There’s something truly enchanting about a unicorn cake. Its vibrant colors and whimsical design can light up any celebration, making it a favorite choice for birthdays and special occasions. As someone who grew up in a small Italian village, where every meal was a celebration, I understand the joy that a beautifully crafted cake can bring to a gathering. Let’s embark on this delightful baking journey together and create a unicorn cake that will dazzle both the eyes and the taste buds.
Why You’ll Love This Unicorn Cake
This unicorn cake isn’t just about its stunning appearance; it’s also a delicious treat that combines moist, flavorful layers with rich buttercream frosting. Whether you’re a seasoned baker or a kitchen novice, this recipe is designed to be approachable and fun, ensuring that your cake not only looks fantastic but tastes amazing too.
Note: The full list with exact measurements will be found in the recipe card at the end of the article.
Ingredients
For the Cake:
- 2 1/2 cups unsalted butter, softened
- 4 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 6 cups cake flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 9 large eggs
- 3 cups whole milk
- 3 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Buttercream Frosting for Icing the Cake:
- 6 cups unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 12 cups powdered sugar, sifted
- 6 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1-2 tablespoons whole milk
Buttercream Frosting for Decorating the Cake:
- 3 cups unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 6 cups powdered sugar, sifted
- 1/2 to 3/4 cup whole milk
- 3 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- Food coloring purple, pink, dark purple, blue, and black
Instructions
Prepare the Cake Layers
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease the sides of six 8-inch round cake pans with butter and line the bottoms with parchment paper.
In a large mixing bowl, using an electric mixer, beat the softened butter and granulated sugar together until creamy and light, about 5 minutes.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the cake flour, baking powder, and salt.
In another bowl, combine the eggs, whole milk, and vanilla extract, whisking until well blended.
Alternately add the dry flour mixture and the wet egg mixture to the butter-sugar mixture, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Mix on low speed and scrape the sides of the bowl as needed until thoroughly combined.
Divide the batter evenly among the prepared cake pans, pouring approximately 1/6 of the batter into each pan.
Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Want even more adorable treats? These Homemade Starbucks Cake Pops are the perfect bite-sized companion for your unicorn celebration.
Allow the cakes to cool in the pans for about 10 minutes. Then, remove them from the pans, wrap each layer in plastic wrap, and place them in the freezer. This helps in handling and frosting later.
Make the Buttercream for the Cake Layers
- In a stand mixer, beat the room-temperature butter for about 5 minutes until it becomes pale and creamy.
- Gradually add the sifted powdered sugar, 1/2 cup at a time, beating well between each addition.
- Add the vanilla extract and 1-2 tablespoons of whole milk. Beat on high speed for an additional 3 minutes until the frosting is light and fluffy.
Make the Buttercream for Decorating the Cake
- Prepare the frosting as described above.
- Divide the buttercream evenly into five bowls. Tint each bowl with the desired food coloring to create vibrant shades of purple, pink, dark purple, blue, and black.
- Transfer each colored buttercream into separate piping bags fitted with various decorating tips to create different textures for the unicorn’s mane.
Assemble and Decorate the Cake
- Place a dollop of buttercream on a revolving cake stand to prevent the cake from sliding.
- Place the first frozen cake layer in the center. Spoon about 1 cup of buttercream frosting on top and spread it evenly with a cake spatula.
- Place the second frozen cake layer upside down on top of the first layer. Repeat the process until all layers are stacked.
- Refrigerate the stacked cake for 30 minutes to set.
- Apply a thin layer of buttercream frosting over the entire cake to create a crumb coat. This seals in any loose crumbs and provides a smooth surface for the final layer of frosting. Refrigerate the cake for another 30 minutes.
- Apply a thicker layer of buttercream icing over the crumb coat, smoothing it out to create a clean canvas for decorating.
- Using the colored buttercreams, pipe rosettes and stars to create the unicorn’s mane, allowing your creativity to shine.Use black icing to pipe the eyes, and add any additional decorative elements as desired, such as a golden horn or edible glitter.
Cooking Tips
- Freezing the cake layers after baking makes them firmer and easier to handle during frosting and assembly.
- When coloring the buttercream, start with a small amount of food coloring and gradually add more to achieve the desired shade.
- If you don’t have six cake pans, you can bake the layers in batches. Just be sure to clean and re-grease the pans between uses.
Planning a magical theme party? Try this stunning Galaxy Cake Recipe that’s out of this world!
Print
Magical Unicorn Cake: A Whimsical Delight for Your Next Celebration
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 16 slices 1x
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
Description:
This dreamy unicorn cake is everything a magical birthday needs soft, buttery cake layers frosted with colorful buttercream rosettes and adorable piped eyes. It’s easier to make than it looks, and guaranteed to make jaws drop at any unicorn-themed party!
Ingredients
For the Cake:
2 1/2 cups unsalted butter, softened
4 1/2 cups granulated sugar
6 cups cake flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
9 large eggs
3 cups whole milk
3 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Buttercream Frosting (for icing):
6 cups unsalted butter, room temperature
12 cups powdered sugar, sifted
6 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1–2 tablespoons whole milk
Buttercream Frosting (for decorating):
3 cups unsalted butter, room temperature
6 cups powdered sugar, sifted
1/2 to 3/4 cup whole milk
3 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Food coloring – purple, pink, dark purple, blue, and black
Instructions
Prep the Cake Pans
Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and line the bottom of six 8-inch round cake pans with parchment paper.Make the Batter
Cream the butter and sugar for 5 minutes until fluffy. In one bowl, mix flour, baking powder, and salt. In another, whisk eggs, milk, and vanilla. Alternate adding the dry and wet ingredients into the butter mixture. Mix until smooth.Bake the Cake
Divide batter evenly into prepared pans. Bake for 30–35 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes, then wrap and freeze each layer.Make the Icing Buttercream
Beat butter until pale. Add powdered sugar in batches. Mix in vanilla and milk until fluffy.Make the Decorating Buttercream
Repeat the same method. Divide into bowls and color with gel food coloring. Transfer to piping bags.Assemble & Decorate
On a cake stand, place a small amount of frosting to anchor the bottom layer. Stack cake layers with icing in between. Chill for 30 minutes. Crumb coat the cake, chill again. Frost fully, then decorate with colored rosettes for the mane and black buttercream for the eyes.
Notes
Freezing the cake layers helps with clean assembly and even frosting.
Use gel food coloring for vibrant shades without altering the buttercream texture.
Want to make this gluten-free? Swap the cake flour with a 1:1 gluten-free baking mix.
You can make the buttercream up to 3 days ahead—just keep it refrigerated and re-whip before using.
- Prep Time: 45 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 890
- Sugar: 86g
- Sodium: 210mg
- Fat: 48g
- Saturated Fat: 30g
- Unsaturated Fat: 17g
- Trans Fat: 1g
- Carbohydrates: 105g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 7g
- Cholesterol: 180mg
Keywords: unicorn on a cake, unicorn cakes, unicorn birthday cake, rainbow cake, kids birthday cake, buttercream cake