Easter Bunny Cake

Ingredients:

Rabbit

• 2 ready-made sponge cake layers with a diameter of 22 cm (according to any recipe of your choice or from a ready-made cake mix (0.5 kg))
• 1 and 1/4 cups sweet coarse shavings
• 2 purchased biscotti
• 1 tube of pink decorative icing
• 2 black gummy bears
• 2 marshmallows
• 1 white gummy bear, cut in half lengthwise
• 1 pink gummy bear
• 1 skein of black licorice rope

Glaze

• 6 cups powdered sugar
• 340 g butter, room temperature
• A pinch of fine salt
• 1 tbsp vanilla extract
• 2-3 tablespoons of milk

Preparation:

1. GlazeIn the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the sugar, butter, and salt (or in a large bowl if using a hand mixer). Mix on low speed to combine the ingredients. Add the vanilla, increase the speed to medium-high, and beat until smooth. If necessary, add up to 3 tablespoons of milk to create a spreadable glaze.
2. RabbitSpread a thin layer of frosting (about 2/3 cup) on the flat side of one cake layer and top with the flat side of the second cake layer. Measure 5 inches (12.5 cm) from the top of the cake and cut the cake layers to create two semicircular, two-layer pieces of different sizes.
3. Place the larger piece of cake cut-side down on a large platter or cake stand. If using a rectangular cake stand, position the larger piece so that it is positioned along the long side of the stand. This will be the bunny's body. Cut the smaller piece of cake in half crosswise. Place one piece in front of the body, with one cut side facing down and the other facing the body. The rounded side should be on top. Take a serrated knife and round off the sharp edges at the top. Trim the tip (nose) at a 45° angle. Place all the scraps in a bowl.
4. Separate the layers of the remaining cake layer. These will be the hind legs. Round the pointed edges of the layers with a knife. Place one layer on each side of the bunny, with one cut side facing down and the other facing forward (the rounded side facing the back of the bunny), about 2 cm from the back edge of the bunny's body.
5. Mash the cake scraps in a bowl with a fork until smooth, then form a ball with your hands. Place the ball on the bunny's backside and secure it with a dab of icing. This will be the tail.
6. Using 2-3 cups of icing, cover the entire bunny, including the paws and tail, making sure to highlight the body parts, adding more icing where you need to smooth out any rough edges. Sprinkle coconut on top, completely covering the bunny. Gently pat the coconut to ensure it adheres.
7. Insert a biscotti between the head and body, pressing them to secure. These are the bunny's ears. Move the ears at the base so they are angled toward each other. Frost the front of each ear with white icing.
8. Then, using pink decorative icing, pipe a smaller stripe down the center of each biscotti, going down to the base of the ears but not reaching the tips at the top.
9. To make the rabbit's facePress a black jelly bean on each side of the head. These will be the eyes. Cut one marshmallow into three circles, discarding the middle section. Press the remaining two circles cut-side down onto the head to create whisker pads. Insert white jelly bean halves below the pads, cut-side down, to form teeth. Make a nose from a pink jelly bean.
10. Roll out the licorice rope and cut two 4cm long pieces. Divide each piece halfway down the length into separate strands to form a whisk. Insert each piece, securing it with a drop of icing, behind the marshmallow cheek to create a mustache.
11. Cut the second marshmallow in half lengthwise. Make three slits in each half, without cutting all the way through (these are the toes), and attach them in front of the bunny's paws. Glue the feet in place with icing if needed.
    
    Note
    
    Cut 2.5 sheets of parchment paper in half. Line the edges of your cake stand with these rectangles, leaving an open space in the middle. Assemble the cake along the inside edges of the parchment sheets. When you're finished, you can remove the parchment paper from the stand, catching any excess coconut and frosting. Let the cakes cool completely before frosting.