Gluten-Free PEEPS Easter Garden Devil's Food Cake

Prep: 20 min12 servingsmedium
PEEPS Easter Garden Devil's Food Cake with Marshmallow Bunnies

A whimsical Easter dessert that transforms devil's food cake into a charming garden scene. Rich chocolate cake is topped with chocolate frosting and cookie crumbs to create 'soil,' while green icing forms garden rows and orange icing creates tiny carrots. PEEPS marshmallow bunnies are nestled throughout the cake garden on toothpicks. Perfect for Easter celebrations, spring parties, or any time you want to bring smiles to kids and adults alike. The combination of moist chocolate cake, creamy frosting, and playful decorations makes this both delicious and Instagram-worthy.

VegetarianGluten-FreeDairy-FreeNut-Free

Ingredients

12 servings
  • 1 box Betty Crocker Super Moist Devil's Food Cake Mix
    chocolate cake mix1:1baking

    same chocolate flavor

  • water, as called for on cake mix box
  • oil, as called for on cake mix box
  • eggs, as called for on cake mix box
  • 1 tub (16 oz) Betty Crocker Rich & Creamy Chocolate Frosting
  • 1 cup chocolate cookie crumbs
    crushed Oreos1:1texture

    homemade crumb option

  • 1 pouch (8 oz) Betty Crocker Green Decorating Icing
  • 8 to 12 PEEPS marshmallow bunnies
  • 1 tube (4.25 oz) Betty Crocker Orange Decorating Icing

Instructions

  1. 1

    Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pans) and spray bottom only of 13x9-inch pan with cooking spray

  2. 2

    Make and bake cake as directed on box for 13x9-inch pan

  3. 3

    Cool in pan on cooling rack until completely cooled, about 30 minutes

  4. 4

    Spread chocolate frosting on top of cake and sprinkle with chocolate cookie crumbs

  5. 5

    Use green icing and grass piping tip to make garden rows using photo as guide

  6. 6

    Insert toothpick halfway into base of each PEEPS marshmallow bunny

  7. 7

    Insert bunnies toothpick side down into cake

  8. 8

    Use orange and green icings to make carrots on cake using photo as guide

  9. 9

    Cut into 4 rows by 3 rows to serve and remove toothpicks before serving

Tips

Tip 1

Use a grass piping tip with the green icing to create realistic garden rows that look like sprouting plants.

Tip 2

Insert toothpicks only halfway into PEEPS bunnies so they're secure but easy to remove before eating.

Tip 3

Let cake cool completely before frosting to prevent melting and ensure clean decoration lines.

Good to Know

Storage

Store loosely covered at room temperature

Serve With

Cut into 4 rows by 3 rows and remove toothpicks before serving

Common Mistakes

Watch

Remove toothpicks before serving to avoid choking hazard

Watch

Cool cake completely before frosting to prevent melting and sliding decorations

Substitutions

devil's food cake mix→
chocolate cake mix1:1baking

same chocolate flavor

chocolate cookie crumbs→
crushed Oreos1:1texture

homemade crumb option

PEEPS bunnies→
chocolate Easter candies1:1decoration

different Easter theme

Find more substitutions →

FAQ

Can I make this cake ahead of time?

Yes, bake the cake up to 2 days ahead and store covered. Add frosting and decorations the day of serving for best appearance.

What if I don't have a grass piping tip?

Use a star tip or leaf tip to create textured lines, or simply pipe straight lines with a round tip for a simpler garden effect.

How long will this decorated cake keep?

Store loosely covered at room temperature for up to 3 days. The PEEPS may become slightly stale but the cake stays fresh.