Description
Whimsical, fun, and magically delicious—these Unicorn Cupcakes are the ultimate crowd-pleaser. With a moist vanilla cake base and dreamy tri-color swirls of buttercream, they’re perfect for birthdays, parties, and any moment that needs a little sparkle. Decorated with gold horns, fondant ears, and glitter sprinkles, they don’t just taste amazing—they steal the show with every swirl. You don’t need to be a professional baker to master these charming cupcakes. Follow this detailed guide and bring a dash of unicorn magic into your kitchen.
Ingredients
For the cupcakes:
½ cup unsalted butter, softened
¾ cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs, room temperature
1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1 ½ tsp baking powder
¼ tsp salt
½ cup whole milk
1 ½ tsp vanilla extract
For the buttercream:
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
4 cups powdered sugar, sifted
2–3 tbsp heavy cream
1 ½ tsp vanilla extract
Gel food coloring (pink, purple, teal)
Decorations (optional):
Fondant unicorn horns and ears
Pastel sprinkles
Edible glitter
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a muffin pan with cupcake liners.
- Cream butter and sugar until fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, then vanilla.
- Whisk dry ingredients separately, then alternate adding them with milk to the wet mix.
- Divide batter into liners and bake 18–22 minutes. Let cool completely.
- Beat butter for frosting until pale. Add powdered sugar in batches. Mix in cream and vanilla.
- Divide into 3 bowls and tint with gel coloring. Pipe side by side onto plastic wrap, roll into a log, and place in a piping bag.
- Pipe swirls onto cooled cupcakes. Decorate with horns, ears, and glitter.
Notes
Use room temperature ingredients for better mixing.
For tri-color swirls, use gel colors only.
Make cupcakes a day in advance and frost before serving for best appearance.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cupcake
- Calories: 390