Bunny Cake

Bunny Cake - Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting  

For the cake:
1-1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce 
1/4 cup oil
2 cups sugar
3 eggs
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1-1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 cups grated carrots
1 cup coconut
1 cup chopped nuts (optional – pecans or walnuts)
1 teaspoon vanilla or whiskey
1 cup Dole crushed pineapple, plus juice (be sure to use the pineapple in JUICE not syrup)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Grease and flour two 9-inch round cake pans. Set aside.
Combine wet ingredients. Mix in dry ingredients. 
Stir in carrots, coconut, nuts, vanilla/whiskey, and pineapple. 
Pour into two greased and floured 9-inch round cake pans.
 Bake for 35-40 minutes until the cake just starts to pull away from the sides and the middle doesn't look gooey.

 *Let cakes cool in pans for 10 minutes, then run a spatula or knife around the edges and turn out onto a wire rack to finish cooling. The cakes must cool completely before cutting into bunny ears and bow tie and frosting.

For the Cream Cheese Frosting:
8-ounce package cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
2 cups sifted confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment combine the cream cheese and butter until smooth. Add the sugar and mix at low speed until combined. Stir in the vanilla and mix again. Spread on cooled cake. Refrigerate any leftovers.

Recipe for Cake by: CSM
Recipe for Frosting adapted from: SweetPeas kitchen
Photo by: Diane Baker for Canning and Cooking at Home 

Two 9" rounds make the perfect bunny cake with a bow tie