Soft vanilla cake layered with whipped coconut cheesecake filling, raspberry preserves, and frosted with luscious coconut buttercream frosting, this adorable cake will wow all the guests at your Easter table! While it may look quite intricate, decorating this cake is actually very simple! With just three Wilton piping tips, easy techniques, (and a chocolate bunny!) you can create this stunning and delicious dessert.
Thank you to Wilton for sending me all the products I needed to make this cake that brought huge smiles to my friends’ and family’s faces! For more Easter baking and decorating ideas, be sure to check out this page on the Wilton website.
Makes one 8″ cake, 10-12 servings
Supplies
2 8″ round cake pans
Tip #47 Basketweave Piping Tip
Tip #233 multi-opening piping tip (grass tip)
2 Tip #18 open star piping tip
12″ Disposable Decorating Bags
Decorator Preferred White Fondant
Leaf Green, Pink, and Lemon Yellow Icing Colors
Ingredients
Vanilla Cake:
10 Tbs. (140g) butter, softened
1 1/3 cups (265g) granulated sugar
1 Tbs. canola oil
1 Tbs. vanilla extract
3 large eggs
2 1/4 cups (270g) all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup buttermilk
Whipped Coconut Cheesecake Cream:
3oz. brick-style cream cheese, softened
3 Tbs. (37g) granulated sugar
1/2 tsp. coconut extract
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
3/4 cup heavy cream, cold
1/3 cup seedless raspberry preserves
Coconut Buttercream Frosting:
1 1/2 cups (345g) butter, softened
3oz. brick-style cream cheese, softened
1 tsp. coconut extract
1 tsp. vanilla extract
5 1/2 cups (675g) powdered sugar
1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
1/2 tsp. salt
Miniature pastel chocolate eggs
Solid chocolate bunny
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350° F. Spray the cake pans liberally with nonstick cooking spray.
- Place the butter, sugar, canola oil, and vanilla extract into a large mixing bowl. Using a hand mixer or stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, cream the ingredients together on medium speed for 1 minute, or until smooth. Add the eggs and continue to beat for a minute more, until the mixture is light and fluffy.
- Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into the bowl. Beat the mixture on low until the ingredients begin to come together. Slowly stream in the buttermilk and continue mixing, scraping down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed, until a smooth, medium-thick batter forms.
- Divide the batter evenly between the two cake pans. Transfer the pans to the middle rack of the preheated oven.
- Bake the cake layers for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove the pans from the oven. Allow the layers to cool in the pans for 15-20 minutes.
- To release the layers, run a butter knife between the edge of the cake and the pan. Turn the layers onto a cooling rack to cool completely before filling and frosting.
- To make the whipped coconut cheesecake cream, place the cream cheese, granulated sugar, coconut extract, and vanilla extract into a medium mixing bowl. Use a hand mixer to beat on medium-high speed for 2-3 minutes, until completely smooth.
- Add the heavy cream to the bowl. Beat on low speed to incorporate the heavy cream into the cream cheese, then turn the mixer to medium-high speed. Beat for 2-3 minutes, just until the whipped cream holds stiff peaks. Do not over-beat. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use.
- To make the coconut buttercream frosting, place butter, cream cheese, coconut extract, and vanilla extract in an extra-large mixing bowl. Using a hand mixer or stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, beat on medium speed until is smooth and creamy. Add the powdered sugar in two additions, beating on low speed after each until the sugar is fully incorporated into the butter mixture. Add the heavy cream and salt to the bowl. Continue beating on medium-high speed for 2-3 minutes, until the frosting is light and fluffy.
- To assemble and decorate the cake, place one cake layer on a round cake board. Spread the whipped coconut cheesecake cream evenly over the top. Stir the raspberry preserves vigorously with a fork until smooth, then gently spread the preserves over the whipped cream. Place the second cake layer over the raspberry preserves. Refrigerate the cake for 15-20 minutes.
- Remove the cake from the refrigerator and apply a crumb coat of buttercream. Return the cake to the refrigerator for another 20 minutes, or freeze or 10.
- Pipe a basketweave pattern around the edges of the cake using white frosting and Tip #47.
- Place 2/3 of the remaining buttercream in a separate mixing bowl, and use the Leaf Green Icing Color to tint it to your desired shade of green. (Start very small, as these icing colors go a long way.) Fill a piping bag fitted with Tip #233 with the green icing, and pipe tufts of “grass” over the top of the cake.
- Divide the remaining buttercream between two bowls. Use the Pink Icing Color in one bowl and Lemon Yellow Icing Color in the other to tint the frosting pastel pink and pastel yellow. Fit two piping bags with Tip #18, and fill one with pink buttercream and the other with yellow. Pipe miniature “flowers” throughout the grass by holding the piping bag at a 90 degree angle to the top of the cake, applying quick firm pressure, and releasing.
- Arrange a few chocolate eggs around the edges of the cake, pressing them down gently into the frosting. Place the chocolate bunny in the center of the cake, lightly pressing down to ensure it stays upright. Transfer the cake to the refrigerator.
- Cut roughly 1/3 cup of the Decorator Fondant from the block and add to it a very small drop of Pink Icing Color. Knead the fondant until it is uniformly pastel pink. Shape the fondant into four small two-dimensional bows, and set them in a cool, dry, place to harden for a few hours.
- Adhere the four bows, spaced evenly apart, onto the top edge of the cake, using a small amount of buttercream on the back of the bows if needed.
- Bring the cake to room temperature for about 20 minutes before serving, and enjoy!
