Easter Bunny Cake

• butter↗250g g
• milk↗3 tbsp tbsp
• natural yogurt↗150g g
• vanilla extract↗½ tsp ½ tsp
• large eggs↗3
• golden sugar↗250g g
• self‑raising flour↗300g g
• baking powder↗2 tsp tsp
• unsalted butter↗300g g

  choose a pale, very soft variety

• icing sugar600g g
• vanilla extract↗1 tbsp tbsp
• milk↗1 tbsp tbsp
• food colouring paste↗Pink, blue and black
• fondant↗Small amount white

  for eyes

Step-by-step instructions

1. 1

   Heat the oven to 180°C/160°C fan/gas 4. Butter the sides of a 25 × 35 cm baking tray and line the base. Melt the remaining butter in a small saucepan and take it off the heat. Mix the milk, yogurt, vanilla and eggs and stir in the butter.

2. 2

   Tip the dry ingredients plus ¼ tsp salt into a large bowl. Stir with a whisk, then pour in the wet ingredients, whisking gently throughout. Keep whisking until a smooth, silky batter forms. The batter will immediately start forming bubbles, so pour it into the pan and give it a shake to level the top. Bake 20–25 min or until risen and golden, then remove from the oven. Cool 10 min in the pan, then carefully invert the cake onto a cooling rack.

3. 3

   Make the buttercream by tipping the butter into a large bowl and sifting icing sugar over it. Add vanilla, milk and a pinch of salt, then beat gently for a few minutes with an electric whisk until it becomes creamy, pale and spreadable. If the icing is too thick, add a little more milk.

4. 4

   Invert the sponge onto a serving board. Cut the bunny’s head from the sponge with a sharp knife. Cut the nose from excess sponge with a round cutter, split the circle in half and cut a small oval to fit between the halves. Use a little buttercream to attach the nose to the sponge, ice the outer part of the nose with a layer of buttercream. Transfer ¾ of the buttercream into a piping bag fitted with a star tip.

5. 5

   Pipe rows of buttercream around the outer part of the cake and over the whole face. Make a row of star‑shaped buttercream around the ears, leaving a space in the middle for another colour. Colour the remaining ¼ of the icing pink and pipe the centre of the ears. Form the nose and two eyes from fondant and attach them to the face. Paint the nose pink, and the eyes blue and black. The cake will keep for 3‑4 days in a cool place. Freeze any leftovers for use in a trifle.