Aunt Mary's Delicious Bunny Cake

Ingredients

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1.75 teaspoons baking powder
• 1.25 teaspoons salt
• 1.33 cups milk at room temperature
• 1.5 teaspoons lemon extract
• 1.25 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 0.75 teaspoons orange extract
• 1.13 cups unsalted butter at room temperature
• 2 cups white sugar
• 4 large eggs at room temperature
• 4 cups confectioners' sugar
• 0.5 cups vegetable shortening
• 0.5 cups unsalted butter at room temperature
• 2 tablespoons milk at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon clear vanilla extract

Instructions

1. 1

   Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C) with a rack in the lower third of the oven. Grease and flour a cake mold pan (such as a bunny cake or train cake mold); set aside.

2. 2

   Sift flour, baking powder, and salt together in a large bowl.

3. 3

   Combine 1 ⅓ cups milk, lemon extract, 1 ¼ teaspoons vanilla extract, and orange extract in a bowl.

4. 4

   Beat 1 ⅛ cups butter in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed until creamy, 1 to 2 minutes. Beat in white sugar, scraping sides of the bowl occasionally, until mixture is light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.

5. 5

   Beat in eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition before adding the next.

6. 6

   Beat in flour mixture in batches on low speed, alternating with milk mixture and ending with flour mixture. Do not overbeat. Scrape down the bowl occasionally. Pour batter into the prepared pan.

7. 7

   Bake in the preheated oven until golden and a toothpick inserted into center comes out clean, 30 to 45 minutes.

8. 8

   Place cake on a wire rack; cool for 15 minutes. Invert cake pan onto a rack; remove pan and cool completely, 3 to 4 hours.

9. 9

   Beat confectioners' sugar, shortening, ½ cup butter, 2 tablespoons milk, and 1 teaspoon clear vanilla extract in a bowl with an electric mixer until frosting is smooth and creamy.

10. 10

    Spoon frosting in a heavy-duty resealable plastic bag; clip a small corner off the bag and seal. Pipe frosting onto cake in desired pattern.