
This sweet Easter lamb cake is made from a tender vanilla cake and frosted to look like the cutest lamb with my perfectly sweetened buttercream frosting. I’ll show you how to make some grass from coconut and how to easily decorate this cake without any fuss or difficulty. Perfect for Easter Sunday dessert or any party!
Making decorated cakes doesn’t have to be as tricky as it looks. With a few little techniques, you’ll be able to decorate one of these sweet lamb cakes for Easter easily. Take a look over the supply list before you get started to make sure you have what you need.
The secret to decorating cakes like this one is having a firm cake (that also tastes great!) and a stable frosting that holds up when you pipe it onto the cake. Just like my watermelon Swiss roll or my easy carrot cake cupcakes, making really cute desserts can be super easy!
What is an Easter Lamb Cake?
Don’t be fooled by the title; this isn’t a dish made of lamb to serve for dinner! Instead, this is a sweet dessert cake that’s been baked in a lamb cake pan and decorated to look like a fluffy lamb. Usually, a lamb cake Easter dessert will be made of a base of vanilla or chocolate cake, then decorated with buttercream frosting to look like the soft, wooly coat of a lamb. There may be extra embellishments, such as a decorated face, Easter grass, or a cute bow tied around the lamb’s neck.
Why You’ll Love This Easter Lamb Cake Recipe
- Adorably Cute: Your kids and guests will go crazy for this cute Easter lamb cake. Its sweet little lamb face and buttercream-frosted body are perfect for the Easter holiday.
- Really Yummy: Many holiday cakes are made with ingredients that don’t taste well, prioritizing the decoration over the flavor. But this cake perfectly balances both.
- Easy to Make: You don’t have to shape or cut this cake into a lamb shape. You just use a lamb cake pan, so it’s super simple to bake and decorate.
Ingredients for Easter Lamb Cake Recipes
For the Cake Base
- Butter – Unsalted butter at room temperature will be best.
- Sugar – Granulated sugar or a 1:1 sugar substitute.
- Vanilla extract
- Eggs – Room temperature eggs will make the fluffiest cake mix.
- All-purpose flour – You can substitute a gluten-free flour blend if it’s necessary.
- Baking soda
- Salt – If you’re using salted butter, you might want to reduce the amount of salt you add.
- Sour cream – This is the secret ingredient that will give your cake plenty of moisture and a tangy flavor.
Buttercream
- Butter – I like to use salted butter for my buttercream, but unsalted will also work.
- Vanilla extract
- Powdered sugar – If your sugar has been in your cupboard for a while, it might be a good idea to sift it before you use it, especially if it looks a bit crumbly. I always recommend using fresh powdered sugar for frosting.
Decoration
- Shredded coconut – Sweetened coconut will be best. You’ll use this to make ‘grass’ for your lamb to sit in.
- Green food coloring – This is to dye your grass green, but it’s optional. You can also dye it other fun colors as you prefer.
- Jelly beans – You can use lots of colors of jelly beans, but save one pink one to complete the face.
- 2 Chocolate chips – These will be your little lamb’s eyes.
Helpful Tools to Make a Lamb Cake for Easter
Lamb cake mold pan (this should come in 2 pieces to make both the front and back of the lamb) I like this Nordic Ware Lamb Cake Pan, but any will work!
How to Make An Easter Lamb Cake
You’ll make this cute cake in 3 parts. First, you’ll make the lamb-shaped cake, then you’ll make the frosting, and finally, you’ll put it all together. The steps are listed in full at the bottom of this page in the recipe card, but here, you can follow along and look at the pictures as you go.
STEP ONE: Use a hand mixer to beat together the butter and sugar. It should become pale and smooth. Then, add in the vanilla extract. Add in the eggs, one at a time, and mix well between each addition of egg.
STEP TWO: In a separate mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Add half of the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and beat thoroughly, Repeat with the other half of the flour mixture and sour cream.
STEP THREE: Make sure your lamb cake pans have been washed and dried thoroughly. Then, spray it really well with cooking spray. Make sure you get the spray in all the little crevices so the cake comes out cleanly. Sprinkle a few spoonfuls of flour in the pans and tip and pat them all around to make sure the flour covers all the surfaces. Tap the pan out over a sink to remove any excess flour.
STEP FOUR: Fill the pan with the lamb’s face with batter. Start by adding a double of dollops of batter to the face and any other intricate parts of your Easter lamb cake mold. Tap the pan a few times to remove any trapped air in the pan. Pour all of the batter into this one side of the mold. Place the empty side with the vent on top, then place the lamb on a baking sheet.
STEP FIVE: Bake the cake for about 45-60 minutes. Check to see that a toothpick comes out cleanly before removing them from the oven. Let the cake sit on a cool stovetop or wire rack for about 15 minutes, then flip it out and remove them from the pans. Allow them to cool completely before assembling your lamb cake.
STEP SIX: Make the buttercream frosting. Start by beating together the butter with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add in the vanilla extract and mix until combined. Add the powdered sugar, about one cup at a time, and mix well each time. Then, when all the sugar has been added, mix for 3-5 minutes. The buttercream should become light and fluffy. Place the frosting into a piping bag fitted with a small, star-shaped piping tip.
