Two-Tier Chocolate Easter Bunny Cake Recipe UK
Rated 5.0 stars by 1 users
Category
Easter
Servings
20
Prep Time
45 minutes
Cook Time
65 minutes
Calories
650
Make your Easter celebration truly unforgettable with this magnificent Chocolate Easter Bunny Cake, that’s as delightful to look at as it is to eat.
Crafted with love and care, this towering creation boasts two tiers of rich, moist chocolate sponge – an 8-inch base and a 6-inch crown – each layer bursting with deep, cocoa-rich flavour enhanced by a splash of coffee.
Slathered generously with smooth, luxurious chocolate buttercream, this cake is a proper treat for chocoholics.
Crowned with a charming chocolate bunny and festooned with colourful mini eggs, it’s the ultimate showstopper for your festive table.
If you’re hosting a grand Easter feast or simply treating the family, this cake promises to bring smiles and satisfy sweet tooths across the board!

Ingredients
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3 cups (375 g) all-purpose flour
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2¾ cups (550 g) granulated sugar
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150g dark chocolate (chopped)
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2½ teaspoons baking soda
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2 teaspoons baking powder
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1 teaspoon salt
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4 large eggs
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1½ cups (360 ml) buttermilk (or substitute with regular milk + 1 tablespoon vinegar; let stand 5 minutes)
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1½ cups (360 ml) warm water or brewed coffee (coffee intensifies the chocolate flavour)
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½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
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1 tablespoon vanilla extract
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2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour
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1¾ cups (350 g) granulated sugar
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100g dark chocolate (chopped)
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Unsweetened cocoa powder
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1½ teaspoons baking soda
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1 teaspoon baking powder
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½ teaspoon salt
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3 large eggs
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1 cup (240 ml) buttermilk (or milk + 1 teaspoon vinegar)
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1 cup (240 ml) warm water or brewed coffee
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⅓ cup (75 g) unsalted butter, melted
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1 tablespoon vanilla extract
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NOTE - If you’d rather streamline: simply double or reduce the same recipe proportionally for each tier.
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2 cups (450 g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
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8 cups (960 g) powdered sugar, sifted
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1¼ cups (150 g) unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted
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75g dark chocolate (chopped)
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½ cup (120 ml) milk (or cream), plus more if needed
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2 teaspoons vanilla extract
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Pinch of salt
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NOTE - This quantity should be enough to fill and frost both tiers; you can scale it slightly up if you like generous frosting.
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A batch of chocolate mini eggs (about 1–2 cups, to taste)
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1 chocolate bunny (hollow or solid)
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Optional: Additional sprinkles or Easter-themed decorations
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Support dowels or straws and a cake board for the top tier (important for stability)
For the Cake Bottom Tier (8-inch round cake, 2 layers):
For the Cake Top Tier (6-inch round cake, 2 layers):
For the Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
For Assembly & Decoration
Directions
Bake the Bottom Tier (8-inch)
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
Grease two 8-inch round cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
Create a well in the centre of the dry ingredients.
Add the eggs, buttermilk, warm water (or coffee), melted butter, and vanilla.
Mix just until combined and you get a smooth batter. Avoid overmixing.
Divide the batter evenly into the two prepared pans.
Bake for 30–35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean.
Cool the cakes in their pans for 10 minutes, then turn them out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
Bake the Top Tier (6-inch)
Preheat (or keep) the oven at 350°F (175°C).
Grease two 6-inch round cake pans and line with parchment.
In a mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
Add the eggs, buttermilk, warm water (or coffee), melted butter, and vanilla.
Stir until the batter is smooth.
Distribute the batter evenly into the two 6-inch pans.
Bake for 25–30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean.
Cool the smaller layer in pans for 10 minutes, then place on a wire rack to cool fully.
Prepare the Chocolate Buttercream
In a stand mixer (or using a hand mixer), cream the softened butter on medium speed for about 2 minutes, until smooth and fluffy.
Gradually add sifted powdered sugar and cocoa powder, alternating with splashes of milk, mixing on low speed to avoid dust clouds.
