Easter Egg Hunt Sheet Cake Recipe

Easter Egg Hunt Sheet Cake with fluffy frosting, coconut grass, and candy eggs – a fun, colorful dessert that’s easy to make and perfect for sharing.

It’s messy in a good way, colorful without trying too hard, and honestly, it makes people stop and look before they even take a bite.

The first time I made this, I wasn’t aiming for anything fancy. I just wanted something chocolatey that didn’t require stacking layers or stressing over perfect frosting. Then the decorating part happened, and suddenly it turned into this whole spring scene sitting on my counter.

What I like most is that it doesn’t feel serious. You can mess up a flower, dump too many candy eggs in one spot, or go heavy on the coconut grass and it still works. Actually, it works better that way.

Ingredients I Used for the Recipe

• 1 box devil’s food cake mix (15.25 oz) – this is the base, rich and chocolatey without extra effort
• 1 box instant chocolate pudding mix (3.9 oz) – makes the cake softer and more moist, worth adding
• 1/2 cup milk – adds richness instead of just using water
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil – keeps everything tender and not dry
• 3 large eggs – holds the cake together and gives structure
• 1 cup water – helps loosen the batter so it spreads easily
• 2 cups salted butter (softened) – for the frosting, gives it that creamy base
• 1 jar marshmallow creme (16 oz) – makes the frosting light and fluffy, almost cloud-like
• 2 cups powdered sugar – sweetens and thickens the frosting
• 1 tsp vanilla extract – adds a soft flavor that balances the sweetness
• 14 oz shredded sweetened coconut – this becomes the “grass” on top
• Green, yellow, and blue food coloring – used to tint the coconut into different shades
• 2 cups pastel mini marshmallows – for making little flowers on top
• 1 cup candy-coated chocolate eggs – these are the “eggs” hidden in the grass

How to make Easter Egg Hunt Sheet Cake?

Step 1 – Prep the pan and oven

I start by preheating the oven to 350°F. Then I grab a big sheet pan and spray it really well. I’ve skipped that step before and regretted it when the cake stuck in corners.

Step 2 – Mix the cake batter

In a large bowl, I combine the cake mix, pudding mix, milk, oil, eggs, and water. I mix it until smooth, nothing fancy. It comes together pretty fast, and the batter feels slightly thicker than usual, which I like.

Step 3 – Bake and cool

I pour the batter into the pan and spread it out. It bakes for about 15 to 18 minutes. I usually check by lightly pressing the top. If it springs back, I call it done. Then I let it cool completely, even if I’m impatient.

Step 4 – Make the frosting

I beat the butter and marshmallow creme together until it looks fluffy. Then I add powdered sugar slowly and finish with vanilla. It turns into this soft, spreadable frosting that’s not too heavy.

Step 5 – Color the coconut grass

This part is oddly fun. I split the coconut into two bags. One gets a lighter green mix, the other a darker one. I shake them like crazy until the color spreads evenly.

If I see clumps, I break them apart with my fingers. Then I mix both shades together so it looks more natural. Not perfect, just varied.

Step 6 – Frost the cake

Once the cake is cool, I spread the frosting all over. I don’t worry about making it smooth. This cake actually looks better with a little texture.

Step 7 – Add the coconut grass

I sprinkle the colored coconut over the frosting and gently press it down so it sticks. This is where it starts to look like something more than just cake.

Step 8 – Make marshmallow flowers

I cut mini marshmallows diagonally to create petal shapes. Then I use a small dab of frosting to stick them onto the cake in little circles.

They don’t all come out the same. Some look like flowers, some look like… something else. Still works.

Step 9 – Add candy eggs

Finally, I scatter the chocolate eggs across the top, tucking them into the coconut. I try not to overthink placement. Random looks better here.

It’s not just about how it looks

I’ll be honest, I expected this cake to be more about decoration than taste. But the chocolate base is actually really good. Soft, a little rich, and not dry at all.

The frosting surprised me too. It’s lighter than regular buttercream, which helps because everything else on top is already sweet. It doesn’t feel overwhelming.

The coconut adds texture more than flavor. If you’re not big on coconut, it’s still worth trying. It kind of blends into everything else.

Tips

I’ve tried frosting too early and it just melts into a mess. Let it cool completely, even if it tests your patience.

This helps spread the color evenly through the coconut. Dry coloring straight in tends to clump.

After shaking it in the bag, I still go in with my fingers. It’s the easiest way to break up stubborn pieces.

If you try to make everything perfectly placed, it starts to look stiff. This cake works better when it feels a little random.

I’ve made it with vanilla before. Still works great. Just switch the pudding mix to match.

It gets messy, yeah. But honestly, that’s kind of the point with this one. Placing candy eggs is the easiest job to hand off.