STEP SEVEN: Now, you can assemble your Easter lamb cake. Start by leveling the base of the cake, so that it stands upright without wobbling! Use a serrated knife.
STEP EIGHT: Place the cake on a few ramekins, or something that will elevate the cake off your work surface. Pipe a couple rows of buttercream dollops around the base of the lamb, leaving enough cake bare to be able to pick it up without smushing the frosting. This will create clean edges around the cake without your serving dish potentially getting in the way.
STEP ELEVEN: Set your cake on the serving plate you plan to serve your cake on. Pipe dollops of frosting over the remaining bare surface of the cake. Stick the chocolate chips where your lamb’s eyes should be, and use a pink jelly bean to make the nose.
STEP TWELVE: Pour your coconut into a large Ziploc bag. Add a few drops of green food coloring to the coconut. Seal the bag tightly and give it a few tosses. The coconut will begin to turn green. Once all the coconut is a consistent shade of green, spoon it all around the sides of the lamb so it appears that the lamb is laying in the grass. Sprinkle some jelly beans in the grass. Serve immediately or refrigerate to serve later.
Ingredient Substitutions for Lamb Cake
This lamb cake is made from scratch, but if you need to save time, you can make some easy substitutions. Here are some ideas for you:
Cake – Instead of making a cake from scratch, you can use a box if you prefer. You may need two boxes, depending on the size of your cake pans. If so, use any remaining batter to make cupcakes. Keep in mind that boxed cakes are sometimes a bit too moist and light to hold up to decorating. I’d probably use a Pillsbury mix (any flavor you love will work!) because they tend to be denser cakes than Duncan Hines.
Frosting – You can use canned frosting to make this cake. You’ll likely need 2 cans. Scoop the frosting into the a mixing bowl and add ¼ cup of powdered sugar for each can of frosting. Whip for a few minutes until the sugar is fully incorporated. Then, if the frosting still doesn’t feel firm enough to pipe onto the cake, slowly add more, about 1 tbsp at a time, until it’s nice and thick.
Recipe Variations
- Add ¼ cup of unsweetened cocoa powder to your cake mix (leave out a few tablespoons of flour) to turn it into a chocolate cake instead.
- Use any flavor cake mix you’d like for this cake! Vanilla is always a good choice for Easter lamb cake recipes, but you can also use cherry chip, funfetti, or strawberry.
- Add a touch of yellow food coloring to make a sweet yellow lamb cake.
- Tie a ribbon around your lamb’s neck for a bit of a color pop!
- Use mini-eggs instead of jelly beans in the grass if you prefer.
Pro-Tips for Making an Easter Lamb Cake
How to avoid an Easter Lamb Cake Fail
- When using refrigerated ingredients like eggs, always let them come to room temperature before you start baking. Just set them on your kitchen counter for about 30 minutes.
- Always let your cakes cool completely before you start to decorate them with frosting. Otherwise, the frosting will melt and ruin your cake!
- Piping faces on animals can be difficult. That’s why I’ve used chocolate chips and a jelly bean instead. Most cake fails come from poorly frosted cakes, so keep it simple!
- Follow the baking directions fully and take your time. You don’t need to rush. This lamb cake is simple to make, but if you rush, it might not look as nice as you’d like it to.
- Apply even pressure to your piping bag so your swirls look uniform. If you’re experienced at using a piping bag, you might want to experiment by making some swirls a bit larger and smaller, so the lamb’s coat looks thick.
- If your kitchen is really hot, set your cake and piping bag in the fridge periodically to keep the frosting from melting.
Serving Suggestions
This cake is perfect for Easter lunch or dinner. But it’s also a lovely cake to make for a first birthday party, Christening, or baby shower. Serve with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.
Storage Directions
In the refrigerator – Since this cake uses a cream cheese frosting, it should be kept in the fridge. Store covered with plastic wrap for up to a week in the fridge, but it will be freshest in the first 2-3 days. After that, the cake may begin to dry out, and the frosting might start to separate. You can also use a cake keeper if you have one!
In the freezer – You can freeze your lamb cake for another day. The decoration might not look as pretty, but the cake will taste just as delicious when it thaws. Gently wrap the leftover cake in a few layers of plastic wrap, then set the cake in an airtight container. Freeze for up to 3 months for the best texture and flavor. Thaw in the fridge before enjoying again.
FAQ
The best way to remove a cake from a lamb cake pan (or any pan) is to grease the pan very well before baking it. You can use cooking spray, a mixture of cooking spray with a flour coat, or butter and a flour coat. Any should work well, but just make sure you get every little crevice of the pan! Let the cake cool for about 15 minutes, then remove it from the pan while it’s still warm to finish cooling.
I find I always have good luck using Wilton cake pans. Nordic Ware also makes good pans and they’re a bit cheaper.
