How To Make A Unicorn Cupcake Cake in Just 9 Easy Steps

Hello Bakers! Whether you’re hosting a unicorn-themed birthday party, a whimsical get-together, or simply have a sweet tooth that’s in the mood for something enchanting, this Unicorn Cupcake Cake is the perfect treat to spread some sparkle. With just 9 easy steps, you can transform ordinary cupcakes into a magical masterpiece. No need to be a professional baker or cake artist. This guide is designed for everyone, complete with a list of supplies and helpful images to guide you on this delightful journey. Just follow the steps in the photos below. Scroll past the photos to see the extra details I added on each step. Let’s get started!

Quick Tip: If you don’t feel like baking the cupcakes, make it easy on yourself and buy the cupcakes at your local grocery store. Ask them to frost the cupcakes with plain white frosting. This will save you time, as you’ll see in Step 2.

1. Arrange the Cupcakes. 
Following the photo in Step 1, arrange the cupcakes on your cake pad as shown. You will need to slice 2 cupcakes in half to for the ear and horn, and the other 2 for the mane. Once you have the shape desired, secure the cupcakes on the cake pad by piping a little frosting on the bottom of each cupcake. The frosting acts like a glue to make sure your cupcakes don’t slide around the cake pad.

2. Frost the Cupcakes. 
If you followed my Quick Tip and purchased already frosted cupcakes, you can skip this step. If not, then use white frosting and a round tip (#10 or 12), frost each cupcake as shown in the photo. Start in the middle of the cupcake and swirl the frosting all the way to the edge of the cupcake.  Also fill in the gaps between the cupcakes. No need to make it pretty.

3. Crumbcoat the Cupcakes. 
Using an offset spatula, carefully spread the frosting inwards, towards the middle of the cake. Do not go over the edges of the cupcakes. Fill in the gaps with more frosting as needed. This creates the foundation for your cake. You don’t need a thick coat of frosting for this. Just a very thin layer of frosting to cover the cupcakes will do. You will be adding more frosting later when you decorate. 

4. Start piping.
This is when the fun part starts. Using a star tip #30, follow the outline shown in the photo. Cover the left side of the unicorn, including the face, horn and ear. Keep those stars close together for a clean look. This might take awhile, so take breaks, let your hand rest and stretch your fingers. 

5. Place the roses. 
If you haven’t done roses before, practice on an extra cake pad or any flat surface. We’ll use a 2D tip for the roses. Starting in the center, pipe the frosting counterclockwise. When you pipe, leave a bit of space between your cupcakes and the decorating tip so your roses are not flat. Pipe the roses directly on the mane, wherever you want to put them, or use the photo as a guide.  With a #22 or #30 tip, use the same circular motion to create swirls and place those where you want. These are the main focal point of your unicorn’s mane. Add as many as you want and in different colors if you want.

6. Decorate the mane. 
Let your creativity shine here. Fill in the mane using a different frosting color with a #2D or #1M tip. Follow the “S” or “backwards S” motions to create the look of a flowing mane. Pipe in stars where you see gaps. Alternate your colors. Have fun with this step. There’s no right or wrong way to do this. It’s totally up to you on how full you want your unicorn’s mane to be. This photo shows all the different styles of piping you can do. 

7. Outline the horn, ear and mouth. 
Using the white frosting, switch the tip to a #10 or #12 round tip. Follow the photo for the outlines. Again, you can practice on a flat surface before you pipe it directly on the unicorn. For the horn, start inwards, close to the head, piping in an oval motion going outwards with your oval getting smaller til you reach the tip of the horn. If you make a mistake, don’t worry, you can fix it. Lift the frosting slowly with an off set spatula and then start over. You can also cover up mistakes with more stars. But really, there’s no mistakes here as long as you’re having fun.

8. It’s all in the eye. 
In the photo above, you’ll see 4 different styles for your unicorn’s eye. Pick the eye design you desire. This is the trickiest part, so practice if you must. Using black frosting with a #5 round tip, pipe in the eye and finish your Unicorn Cupcake Cake!

9. Add some magic glitter and gold. 
Make your unicorn extra magical by sprinkling gold dust on the horn and adding gold beads on the mane.   

And there you have it! Your very own Unicorn Cupcake Cake!

I hope you enjoyed making this Cake. Take a photo and share it. Let us know what you think of this tutorial.  Tag us on Instagram @sinfultreats

BONUS – Decorating Ideas

Here are some color combinations you can use. With a little imagination, some basic supplies, and a dash of magic (or perhaps, sprinkles), you can create a dessert that not only tastes delightful but looks dreamy too.

About the Writer: Mariel Black, owner of Sinful Treats, Inc. and founder of Sinful Treats Marketplace. Mariel has been in the baking business since 2009. She learned to bake in her grandma’s kitchen when she was just a little girl, taught by her 2 aunts who were both avid bakers. When Mariel decided to start her baking business, they gave her family recipes to help her get started. Now, Mariel runs an online marketplace, SinfulTreats.net, to help other bakers grow their businesses.