A few things I learned after making it more than once

The first time I made this, I went heavy on the frosting. Way too much. It still tasted fine, but it felt a bit over the top. Now I keep it a little lighter and it balances better.

I also used only one shade of green at first, and it looked flat. Mixing two shades makes a bigger difference than I expected. It gives that whole “grass” effect more depth.

And one small thing – cutting marshmallows with scissors works better than a knife. Less sticking, less frustration.

At the end of the day, this isn’t a cake that needs perfection. It’s meant to be playful, slightly messy, and shared. Every time I make it, it turns out a little different, and I actually like that.

If you’re looking for something that feels fun without being complicated, this is it. It looks like you spent hours, even if you didn’t.

Print Recipe

Easter Egg Hunt Sheet Cake Recipe

Author: Kelsey Perez Cooking Method: Baking Cuisine: American Courses: Dessert

Difficulty: easy Prep Time 60 mins Cook Time 18 mins Rest Time 30 mins Total Time 1 hr 48 mins

Cooking Temp: 175  C Servings: 12 Estimated Cost: $ 28 Calories: 934

Best Season: Spring, Easter

Description

A delightful chocolate sheet cake topped with fluffy marshmallow buttercream, dyed coconut grass, and colorful marshmallow flowers. Perfect for Easter celebrations and fun to decorate with kids.

ingredients

Servings

For the Cake

• 1 box (15.25 oz) devil's food cake mix
• 1 box (3.9 oz) instant chocolate pudding mix
• ¹⁄₂ cup milk
• ¹⁄₂ cup vegetable oil
• 3 large eggs
• 1 cup water
• as needed nonstick cooking spray (for pan)

For the Marshmallow Buttercream & Grass

• 2 cups (4 sticks) salted butter (room temperature)
• 1 jar (16 oz) marshmallow creme (such as Marshmallow Fluff)
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 14 oz sweetened shredded coconut (about 5 1/3 cups)
• as needed green liquid food coloring
• as needed yellow liquid food coloring
• as needed blue liquid food coloring

For the Decorations

• 2 cups pastel mini marshmallows
• 1 cup mini candy-coated chocolate eggs (such as Cadbury Mini Eggs)

Instructions

1. Prepare the Cake

   Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Spray an 18x13-inch baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray.

2. Mix Batter

   In a stand mixer or large bowl, beat cake mix, pudding mix, milk, oil, eggs, and 1 cup water until smooth, about 2 minutes. Spread batter evenly in prepared pan.

3. Bake

   Bake 15-18 minutes, rotating halfway, until top springs back and toothpick comes out clean. Cool completely, about 30 minutes.

4. Make Buttercream

   Beat butter and marshmallow creme on medium-high until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Gradually add powdered sugar and vanilla on low, then beat on medium-high until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes more.

5. Color the Coconut Grass

   Divide coconut between two zip-top bags. Mix 3 drops green + 3 drops yellow + 2 tsp water; pour into first bag. Mix 6 drops green + 6 drops blue + 2 tsp water; pour into second bag. Seal and shake until evenly colored.
   Light green and dark green create dimensional grass

6. Assemble Cake

   Reserve 1/4 cup frosting. Spread remaining frosting over cooled cake. Sprinkle colored coconut evenly over frosting, pressing gently to adhere.

7. Make Marshmallow Flowers

   Cut 6 same-color mini marshmallows diagonally in half to make 12 petals. Dollop reserved frosting on cake, arrange 6 petals in outer circle, then 5-6 in inner circle. Add green marshmallow half as leaf if desired.
   Repeat to create multiple flowers

8. Add Candy Eggs

   Nestle candy-coated chocolate eggs into the coconut grass around flowers to complete the Easter egg hunt theme.

Nutrition Facts

Servings 12

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Amount Per Serving

Calories 934kcal

% Daily Value *

Total Fat 45gg70%

Saturated Fat 25gg125%

Trans Fat 0.5gg

Cholesterol 70mgmg24%

Sodium 450mgmg19%

Potassium 200mgmg6%

Total Carbohydrate 130gg44%

Dietary Fiber 3gg12%

Sugars 95gg

Protein 8gg16%

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Calcium 8% mg

Iron 10% mg

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

Note

• Vanilla cake option: Substitute yellow cake mix and vanilla pudding for a lighter flavor.
• Prevent clumping: Mix food coloring with water before adding to coconut for even distribution.
• White marshmallow flowers: Dip cut edges in colored sanding sugar for a pop of color.
• Make ahead: Bake cake and make frosting a day ahead; assemble and decorate the morning of serving.

Keywords: easter sheet cake, chocolate cake, marshmallow buttercream, coconut grass, candy eggs, easter dessert, spring cake