Add the vanilla extract and a pinch of salt, then increase speed to medium-high and beat for another 2 minutes.
If needed, add more milk (1 tablespoon at a time) until you achieve a spreadable consistency.
Assemble the Bottom Tier
Level the 8-inch cake layers if needed to ensure flat tops.
Place the first 8-inch layer on a cake board or serving plate.
Spread a thick layer of chocolate buttercream on top.
Place the second 8-inch layer on top, gently pressing to secure.
Apply a crumb coat (a thin layer of frosting) over the stacked bottom tier and chill for 15–20 minutes to set.
Assemble the Top Tier
Level the 6-inch cake layers if necessary.
Place the first 6-inch layer on a separate small cake board (cut to the same diameter).
Spread a thick layer of buttercream on that layer.
Stack the second 6-inch layer on top and apply a crumb coat.
Chill for 15–20 minutes.
Stack & Decorate
Frost the bottom tier fully with a final layer of the chocolate buttercream.
Insert 3–4 cake dowels or sturdy straws into the centre area of the bottom tier, trimmed so they’re flush with the top of the cake. This provides support.
Carefully place the top tier (on its board) over the supported area of the bottom tier.
Frost the top tier with a final smooth coat of buttercream.
Decorate around the edges and sides with chocolate mini eggs.
You can also add small piped rosettes of frosting if you wish.
Finish by placing the chocolate bunny on top of the cake.
Use a bit of frosting to secure it in place.
Any remaining mini eggs can be arranged around the base of each tier or scattered on the serving plate.
Serving & Tips
Slice the cake using a long, sharp knife, and wipe the blade between cuts for neat slices.
Keep the cake covered and refrigerated if not serving immediately.
Allow it to come to room temperature for about 30 minutes before serving so the frosting softens.
Recipe Notes
If you have any questions, please post a comment below and we will get back to you asap.
Servings: The recipe typically yields about 20 delicious slices of Easter Bunny Cake.
Calories per serving: 650 calories.
Remember: Tag #whitakerschocolates with your bunny cake photos!
What's the Story with the Easter Bunny?
The Easter Bunny’stale begins with German Lutheran traditions in the 17th and 18th centuries, where the "Osterhase" or Easter Hare brought eggs and treats to good children.
German immigrants carried this custom to America in the 1700s, planting it in places like Pennsylvania Dutch communities.
Hares, known for their fertility, were ancient symbols of new life, linked to spring and possibly the goddess Eostre in pre-Christian Europe.
Christianity wove these pagan symbols into Easter, a celebration of resurrection and renewal, making the hare a fitting figure.
Eggs, already emblems of life, became Easter staples after being forbidden during Lent in medieval times.
By the 19th century, the Easter Bunny spread across Western culture, with Victorian England embracing rabbit-themed goodies.
Over time, the hare became a softer "bunny," delivering chocolate and sweets as confectionery boomed.
Today, the Easter Bunny is a beloved secular icon, blending old folklore with modern festivity, perfect atop your chocolate cake.
Why Do We Eat Chocolate at Easter?
Eating chocolate at Easter ties back to the holiday’s blend of religious and seasonal traditions.
Easter celebrates Jesus Christ’s resurrection, a time of joy after the austerity of Lent, when sweets were often avoided.
Eggs, symbolising new life and rebirth, were already part of Easter festivities, decorated and eaten to mark the end of fasting.
In the 19th century, European confectioners, especially in Britain and France, began crafting chocolate eggs, merging the egg tradition with a growing love for cocoa.
Chocolate was a luxury then, making it a special treat to celebrate Easter’s abundance after Lent’s restraint.
The Easter Bunny, a gift-bringer in folklore, got roped in, delivering these chocolate eggs to children, boosting the custom.
By the 20th century, mass production made chocolate affordable, and companies like Cadbury turned Easter eggs into a commercial hit.
Now, we eat chocolate at Easter—eggs, bunnies, or cakes—because it’s a tasty mix of ancient symbols, religious joy, and modern indulgence.