Better Homes And Gardens Easter Basket Cake

S’mores Graham Cracker Cake

Credit: Blaine Moats

Skip the store and try one of these homemade Easter cake recipes. We've got Easter dessert ideas including bunny cakes, spring sweets, and more to make you all but forget about the baskets full of candy.

Malted Vanilla Cake

You know that fuzzy organic filling bird's round up to soften their nests? Cotton candy acts as a sweet stand-in atop this pastel Easter dessert idea. Our malted buttercream recipe is the perfect complement to the pastel chocolate eggs ($4, Target).

Hidden Egg Bundt Cake

As it lands on the table whole and stuffed with toasted coconut, this chocolate Easter bundt cake looks like a cozy bird's nest. The best part, however, (like with the plastic eggs you'll camouflage in corners around the house) is hiding inside. A tie-dye vanilla cake "egg" is at the center of each ganache-drizzled slice.

Test Kitchen Tip: Customize this Easter egg cake with your favorite spring colors.

Hummingbird Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

Nearly every southerner knows—and adores—hummingbird cake. For the uninitiated, the batter is supremely moist thanks to banana and pineapple, and warmly-spiced with cloves and cinnamon. Add a hoppy face to these Easter cupcakes using white and pink white-chocolate cream cheese frosting and a pastry bag kit ($12, Target). You're just a few ears and eyes away from a flock of smiling sheep and a colony of bunnies.

Woven Easter Basket Cake

Woven Easter Basket Cake on pink tray

Easter cake ideas don't get cuter than this! Transform a simple sheet cake into a bunny-ready basket with a simple piping technique. Top the frosted Easter basket cake with homemade egg cookies and a sprinkle of toasted coconut chips.

S'mores Graham Cracker Cake

S’mores Graham Cracker Cake

Credit: Blaine Moats

This layered Easter cake recipe proves you don't need a campfire to enjoy the flavors of gooey s'mores. Bake up a sweet graham cracker cake and top it with homemade marshmallow creme frosting. A dipped graham square finishes each serving.

Garden-Theme Cupcakes

Credit: Toni Miller

There's no sweeter way to "eat your vegetables" than with this Easter garden cake. The individually-portioned sweets resemble a patch of fresh, seasonal produce! Chocolate frosting and cookie crumbles act as the ground layer to hold fondant fruits and veggies.

Easter Dirt Cake

It's easier than you might guess to learn how to decorate an Easter dirt cake that looks similar to a cartoon carrot patch. The candy-coated "veggies" on this semi-homemade dessert are actually strawberries. The lush green grasses are green-tinted shredded coconut. Pick your favorite cake flavor foundation—a thick layer of sour cream frosting conceals everything below.

Mother Hen and Chicks Cake

Easter cake designs almost always focus on cakes or cupcakes. Not this cute combo platter! The coconut flake-feathered mother hen is a single-layer round vanilla cake with a cupcake head and tail. The rest of the cupcakes follow behind with yellow frosting faces and orange oval mint feet to complete the family of chicks.

Burrowing Bunny Cupcakes

easter basket bunny cupcakes

Creatively-sliced jumbo marshmallows ($3, Target) transform into feet for a homemade Easter bunny cake. And how darling is that mini marshmallow tail? We don't blame the bunny for diving under the green frosting "lawn." The white cake mix below is deliciously doctored up with extra almond and vanilla extract.

Lemon-Lavender Poppy Seed Cake

Lemon-Lavender-Poppy Seed Cake

A blooming garden inspires more than the floral frosting on this Easter cake recipe. The batter is scented with lavender buds and lemon. For a final flourish after piping on the Easter cake decorations, place a lemon drop candy ($5, World Market) in the center of the flowers.

Bird's Nest Cupcakes

Bird’s Nest Cupcakes

It's time to nest! Our homemade orange-sour cream cupcakes taste even better once garnished with lemon frosting. We could stop there, but we're taking the Easter baking idea to the next festive level with chow mein noodle "nests" overflowing with milk chocolate eggs.

Vanilla Ruffle Cake

This pretty-in-pink Easter cake idea is full of layers you'll love. Underneath the surprisingly-doable ruffle frosting lies two layers of buttery and rich vanilla cake. If you have extra candy around the kitchen, feel free to sprinkle a handful evenly across the top.

Gorgeous Candied Flowers

These sugar-dusted pedals are almost too pretty to eat. But not quite; the flowers are edible and attractive all at once. Seek out food-safe orchids, roses, bansies, or borage, to dress up for the party. Select any cupcake flavor and frosting color you like. You could even grab a dozen already frosted from the supermarket if you're crunched for time!

