Description
Tender and perfectly spiced, these adorable carrot cake baby bunnies are almost too cute to eat.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
For the carrot cake:
- 1 2/3 cup all purpose flour
- 3/4 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp allspice
- 1 tsp nutmeg
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
- 1 tsp salt
- 3/4–1 cup finely shredded carrots
- 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1/3 cup sour cream
- 2 eggs
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
For the cream cheese frosting:
- 4 oz full fat cream cheese, room temperature
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softenend
- 2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
- 2 TB heavy cream
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- pinch of salt
- 1/4 cup sweetened shredded coconut (for the tails, optional)
Instructions
- To make the bunny cakes, preheat the oven to 350F/176C. If using the baby bunny pan, coat the inside cavities with a baking spray that includes flour, such as Baker’s Joy. Don’t use regular cooking/baking spray. If buttering, dust with flour. If using the cupcake pan, line the cavities with paper liners and set aside.
- Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, allspice and nutmeg together into a large mixing bowl (large enough to hold all the finished batter.) Whisk in the granulated and brown sugars, the salt and the carrots until well incorporated. Set aside. In a separate, smaller bowl, whisk the olive oil, butter, sour cream, eggs and vanilla extract until blended and smooth.
- Pour the liquid ingredients into the flour/carrot mixture and fold the batter together until evenly moistened. The batter will be thick. Divide among the bunny cavities/cupcake liners. If using the bunny pan, rap the pan on the counter 2-3 times to make sure the batter really gets down into the detailed areas of the bunny shapes.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes (bunny pan) or 22-26 minutes (cupcake pan), until a toothpick or cake tester comes out clean from the center of the cakes. Let the bunnies cool in the pan for 10 minutes before turning out onto a cooling rack. You can let the cupcakes cool in the pan.
- To make the cream cheese frosting, beat the cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, heavy cream, vanilla extract and salt together on high speed until smooth and creamy. Adjust sugar to thicken or cream to thin the frosting as needed. Decorate cooled bunnies/cupcakes as desired.
- Cakes/cupcakes will keep at room temperature for up to 3 days, and in the fridge for about a week.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bunny cake with frosting
- Calories: 690
- Sugar: 56.3 g
- Sodium: 752.8 mg
- Fat: 39.5 g
- Saturated Fat: 19.6 g
- Trans Fat: 0.4 g
- Carbohydrates: 79.4 g
- Fiber: 1.5 g
- Protein: 6.9 g
- Cholesterol: 128.6 mg