure and lightness.
- Whisk together the dry ingredients in a medium bowl prior to adding them to the wet ingredients to ensure even distribution.
- Just like frosting a cake, the cake should be cool before crumbling and mixing with the frosting.
- Use two spoons or forks instead of a candy dipper when dipping cake pops into melted chocolate — it’s much easier and less messy!
- If you are short on time, refrigerate uncoated pops until you’re ready to decorate.
- Use melted chocolate as glue to attach any bowties, carrots, or other cute bunny accouterments.
Top Tip
When attaching the ears, use lollipop sticks. Dip one end in melted chocolate prior to inserting it — this will act as glue and keep ears attached securely while drying.
FAQ
Any spongy cake like white, vanilla, or lemon will work well. Avoid dense, heavy cakes like pound cake — they won't hold together when mixed with the frosting.
You'll need a stand mixer or hand mixer, an 8-inch round cake pan, parchment paper, a cookie scoop, lollipop sticks, and a foam block or thick cardboard box.
Gently spoon the flour into the measuring cup and then level with the flat of a knife. This ensures you measure out the correct amount.
If your cake hasn't cooled to room temperature, the frosting will melt and separate.
That varies depending on the size of the scooper used, but in general, it should make 15 pops.
You sure can! Once they’re fully decorated, wrap them well (but be gentle!) and keep them in a freezer-safe container for up to a month.
Nope! Despite having a cake batter consistency and flavor, the cake is fully cooked before being mashed up with the frosting.
Taste is totally subjective, so that’s a matter of personal preference. I tend to reach for buttercream or cream cheese frostings because they hold the cake together better than lighter whipped cream-based frostings.
Video
More Easter Recipes
Do you like Easter treats? Here are some recipes you may also like to try
Bunny Cake Pops
Ready to get cooking? Remember that you can print this recipe if you would like.
Bunny Cake Pops
Equipment
- Cake Pop Stand or styrofoam or a cardboard box
- Hand mixer or a Stand Mixer with Paddle Attachment
Ingredients
- ½ cup unsalted butter room temperature
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup whipped cream cheese frosting more if needed
- 14 ounces white candy melts
- pink sanding sugar
- pink and white mini marshmallows
- black edible food marker
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare an 8-inch round cake pan with parchment paper.
- In a stand mixer with the paddle attachment beat butter for 15 seconds until smooth then add sugar and beat at medium speed for 5 minutes until light yellow in color.
- Add the vanilla extract and eggs 1 at a time and mix on low speed until combined.
- Whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl.
- Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until combined.
- Transfer the batter to the prepared cake pan.
- Bake for 25 minutes or until a cake tester or toothpick comes out clean and the cake is golden in color.
- Allow the cake to cool for 40 minutes before making the cake pops.
- When the cake is cool you can either use a food processor or your hands to create cake crumbles in a large bowl.
- Next, add the cream cheese frosting and mix to combine with the cake crumbs. The mixture should hold together securely with no dry crumbs visible.
- Using a medium cookie scoop portion cake pops and shape mixture into round balls between your palms.
- Create ears by molding a small amount of the mixture into a ball and then rolling the ball into a sausage shape. Shape it into a bunny ear and mold it with your fingers into the cake pop.
- Repeat with the second ear. Continue with the remaining cake pops and transfer them to a container and chill in the freezer for 15 minutes.
- In a small deep microwave-safe container, melt the candy melts in 20-second increments until smooth, stirring in between heating.
- When cake pops are chilled remove them from the freezer and transfer them to the refrigerator.
- Remove a cake pop from the refrigerator (leave the others to chill as you work on 1 at a time).
- Dip a lollipop stick in the warm chocolate and then insert it into the base of the bunny.
- Next dip the entire pop into the chocolate ears side down until the pop is fully coated. No cake should be exposed.
- Allow the excess chocolate to drip back into the container. Insert the stick into the foam block to allow the chocolate to set.
- Repeat with remaining cake pops and melt chocolate in 20-second increments as needed to ensure a smooth application.
- Once all the cake pops have been coated and set it's time to add the details.
- Using a piping bag or cocktail stick add lines on the ears with melted chocolate and then immediately dust with pink sanding sugar.
- Next, pipe or use a cocktail stick and add feet to the bottom of the cake pop.
- Add a little sanding sugar to the top and bottom of the paws.
- Using an edible ink marker add eyes to the cake pop.
- Use kitchen shears or a small knife to cut a bunny nose from a pink mini marshmallow.
- Attach it to the cake pop with a bit of warm chocolate.
- Use the edible marker to complete drawing the bunny's mouth.
- Finally, add a small amount of chocolate to the lower back of the cake pop and add a white mini marshmallow to create a bunny tail.
- Use a cocktail stick to coat the marshmallow with chocolate and add a “furry” texture.
- Allow cake pops to set and enjoy!
Notes
- Consistency is key. Ensure that your cake is properly crumbled with no big chunks and the icing is incorporated evenly.
- If your candy melts get lumpy, add a small amount of coconut oil and melt until you reach the desired consistency.
- A small, deep, microwaveable glass works great for dipping these pops. You need something deep enough to cover the ears and the body, but you don’t want to waste too many melts with a wide bowl!
- Be sure that the chocolate is fully set before decorating and drawing on the eyes and mouth.
- Make sure to cream the butter and sugar together until light yellow in color — this helps to give the cake its structure and lightness.
- Whisk together the dry ingredients in a medium bowl prior to adding them to the wet ingredients to ensure even distribution.
- Just like frosting a cake, the cake should be cool before crumbling and mixing with the frosting.
- Use two spoons or forks instead of a candy dipper when dipping cake pops into melted chocolate — it’s much easier and less messy!
- If you are short on time, refrigerate uncoated pops until you’re ready to decorate.
- Use melted chocolate as glue to attach any bowties, carrots, or other cute bunny accouterments.
Nutrition
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