Carrot Top PEEPS® Bunny Cake

Prep 40 min
Total 2 hr 55 min
Servings 12

This fun and festive springtime dessert gives a whole new meaning to "carrot cake"! A cupcake frosted to look like a carrot top sits atop this two-tiered carrot cake covered in rich cream cheese frosting. It's decorated with adorable PEEPS® bunnies for an extra-sweet and playful look. It's sure to be the talk of your Easter gathering! MORE+ LESS-

By Betty Crocker Kitchens

Updated February 10, 2019

Make with

Betty Crocker Cake Mix

Ingredients

box Betty Crocker™ Super Moist™ yellow cake mix

1/2

cup vegetable oil

1/2

cup water

eggs

1 1/2

teaspoons ground cinnamon

1/2

teaspoon ground nutmeg

cups coarsely shredded peeled carrots

containers (16 oz each) Betty Crocker™ Rich & Creamy cream cheese frosting

PEEPS® brand yellow marshmallow bunnies

Betty Crocker™ red and yellow gel food colors

creme-filled chocolate sandwich cookie, filling removed, finely crushed

pull-and-peel green apple licorice twist

Steps

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1

Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pans). Spray bottoms and sides of two 8-inch round cake pans with cooking spray. Place paper baking cup in 1 regular-size muffin cup.
2

In large bowl, beat cake mix, oil, water, eggs, cinnamon and nutmeg with electric mixer on medium speed 2 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. Stir in carrots.
3

Spoon 1/4 cup batter into baking cup. Bake cupcake 15 to 20 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes, then remove from pan to cool completely; remove baking cup from cupcake, and discard. Place cupcake in freezer until ready to frost. Divide remaining batter evenly between round pans (about 2 1/4 cups each). Bake 28 to 33 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes. Run knife around edges to loosen. Remove from pans to cooling rack. Cool completely, about 1 hour.
4

Frost cake rounds using 2/3 cup frosting between layers. Reserve 1/2 cup frosting in small bowl. Frost side and top with remaining frosting to cover completely. Immediately attach 22 PEEPS® bunnies around bottom edge of cake, pressing slightly to attach to cake.
5

Add red and yellow gel food colors to reserved 1/2 cup frosting to tint orange. Remove cupcake from freezer; frost bottom half of cupcake with orange frosting, and place frosted side down in center of cake. Continue frosting to cover cupcake completely.
6

Using photo as a guide, sprinkle crushed cookie around base of frosted cupcake. Cut licorice twist in half crosswise; set aside one half for another use. Gently pull apart ends of remaining half, leaving one end intact, to look like a carrot top. Press intact end into top of cupcake to complete the carrot. Place remaining PEEPS® bunny next to carrot.

Expert Tips

For best results, use large holes on box grater to shred carrots for your carrot cake. Carrots shredded coarsely (rather than finely) will result in your cake having the correct texture.
Transfer orange frosting to resealable food-storage plastic bag, and cut one corner from end. Pipe onto cupcake for ease, and finish by using an offset metal spatula to make lines or texture to look like carrot.
Can’t decide who gets to eat the carrot top cupcake? Make a game out of it, and have the winning prize be the lucky carrot top cupcake!

Nutrition Information

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size: 1 Slice

Calories: 620
Calories from Fat: 210

% Daily Value

Total Fat: 23g; 36%
Saturated Fat 8g 42% Trans Fat 0g
Cholesterol: 60mg; 21%
Sodium: 450mg; 19%
Potassium: 140mg; 4%
Total Carbohydrate: 99g; 33%
Dietary Fiber 0g 0% Sugars 73g
Protein: 3g

% Daily Value*:

Vitamin A: 60%; 60%
Vitamin C: 0%; 0%
Calcium: 8%; 8%
Iron: 6%; 6%

Exchanges:

1 Starch; 0 Fruit; 5 1/2 Other Carbohydrate; 0 Skim Milk; 0 Low-Fat Milk; 0 Milk; 0 Vegetable; 0 Very Lean Meat; 0 Lean Meat; 0 High-Fat Meat; 4 1/2 Fat;