Gold Rush/Floppy Ear Bunny Cake

Recipe provided courtesy of Taste of Home magazine.  Find more great recipes at www.tasteofhome.com

The Gold Rush Cake can be made Into FLOPPY-EAR BUNBY CAKE.   Just in time for Easter March 31, 2013.  So here goes…

Gold Rush Cake (FLOPPY-EAR BUNNY) Recipe

Gold Rush Cake (FLOPPY-EAR BUNNY)

Cake:   1 pkg. Pillsbury Plus Yellow Cake Mix

1 cup water

1/3 cup oil

1 tsp. lemon extract

3 eggs

Fluffy Orange Frosting:   2 egg whites

¾ cup sugar

1/3 cup light corn syrup

2 Tbsp. orange juice

2 tsp. grated orange peel

¼ tsp. cream of tartar

¼ tsp. salt

Heat oven to 350 F.  Grease and flour two 9 or 8 inch round cake pans.  In large bowl, combine all cake ingredients at low speed until moistened; beat 2 minutes at high speed.  Pour into pans.

Bake at 350 F. for 25 to 35 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.  Cool 15 minutes; remove from pans.  Cool completely.

In medium saucepan, combine all frosting ingredients.  Cook over low heat, beating with rotary beater or electric mixer until mixture stands in peaks.  Remove from heat; continue beating until thick enough to spread, about 1 minute.

To assemble cake, place 1 cake layer, top side down, on serving plate; spread with ½ cup frosting.  Top with second layer, top side up.  Spread sides and top of cake with remaining frosting.     12 servings

TIP:  To substitute for cooked frosting, combine 1 can Pillsbury Vanilla Frosting Supreme and ½ to 1 teaspoon grated orange peel.

High Altitude: Above 3500 feet: Add 1/3 cup cake flour to dry cake mix and increase water to 1 cup plus t tablespoons.  Bake as directed above.

VARIATION: FLOPPY-EAR BUNNY CAKE: Prepare cake as directed above.  Cut 1 layer as shown in diagram.  To assemble bunny cake, arrange cut cake pieces around uncut layer as shown, inverting piece “A” and “B” to form floppy ear.  Prepare frosting as directed above (tint portion, “pink”, “green” and “white”, if desired); frost cake.  Decorate with tinted coconut, colored frosting and candy.