Bunny Butt Cake

My Mom and I have been making a bunny cake for years.  However, when I saw this Bunny Butt Cake I thought it was so adorable I just had to make it!   



1 box Betty Crocker SuperMoist cake mix (I used Dark Chocolate)
Water, vegetable oil and eggs called for on cake mix box

1 container Betty Crocker Rich and Creamy vanilla frosting
(I used Betty Crocker Home-Style Fluffy White Frosting - 7.2 oz box.  This frosting is a sticky marshmallow-type frosting similar to the traditional '7 Minute Frosting') 

1-2 large marshmallows, cut in half

3 cups shredded coconout
Green food color

4 strawberry or cherry stretchy and tangy taffy candies (I used Laffy Taffy)

2-4 rolls Betty Crocker Fruit Roll-Ups punch berry chewy fruit snack (punch berry is orange)

Chocolate wafer cookies, crushed (I used chocolate Teddy Graham Cookies)

Green colored sour candies, separated into strips (I used Rips)

Pink construction paper

Preheat oven to 325°F. Grease 1 1/2-quart ovenproof bowl (8 inches across top) with shortening; coat with flour (do not use cooking spray). Lightly grease 3 (I made 4) muffin cups in regular-size muffin pan (see note below).

Make cake batter as directed on box. Pour cake batter in 3 (or 4) muffin cups, filling two-thirds full. Pour remaining batter into 1 1/2-quart bowl.

Bake cupcakes 17 to 21 minutes, bowl 47 to 53 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes. Remove cakes from muffin cups and bowl; place rounded sides up on cooling racks. Cool completely, about 1 hour. If necessary, cut off rounded tops of cakes.

Place bowl cake on platter cut side down; spread 1/3 cup frosting over cake. Use frosting to adhere cupcakes to bowl cake for feet and bunny tail. Use toothpicks if necessary. Place marshmallow halves, cut sides down, on tops of 2 cupcakes to make heels of feet. (I needed to use two halves per foot) Spread thin layer of frosting over side and top of cake to seal in crumbs. Freeze cake 30 to 45 minutes to set frosting.

Spread remaining frosting over cake. Sprinkle with 2 cups of the coconut; press gently to adhere. Shake 1 cup coconut and 3 drops green food color in tightly covered jar until evenly tinted. Surround bunny with tinted coconut. Use rolling pin to press strawberry candies into 2 large rectangles (I made 4 rectangles). Cut 2 large ovals and 6 small circles out of candy. Press onto bottoms of bunny feet, using frosting if needed.  Sprinkle crushed cookies (dirt) around and on the bunny’s feet.

Cut fringe in the green sour candies.  Place the green candies at the edge of the fruit roll-ups and roll them up together to form a carrot.  Cut ears from construction paper; insert into cake. Remember to remove toothpicks before serving. Store loosely covered.

 
 

    

(this picture is before I added the 2nd marshmallow to the feet)

Note: I know the bunny’s head is supposed to be in the ground, however, I made 4 cupcakes because the poor bunny didn’t have a head at all.  I cut the cupcake in half and placed the halves side-by-side to make it look like the top of his head.  Also…I needed something to attach the ears to! 

The only fruit roll-ups I could find had printed jokes on them.  To remove the black print, I dipped paper towel in vanilla extract and rubbed gently in a circular motion.

To make the pink pads on the bunny's feet, I put the unwrapped pieces of Laffy Taffy onto waxed paper and microwaved for about 4 seconds.  Then I placed the candy between waxed paper and rolled with a rolling pin.  To cut out the 6 small circles, I used the cap from a vanilla extract bottle.  However, I still had to trim them down to make them a bit smaller.

Source:  Betty Crocker

Janice