Zucchini-Carrot Cake

Can you dig it? This dessert idea brings your love of the outdoors into the kitchen. So no matter what the weather looks like outside on the holiday, it feels like a sunny time to garden! The almond-flavored marzipan carrots look remarkably real once topped with fresh mint leaves—and give a nod to the vegetables in the tasty Easter carrot cake batter.

Related: Get Our Best Easter Carrot Cake Recipes

Strawberry Lemon Olive Oil Naked Cake

With all the flavors of a refreshing glass of strawberry lemonade, this is one Easter baking recipe you can (and will want to) carry over through spring and summer. The trendy yet timeless naked cake look nails the vibe for any adults-only gatherings. Everyone will come back for seconds of the just-sweet-enough cake that features lemon, buttermilk, and olive oil.

Spring-Theme Forest Cake

The best dessert designs please all ages, just like this heavenly cake scene. Three layers of cloud-like tender white cake stand beneath the blue frosting "sky" and marshmallow fondant "trees." If you're not a big fan of fondant ($5, Walmart), construct a mini version of our Sunny Day Cake to rise this Easter cake idea above all the rest of the dessert competition.

Spring-Theme Fondant Flower Cupcakes

Easter cake decorating ideas can be festive and fun, even without candy. This bakery-like cupcake design involves a unique fondant-folding technique to achieve the beautiful blooms. For a mixed bouquet, separate the fondant into a few separate pieces and fold a different color of dye in each.

Bird's Nest Cake

Why decide between candy, cookies, and cake when you can enjoy three in one? Our Peeps Easter cake built on a pretzel and chocolate base. The bowl shape of the treat is ideal for egg cookies and marshmallow bunnies to nestle inside.

Adorable Lamb Cake

Lace Lamb Cake

Don't ewe love this sweet and simple Easter lamb cake? The two-layer white cake is coated in creamy white frosting. It's the royal icing squiggles, beautiful blue fondant eyes, and heart-shaped fondant nose, though, that bring this lamb dessert to life.

Sprinkle Cake with Flowers

Store-bought pound cake (yes, in loaf shape!) or classic yellow or chocolate rounds can ground this garden cake if you're in a hurry. Once covered with fondant and a generous coating of green sprinkles ($7, Walmart) to resemble grass—no one will notice the difference! Then, while you're there, grab a few cookie flowers (or Easter cake pops!) on sticks to plant in the cake—or create your own from fondant.

Almond Cake with Fruit & Rose Drizzle

Credit: Melanie Acevedo

Easter cake decorations aren't limited to frosting! Here a buttermilk almond cake is topped with sliced fresh fruit and a homemade rosé wine syrup. Just before serving, top each slice with a sprinkle of edible flowers.

Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Mascarpone Frosting

Wondering how to decorate a carrot cake for Easter? Like a bunny, of course! Little tufts of mascarpone frosting look light and taste luscious next to the cardamom-carrot cake.

Test Kitchen Tip: Use the back of a spoon to create the design on this Easter cake recipe.

Pink Peppercorn and Rose Tea Cakes

These rose water-scented tea cakes are topped with a luscious cream cheese glaze. Finish the brunch-ready treats with a sprinkle of edible pink peppercorn and rose petal "confetti."

Test Kitchen Tip: Make your Easter baking even easier! These cute cakes can be made in a donut pan ($13, Target) and frozen up to one month ahead.

Zucchini-Olive Oil Cake

The secret ingredient to this Easter cake recipe is hiding in your pantry! Extra-virgin olive oil ($8, Target) keeps this zucchini cake extra-moist and complements the flavors of vanilla and fresh figs.

Lemon Easter Bundt Cake

Lemon Bundt Cake

This simple Easter cake idea is all about the pan! Bake up our triple lemon cake in a festive tube pan and finish it with a quick lemon glaze. A sprinkle of fresh lemon zest adds a pop of color and flavor to each slice.

Yellow Cake with Salted Chocolate Ganache

You don't need special skills to decorate a pretty Easter cake! Transform a simple yellow cake into a show-stopping Easter dessert with one standout bloom. We love the contrast of the soft pink flower on the rich chocolate frosting.

Hummingbird Cake with Caramel Frosting

Credit: Blaine Moats

A classic favorite, hummingbird cake is loaded with banana, coconut, and pineapple. A decadent salted caramel frosting is what takes this Easter cake idea totally over the top. Garnish the finished dessert with purchased banana chips ($4, Target).

Lemon Poppy Seed Dump Cake

Credit: Andy Lyons

Turn to your slow cooker for this easy Easter cake. To make, stir together your ingredients and dump them in your slow cooker ($25, Target). That's it! Serve the finished cake piled high with fresh berries and mint.

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