Bunny Cake Debrief

So as I said yesterday, because making Bunny Cake this year was especially fun, (AND THREE DIMENSIONAL) and because the photos of my bunny and his enormous three-dimensional tail came out especially well, I figured it couldn't hurt to share a few more photos of his construction. Feel free to scroll through and pay as much or as little attention as you wish.

BUNNY CAKE
or
BUTTERMILK CAKE IN THE SHAPE OF A BUNNY COVERED IN BOILED FROSTING

The traditional cake for this is a simple White Cake (Martha Stewart has a really good recipe for that, btw, if you're interested). I went with a Buttermilk cake this year, though, because I wanted something that was a bit denser, a bit deeper-tasting, slightly less sweet. I was hoping that the more mellow taste of the cake would balance out the sheer simple sweetness of the frosting, and that the moistness and heaviness of the crumb would be a good pairing for its lightness and air.

I also wanted something that would stand up to being cut into the shape of a rotund rabbit with floppy ears and a prominent pouf on his backside.

Anyway. I went with the Nigella Lawson Buttermilk Cake because I'd had such good reviews of it at the Olympics Party.

You may note, dear reader, that in my culinary thoughts above, the one thing that was never under consideration, discussion, or debate of any kind was the type of frosting that would be used. This is because Boiled Frosting is THE ONLY FROSTING THAT MAY EVER BE USED ON BUNNY CAKE UNTIL THE END OF TIME WORLD WITHOUT END AMEN END OF STORY.

I hope I've made that clear.

Now, this is the part where I tell you that I have about a bazillion recipes for boiled frosting. Most of them are written on dirty old index cards in the recipe box on the counter, passed down through who knows how many kitchens. The others are in ancient, food spattered cookbooks in the living room, including my delightfully insane The New American Cookbook.*

*this one, incidentally, also has a stiffened section in the middle where I had to coat it in baking soda and let it sit for three days because a certain cat decided to leap on the dining room table, position herself directly over the book, and be delicately sick.

This is also the part where I tell you (and say a silent apology to Great Grandmother Bull, Great Aunt Jane, Aunt Peggy, and Nanny Congden) that the recipe I've had the best results with is Martha Stewart's. I'M SORRY YOU GUYS I REALLY AM BUT THE TASTING SPOON DOESN'T LIE.

Anyway.

After whipping the crap out of the egg whites and pouring the boiling sugar into the mixer WITHOUT scalding my arms or hands, I brought a glossy, stiff, GLORIOUS spoonful out to Mum who was in the garden outside.

She took the spoon, licked it, handed it back, and shouted over her headphones (note: shouting over something only SHE could hear therefore incredibly loud):

"DEATH."

I assumed that meant "good job, Beetle" and returned to the kitchen in triumph.

It is Death, really. You can't stop eating it. But what a wonderful way to die.

And now for the "cake cutting and placement and coating in frosting" slideshow. Enjoy!

Brief period when the bunny resembled an angel.

Ear placement.

Everything in place but the tail.

Commencing frosting coverage. 

First layer.

Second layer.

Third layer plus tail. 

The tail in all its glory.

Note: Mum saved the tail for last. She started with ears and worked her way down.

Glorious, shiny, boiled frosting.

It's the stuff dreams are made of. 

I'm not being facetious I think it actually IS. 

So there you have it, dear reader. Bunny Cake 2014. 

I think my friend Mike summed it up when, upon receiving a text with a photo of it he responded: 

Oh crap. 

He fell over. 

And he can't get up. 

It was the weight of his awesomeness. 

THE WEIGHT OF HIS AWESOMENESS.