The lamb cake is a traditional Easter dessert that symbolizes Jesus as the “Lamb of God” in the Christian faith. Lamb’s are also often a symbol of springtime and new life, as Easter is celebrated in the spring. They are typically made by baking cake batter in a lamb-shaped mold, often decorated with white icing to look like wool. Serving the lamb cake on Easter represents the religious significance of sacrifice and resurrection.
Wondering how long to let a cake cool before frosting? It’s a common question, and it’s an important one, too! If you start decorating your cake too early, the frosting will melt and ruin your cake. So it’s critical to let your cake cool completely. It takes about 15 minutes for a cake to be cool enough to remove from a pan, and about 1 full hour for it to cool completely, depending on the thickness of the cake. Wait until the cake feels room temperature, and doesn’t feel warm at all before you start frosting.
If you have a cast iron cake mold and you want to season it, you can use a similar process to how you season a regular cast iron pan.
Clean the mold: Wash the mold with warm, soapy water to remove any dirt or manufacturing residue. Rinse thoroughly and dry completely.
Coat with oil: Apply a thin layer of vegetable oil all over the inside of the lamb mold. Make sure to coat all the nooks and crannies.
Bake: Place the oiled mold upside down on the middle rack of your oven. Put a baking sheet or foil on the rack below to catch any oil drips. Bake at a moderate temperature (around 350°F / 175°C) for about an hour.
Cool: Turn off the oven and let the mold cool down completely inside the oven. This allows the oil to bond with the iron, creating a non-stick surface and helping to prevent rust.
Repeat if needed: You might need to repeat this process a few times, especially if it’s a new or unseasoned mold, to develop a good seasoning layer.
Maintenance: After each use, wash the mold with hot water and a stiff brush. Don’t use soap as it can strip away the seasoning. Dry thoroughly and apply another light coating of oil to prevent rust.
Regular use and proper maintenance will continue to build up the seasoning, making your cast iron lamb mold more non-stick and durable over time.
Other Easter Recipes to Try
Hash brown nests filled with sour cream and topped with quail eggs!
Beautiful homemade bread decorated with colorful hard boiled eggs.
Individual cakes shaped like adorable bunnies! Top them with creamy buttercream and serve alongside fresh fruit for a spring-y treat.
Learn to use cookie cutters as molds to create cute, Easter-inspired pancakes!

Easter Lamb Cake
Equipment
Ingredients
Cake base:
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter room temperature
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 3 large eggs
- 1 1/5 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 3/4 cup sour cream
- cooking spray
Buttercream:
- 1 cup unsalted butter room temperature
- 3/4 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
Grass:
- 2 cups shredded sweetened coconut
- green food coloring
- jelly beans
Face:
- 1 pink jelly bean cut in half widthwise
- 2 chocolate chips
Instructions
Bake the cake:
- Beat the butter and sugar with an electric mixer until pale and smooth. Add the vanilla extract and eggs one at a time, mixing with each addition.
- In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking soda and salt. Add this to the batter in 2 additions, alternating with the sour cream.
- Generously spray both sides of a lamb cake pan with cooking spray. You want to make sure that you grease every crevice, so that nothing sticks to the pan! Place a spoonful of flour into each pan and shake it around the pan until it is evenly coated in flour. Tip the pans over and tap them a couple times to remove any excess flour.
- Pour the cake batter into JUST the pan with the lamb’s face/front. Start with adding just a couple dollops to the lambs face, tap the cake pan on your counter a couple of times to remove any trapped air, then add the rest of the batter. Place the second pan/lamb’s back on top of the filled pan. You will see a vent at the back of the lamb’s head. This is so that steam can escape while baking.
- Transfer the lamb to a baking sheet and bake at 350F for 45-60 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the cake comes out clean. Cool for 15 minutes in the pan, then turn out onto a wire rack and cool completely.
Make the buttercream:
- Beat the butter with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add the vanilla extract and mix until combined.
- Add the powdered sugar one cup at a time, beating with each addition. Then mix for 3-5 minutes, until the buttercream is light and fluffy.
Decorate:
- Use a serrated knife to trim any excess cake off the bottom of the lamb cake, so that it can sit upright.
- Place the buttercream into a piping bag fitted with a small, star-shaped piping tip.
- Place the cake on a few ramekins, or something that will elevate the cake off your work surface. Pipe a couple rows of dollops around the base of the lamb, leaving enough cake bare to be able to pick it up without smushing the frosting. This will create clean edges around the cake without your serving dish potentially getting in the way.
- Transfer the cake to the serving dish of your choice. Cover the rest of the cake in dollops of buttercream. Stick the chocolate chips onto the lamb as its eyes and the pink jelly bean as its nose. Use some remaining buttercream and a toothpick to place tiny dollops onto the edges of the eyes. This will give the lamb’s eyes a *sparkle* and will look slightly more realistic.
- Place the shredded coconut into a Ziploc bag and add a couple drops of green food coloring. Seal the bag tightly and give it a couple of tosses until the coconut turns green.
- Spoon the coconut around the sides of the lamb, to look like grass. Place some jelly beans in the grass and serve!