Add extra sparkle and magic to your birthday party with these over the top homemade Unicorn Cupcakes!

My daughters are remaining steadfast for their love for unicorns. Narwhals, penguins, and koalas also top their list for favorite creatures (both imaginary and real). But there’s something special about the magic a unicorn holds.

When a friend showed these cupcakes, I knew I needed to share them with all of you!

I’m here to tell you that you can make these at home. Yes, YOU! The cupcakes are made with a vanilla cake mix that started with a box cake. Yup, the inexpensive cake mix you buy at Target. Making the layers of pretty unicorn colors is thanks to food coloring.

The same thing is true of the frosting. I’ll share a yummy recipe that can be dyed multiple colors for the layers of frosting, but I won’t judge if you opt to buy storebought frosting. I’ve even found frosting available in piping bags at Target.

The point is that you can make super adorable cupcakes at home for an over the top celebration.

TIP: I would suggest starting by making your unicorn ears as they take a little time to set. Then bake cupcakes & make frosting.

The Most Magical Unicorn Cupcakes

Decorating Your Unicorn Cupcakes

Ingredients

• 1 White fondant container
• 1 Pink fondant container
• wilton icing tip 2D or similarly sized circle cutter
• wilton icing tip #2 or similarly sized circle cutter
• 1 C powdered sugar
• 1 rolling pin
• 1 cutting board

Directions

• Sprinkle some powdered sugar onto your cutting board and rolling pin
• Roll out half of both colors of fondant to be 1/8 thick
• Using the 2D icing tip, cut out 36 white round circles
• Using the #2 icing tip, cut out 36 pink round circles
• Using the #2 tip again, cut the pink circle a tad bit smaller
• Using a paintbrush, brush a really small amount of water onto the white circles
• Place the pink circles into the center of the white
• Carefully pick up the white circle and pinch the bottom of the ears
• Set aside and repeat with remaining 35 circles
• Allow to dry for 2 hours before starting your cupcakes

As your ears are setting, you can make your own sprinkle mix. The unicorn sprinkle mix used on these cupcakes are light green, hot pink, neon blue, and purple nonpareils. Plus, some assorted sprinkles from Michael’s. Add them to a sealed container & shake until combined.

Vanilla cupcakes

Makes 18 Cupcakes

Ingredients

• 1 box of french vanilla cake mix cake mix
• 3 large eggs room temp
• 1/2 C of softened unsalted sweet cream butter
• 1 C whole milk
• 1TBSP pure vanilla extract
• Teal, pink, and purple gel food coloring
• 3 bowls
• white cupcake liners
• cupcake pan

Directions

• Preheat oven to 350.
• Line muffin pan with the white cupcake liners
• In a medium bowl, add the cake mix, butter, milk, and vanilla extract and stir until combined
• Scoop 1 tbsp of each color into the cupcake liners in layers
• Use a knife and swirl the colors slightly
• Bake in the oven for about 18-20 minutes.
• Pull out the cupcakes and allow to cool before frosting.

TIP: Short on time? Use a cake mix to simplify your baking. Want to simplify even more? Ask your local grocery store bakery department for undecorated cupcakes.

Frosting

Ingredients

• 2 C unsalted sweet cream butter, softened
• 5 C powder sugar
• 2 tsp vanilla
• 6-10 TBSP heavy whipping cream
• pink, purple and leaf green gel food coloring
• 1 disposable piping bag with large round tip
• 1 disposable piping bag with a large star tip
• 1 disposable piping bag with medium star tip
• 1 disposable piping bag with small star tip
• 1 disposable piping bag with a Wilton tip #195
• 1 package of unicorn horn royal icing transfers found at Hobby Lobby

Directions

• Using a stand mixer, combine all ingredients and mix on medium speed. Mix until you see stiffed peaks in your frosting.
• Once the frosting is made, split it into 4 bowls
• Add about 2-4 drops of one color (purple, pink, green) to each bowl. Leave one bowl of frosting white.
• Scoop the purple frosting, leaving about 1/4 C in the bowl, into the piping bag with the round tip
• Scoop one spoonful of the pink frosting onto one side of the piping bag fitted with all three size star tips. Scoop one spoonful of the purple frosting onto the other side of the piping bag fitted with the small star tip.
• Scoop white frosting into the same piping bag as the pink and purple
• Scoop white frosting into the two other piping bags with just the pink frosting
• Scoop the green frosting into the piping bag with tip number 195
• Using the round purple piping bag, pipe a large dollop of frosting onto the cupcake
• Dip the cupcake into the sprinkles mixtures
• Pipe another dollop of purple frosting onto the top of the sprinkled frosting
• Using the large star tip, pipe a dollop of frosting in the top center
• Place the unicorn horn into the center of the frosting

Once your ears are ready, place a ear on both sides of the horn onto your frosted cupcake. You can make your unicorn cupcake even more darling by using small star tips to pipe dollops of frosting to create flowers. Use green for leaves for a final touch.

These over the top cupcakes give the impression of coming from an expensive bakery. The way I see it you have two options: let people believe you bought bougie cupcakes because you’re so fancy or yell from the rooftops that you made them yourself. Either’s fine with me!

It’s easier than you think to make adorable treats at home. A cake mix and some food coloring make pastel unicorn cupcakes. Add three layers of frosting and unicorn decorations to make the most magical unicorn cupcakes this side of the rainbow.