This recipe on How to Make Vintage 3D Mold Lamb Cake for Easter is so cute and decadent! It is made with a lamb mold, vanilla cake, buttercream frosting, and jelly beans for decoration!
WHY I LOVE THIS How to Make Vintage 3D Mold Lamb Cake for Easter
• Because it is so easy to make with a lamb cake mold (cake pan with a 3D shape).
• This perfect lamb cake is so cute for Easter time!
• It is so adorable to celebrate Easter Sunday!
• The little lamb design reminds me of childhood Easter holidays.
• The delicious Easter lamb cake recipe and buttercream frosting is made from scratch.
• Such a fun project to do with the kiddos. This easter cake is so fun to make with family.
INGREDIENT NOTES
Flour: Cake flour is needed for this cake. Use your favorite brand of cake flour
Butter: You'll need one stick of unsalted butter for the cake and 2 sticks for the buttercream. Ensure both are softened at room temperature!
Milk: Buttermilk for the cake and heavy cream or regular milk for the buttercream.
Sugar: You will need granulated sugar for the cake and a pound of powdered sugar for the frosting.
Coconut Flakes: For the lamb's "fur" decoration use the big coconut flakes to cover the whole lamb body. Then shredded coconut flakes are used for the "grass" around the lamb
Jellybeans: Jellybeans are the decoration for the lamb's eyes and nose. Plus some all around the lamb on the "grass".
Lamb Pan: Find this lamb pan on Amazon!
HOW TO MAKE THIS RECIPE ON How to Make Vintage 3D Mold Lamb Cake for Easter
1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Prepare the 3D lamb cake pan by greasing it heavily with vegetable shortening. Add some cake flour and swirl around until it fully covers the pan. Pour out the excess flour that doesn't stick to the solid vegetable shortening and set aside.
2. In a mixing or large bowl, cream together the butter, sugar, vanilla, and eggs beating together until light and fluffy. In a separate, medium bowl stir together the dry ingredients. Alternatively, add the dry ingredients and buttermilk to the creamed mixture while beating at low speed. Once all of the ingredients are combined, beat on medium to low for 2 minutes.
3. Pour all but ½ cup of the batter into the greased lamb pan and make sure you pour into the pan with no vent hole (The ½ cup is extra batter so use it for a cupcake or discard). Place the other side of the pan on top and place on a cookie sheet. Stick in preheated oven and bake for 50 to 55 minutes. Let the cake cool completely and carefully remove the pans. Place the cake on a serving platter/plate.
4. To make the frosting recipe beat softened cream butter on medium speed with an electric mixer. Beat for 3 minutes until smooth and creamy. With the mixer running on low, slowly add the powdered sugar, heavy cream, and vanilla. When just combined, increase to high speed and beat for 3 minutes.
5. Frost molded lamb cake and add jellybeans to the lamb's face. Add two small blue jellybeans for the eyes and one small pink jellybean (cut in half) for the nose. Cover the lamb's body with coconut flakes.
6. To make the Easter grass that goes around the little lamb, place shredded coconut into a large bowl. Add some green food coloring and mix until combined. Place the coconut "grass" all around the base of the lamb cake on the plate. Then add more jellybeans for decoration! Cut and serve on your Easter table for the Easter tradition!! Enjoy!!
EXPERT TIPS
Lamb Pan: Ensure you generously grease the lamb pan so the cake comes out whole! When baking, make sure you put the lamb mold on a baking sheet with raised edges.
Mixer: I recommend using a stand mixer for the cake batter because it is easier to mix everything together
Thick frosting: If your buttercream is too thick try adding another tablespoon at a time of cream and mix until it is the right consistency.
Frosting the lamb: Frost the lamb with a rubber spatula and an offset spatula. Obviously, it does not have to be perfect since you will be covering it with coconut flakes! Make sure you lightly frost the lamb head so you can see its features. Feel free to use a piping bag to pipe the lamb "coat" on instead of coconut flakes though!
Room temperature ingredients: Ensure all of your ingredients are at room temperature. For instance: softened butter, eggs (place in warm water to get to room temp), and heavy cream.
Extra batter: Use the extra cake batter to make cupcakes in a cupcake pan. Save some frosting to frost if you like!
Decoration: Cut one small pink jellybean in half to create the lamb's nose. If you tie a little pink bow to put on the lamb's neck that will bring the cuteness of the lamb together! Dye the shredded coconut green and fully mix. Do not put too much of the food coloring.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
How do I store this traditional easter lamb cake? Store this cake in a large cake tupperware or cut slices of the cake and individually wrap each slice in plastic wrap to keep it fresh.
