20 Easy Easter Cake Recipes (Including Carrot Cake and Sheet Cakes)

Malted Vanilla Cake

You know that fuzzy organic filling birds 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.

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. However, the best part (as with the plastic eggs scattered around the house) is hidden 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. You're just a few ears and eyes away from a flock of smiling sheep and a colony of bunnies.

Woven Easter Basket Cake

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

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.

Spice Market Carrot Cake

A tablespoon of ras el hanout gives this carrot cake recipe a Moroccan flair. Make your own spice blend using cinnamon, turmeric, black pepper, allspice, and more. Finish the cake with a ginger-orange cream cheese frosting and shredded carrots.

Easter Dirt Cake

It's easier than you might think to decorate an Easter dirt cake that looks like 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

Creatively-sliced jumbo marshmallows 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."

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. After piping on the Easter cake decorations, place a lemon drop candy in the center of the flowers for a final flourish.

Bird's Nest Cupcakes

It's time to nest! Our homemade orange-sour cream cupcakes taste even better when 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.

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 when topped with fresh mint leaves—and give a nod to the vegetables in the tasty Easter carrot cake batter.

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 dye into each.

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 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 keeps this zucchini cake extra-moist and complements the flavors of vanilla and fresh figs.

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

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

Lemon Poppy Seed Dump Cake

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