Fluffy Bunny Cake

Ingredients

• 1 cup butter melted
• 0.8 teaspoon cream of tartar 
• 6  egg whites 
• 5  eggs 
• 2 tablespoons flour all-purpose gold medal®
• 0.3 teaspoon purple gel food coloring 
• 3 large xantham gum red
• 1 box chocolate pudding white instant (4-serving size)
• 6  malted milk balls 
• 3 large marshmallows 
• 1 cup vanilla extract white
• 0.3 teaspoon salt 
• 16 oz cream sour (2 cups)
• 3 cups sugar 
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract 
• 1 cup water 
• 1 box cake mix white betty crocker® supermoist®

Equipment

• bowl
• frying pan
• sauce pan
• oven
• wire rack
• toothpicks
• stand mixer

Directions

1. Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pans). Spray three 9-inch round cake pans with baking spray with flour.
2. In large bowl, stir together cake mix, pudding (dry) and flour until blended. Reserve 1 tablespoon; set aside.
3. Add sour cream, eggs, butter and vanilla; stir until thoroughly mixed. In small bowl, toss 1 tablespoon reserved dry mixture with baking chips until chips are well coated. Stir in baking chip mixture; batter will be very thick.
4. Spread about 2 1/2 cups batter in each pan.
5. Bake 25 to 33 minutes, or until toothpick inserted into center of comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire rack 10 minutes.
6. Remove from pans to wire rack; cool completely, about 1 hour.
7. Cut each round as shown in diagram, you will be making 3 bunnies. Freeze pieces uncovered about 1 hour for easier frosting if desired.
8. Meanwhile, place egg whites in large bowl of stand mixer (a hand-held mixer will not work for this frosting); set aside.
9. In a 2-quart saucepan, stir sugar, water, cream of tartar and salt until well blended.
10. Heat to boiling, stirring occasionally.
11. Remove from heat.
12. Pour hot syrup very slowly in thin stream into egg whites, beating constantly on medium speed.
13. Add vanilla. Beat on high speed about 7 to 10 minutes or until stiff peaks form. Reserve 1 1/2 cups frosting for piping down centers of ears; cover and set aside. If desired, tint remaining frosting with 1/4 teaspoon red food color to make pink. Cover and set aside.
14. For each bunny, arrange cake pieces on large platter or tray as show in photo. Carefully frost each cake using about 4 cups pink frosting. For each pair of ears, pipe 1/2 cup reserved white frosting down center of each ear as shown in photo.
15. Cut marshmallows in half crosswise just before decorating. Decorate each bunny with marshmallows, sticky side up, for eyes. For pupils, gently press malted milk balls onto marshmallow to adhere.
16. Add gum balls for noses.