Can I use a box mix? Sure! Feel free to use any cake mix you like! Make sure the amount is correct- it should fully fill up one side of the lamb cake pan.
Can I make this gluten-free? Yes you could, but just know that it might not be as strong as regular cake. Be careful when undoing the lamb mold at the lamb's neck since that is the thinnest area. Use a gluten-free cake mix or my Gluten Free Vanilla Cake with Chocolate Buttercream recipe (without the chocolate buttercream).
What should I do if my batter overflows after baking? Just cut off the excess that is not part of the lamb part of the cake!
More Easter Recipes You'll Love
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Easy Bunny Cupcakes with Marshmallow Ears
Gluten-Free Easter Bunny Bundt Cakes
Homemade Copycat Reese's Peanut Butter Easter Eggs
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Love this recipe? If you try it, be sure to tag me on @Instagram! You can also find me on Pinterest, YouTube and Facebook.
3D Lamb Cake for Easter
Ingredients
For the cake
- ½ cup unsalted butter softened
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 large eggs at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups cake flour
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon soda
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup buttermilk or ¾ cup whole milk, plus 2 teaspoons vinegar if you don't have buttermilk
For the frosting
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened 2 sticks
- 1 pound powdered sugar 4 cups
- ¼ cup heavy cream or milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
For decoration
- 2 cups coconut flakes or more, enough to cover lamb
- Jelly beans I used the small jelly beans for eyes and nose, like Jelly Belly
- 1 bag shredded coconut for grass
- Green food coloring
- Ribbon for bow if desired
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Prepare 3D Lamb Cake pan by greasing generously with vegetable shortening. Then add some flour and swirl around until it covers everywhere. Pour out excess. Set aside.
- In mixing bowl, cream together butter, sugar, vanilla and eggs, beating until light and fluffy. Stir together dry ingredients in a medium bowl and add to creamed mixture, alternately with buttermilk while beating on low speed with electric mixer. Once combined, beat on medium low for 2 minutes.
- Pour all but ½ cup of batter in prepared pan. Discard extra batter or make a cupcake. Bake for 50-55 minutes. Let cool. Carefully remove pans and place cake on serving plate.
- Meanwhile, make the frosting. Beat softened butter on medium speed with an electric or stand mixer. Beat for 3 minutes until smooth and creamy. Add powdered sugar, cream, and vanilla extract with the mixer running on low. Increase to high speed and beat for 3 minutes. Add more powdered sugar if frosting is too thin or more cream if mixture is too thick.
- Frost lamb cake. Add two small blue jelly beans for eyes and one small pink jelly bean (cut in half) for nose. Cover the body with coconut flakes.
- To make grass, place shredded coconut in a large bowl. Add green food coloring and mix until combined. Place the green coconut around the base of the cake. Then add more jelly beans, if desired.
Nutrition
From Original post in 2017...
I made this adorable cake LIVE on my Facebook page today! It's perfect for Easter which is this Sunday, April 16th. If you go to my Facebook page, you can still see the video of me showing you just how easy it is to decorate this sweet lamb cake!
I've always wanted to make one of these 3D Lamb Cakes, but I was afraid it would be too tricky. Well I'm here to tell you that it's not tricky at all. It's actually fairly simple. The most important thing to do is to grease the pan extremely well which I'll explain in a bit.
When I was growing up, I would make a bunny cake at Easter time which is also cute. But a lamb is more symbolic for this Christian holiday which makes it special and that's why I love it.
For a festive presentation, add green colored shredded coconut for grass and extra jelly beans for color.
This 3D Lamb Cake for Easter is the perfect addition to your holiday table.
Do you have an Easter recipe that's a tradition in your family? Let me know in the comments.
Wishing you all a very Happy Easter!
An Easter Bible Verse:
The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said." Matthew 28:5-6
Alexis Edwards says
Try using all of the batter and tying the mold sides tightly together wither butcher's string! Then you can use all of the batter.
Bill says
For next years Lamb Cake, use a red ribbon as it represents our Saviors blood.
Just read this in a Polish cook book while searching cake recipes. ✌️✝️
Mary Ann says
Thank you, it was great! We found the mold, but no instructions. Now we have both the instructions and a receipt. We only needed the directions. Bless you and haveter
Mom Loves Baking says
Mary Ann - I'm so glad you found my recipe! Enjoy!
carol bohl says
can you use sour cream in stead butter milk?
Mom Loves Baking says
I'm not sure but you can make your own buttermilk if you have regular milk and vinegar. See the note in the recipe.