Forget the Lamb Cake Fails of 2024—This 2025 Version is Foolproof

Name: Forget the Lamb Cake Fails of 2024—This 2025 Version is Foolproof
Prep time: 1 h
Total time: 1 h 25 min
Yield: 12 - 16
Ingredients: Cooking spray; 3 c. all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled; 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder; 1/2 tsp. kosher salt; 1 c. (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature; 2 c. granulated sugar; 3 large eggs, at room temperature; 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract; 1/4 tsp. canola oil; 1 1/4 c. whole milk, at room temperature; 2 c. (4 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature; 1 tbsp. pure vanilla extract; 1/4 c. heavy cream; 5 c. confectioners’ sugar; Pink gel food coloring; Black gel food coloring; Green gel food coloring; Jumbo marshmallows; Pink sanding sugar

It will have everyone saying, "awwww."

By Beth BranchPublished: Apr 10, 2025

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a vanilla cake decorated to look like an lamb with swirls of frosting a pink nose and ears made from halved marshmallows

Becky Luigart-Stayner for Country Living

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Yields:

12 - 16

Prep Time:

1 hr

Total Time:

1 hr 25 mins

Swirls of frosting, a heart shaped nose, and marshmallow all come together to make this what will surely be the cutest cake on the Easter buffet. Use oversized campfire marshmallows for the ears, regular size ones will look too small.

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Ingredients

For the Cake:

Cooking spray
3 cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 cups granulated sugar
3 large eggs, at room temperature
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1/4 tsp. canola oil
1 1/4 cups whole milk, at room temperature

For the Frosting:

2 cups (4 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 Tbsp. pure vanilla extract
1/4 cup heavy cream
5 cups confectioners’ sugar
Pink gel food coloring
Black gel food coloring
Green gel food coloring
Jumbo marshmallows
Pink sanding sugar

Directions

1. Step 1Make the cake: Preheat oven to 350ºF. Lightly grease two 8-inch round baking pans. Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl.
2. Step 2Beat butter and granulated sugar with an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, 1 to 2 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating to incorporate after each addition. Beat in vanilla. Reduce mixer speed to low and beat in flour mixture and milk alternately, starting and ending with flour mixture, just until flour is incorporated.
3. Step 3Transfer batter to prepared pans, dividing evenly. Bake, until cakes are golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 23 to 25 minutes.. Cool in pans on a wire rack 10 minutes, then transfer to rack to cool completely.
4. Step 4Make the frosting: Beat butter with an electric mixer on medium speed until light and creamy, 1 to 2 minutes. Beat in vanilla and heavy cream. Gradually beat in the confectioners’ sugar until combined, 1 to 2 minutes.
5. Step 5Transfer 1/4 cup frosting to a bowl and stir in black gel food coloring; transfer to a piping bag fitted with a small round tip. Stir together 2 tablespoons of frosting and a drop or two of green food coloring in a second; transfer to a piping bag fitted with a small leaf tip. Stir together 1/4 cup frosting and pink food coloring in a third bowl; transfer 1/4 cup to a piping bag fitted with a small star tip and 2 tablespoons to a piping bag with a small open tip. Transfer 1 cup vanilla frosting to a piping bag fitted with a large star tip.
6. Step 6Place one cake layer on a cake plate or stand. Spread 1 cup of frosting on top. Top with the second cake layer and cover the top and outside of the cake with frosting. Use the vanilla frosting with the star tip, pipe swirls of frosting around the top of the cake to make the lamb’s face and forehead. Use the pink frosting with a round open tip to pipe the nose. Use the black frosting to pipe a mouth and the eyes. Use the pink frosting with the star tip to pipe three flowers or rosettes on one side of the lamb’s head. Use green frosting to pipe small leaves around the flowers. Cut a jumbo marshmallow in half diagonally to expose the sticky interior. Sprinkle a line of sanding sugar in the middle of the cut side of each marshmallow to create the ears. Press the ears onto the cake. Store cake covered at room temperature for 2 to 3 days.