Description
This delightful Easter Bunny Poke Cake is a festive and fun dessert perfect for celebrating the holiday. With a moist yellow or white cake base, vanilla pudding filling poured into poke holes, and a fluffy whipped topping, it’s beautifully decorated with pastel jelly beans, shredded coconut bunny ears, and candy accents to create an adorable bunny face. Easy to prepare and sure to bring smiles, this cake is a seasonal favorite for family gatherings and spring celebrations.
Ingredients
Scale
Cake
- 1 box (18.25 oz) white or yellow cake mix
- 3 large eggs
- 1 cup water
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
Pudding Filling
- 1 package (3.4 oz) instant vanilla pudding mix
- 2 cups cold milk
Topping and Decorations
- 1 container (8 oz) whipped topping (such as Cool Whip), thawed
- Pastel-colored jelly beans or candy-coated chocolates (e.g., M&M’s)
- 1 cup shredded coconut (dyed pink or left white for bunny ears)
- Optional: Candy eyes, licorice strips, or other decorations for bunny faces
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease a 9×13-inch baking dish to ensure the cake doesn’t stick.
- Mix and Bake Cake: In a large bowl, combine the cake mix, eggs, water, and vegetable oil. Stir until the batter is smooth. Pour the batter evenly into the prepared baking dish and bake following the package instructions, typically about 25-30 minutes, until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
- Cool and Poke Holes: After baking, allow the cake to cool for 10 minutes. Using the handle of a wooden spoon or similar tool, poke holes evenly all over the surface of the cake. These holes will later be filled with pudding.
- Prepare Pudding and Pour: Whisk the instant vanilla pudding mix with 2 cups of cold milk until it thickens according to package directions. Pour the pudding evenly over the cake, ensuring it fills the poke holes. Then, refrigerate the cake for 1 hour to let the pudding set.
- Add Whipped Topping: Spread the thawed whipped topping evenly over the chilled cake, covering the pudding layer smoothly.
- Decorate: Use pastel-colored jelly beans or candy-coated chocolates to create fun Easter patterns or bunny faces on top of the whipped topping. Sprinkle shredded coconut on top to form bunny ears, dyeing the coconut pink or leaving it white as preferred.
- Finish Bunny Details: Add optional candy eyes, licorice strips for whiskers, or other creative decorations to complete the bunny face design.
- Chill and Serve: Refrigerate the decorated cake for another 30 minutes before slicing and serving to ensure it is well set and cool.
Notes
- You can dye the shredded coconut with food coloring to create colorful bunny ears.
- Use candy eyes and licorice strips to add personality and detail to the bunny face.
- If you prefer, use a homemade cake recipe instead of a mix for a more personalized flavor.
- This cake is best served chilled and can be stored covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Feel free to customize decorations to match your Easter theme or color preferences.
