Easy Unicorn Cake

This Easy Unicorn Cake is fun, whimsical, and full of magical touches from swirled frosting to the perfect golden horn. The inside is just as much fun, with colorful layers of fluffy cake that taste as dreamy as they look.

Easy Unicorn Cake Recipe

This Unicorn Cake is straight out of a storybook, with colorful layers, a beautiful frosting mane, and a sparkly horn. It’s fun to decorate, tastes amazing, and turns any celebration into something a little more magical. With vibrant colors, pretty swirls and all the little unicorn details, it just doesn’t get any more adorable than this!

What I love most about this recipe is how simple it is to pull off. I use boxed cake mix and a few easy tricks to create a bakery-worthy cake that anyone can decorate. Even if you’re new to cake decorating, you’ll be surprised by how easy (and fun!) this cake is to put together.

Ingredients

For The Cake

• French vanilla cake mix: You can use any white or vanilla cake flavor.
• Egg whites: Keeps the cake light and fluffy.
• Water: Moistens the dry cake mix.
• Bubblegum flavoring: Adds a fun, sweet flavor twist.
• Vegetable oil: Helps make the layers moist and tender.
• Food coloring (pink, blue, purple): Use gel for bright, beautiful colors that stay vivid after baking.

For The Frosting

• Softened butter: The base of that rich, creamy buttercream we all love.
• Vanilla extract: Gives the frosting a sweet, classic vanilla flavor.
• Powdered sugar: Sweetens and stiffens the frosting for perfect piping.
• Half and half: Just enough to create the perfect creaminess and texture.

Recommended Tools

• Three 6-inch cake pans  
• Unicorn horn, lashes, and ears ( found at craft stores and on Amazon)
• Piping tips – I use Wilton tips #17, #21 and #70
• Offset spatula
• Icing scraper
• Cake stand

How To Make This Layered Unicorn Cake

For The Cake

Step 1. Preheat oven to 350° and grease three 6-inch cake pans.

Step 2. In a large mixing bowl, combine oil, egg whites, cake mix, water, and bubblegum flavoring.

Step 3. Separate the batter into three bowls.

Step 4. Add two drops of pink gel food coloring to the first bowl, two drops of purple to the second bowl and two drops of blue to the third bowl. Mix each until fully combined.

Step 5. Pour the colored batters into the prepared pans and bake for 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Step 6. Let the cakes cool completely on a wire rack, then use a serrated knife or cake leveler to level the tops.

For The Frosting

Step 1. Beat softened butter until smooth.

Step 2. Add powdered sugar a cup at a time, along with half and half, until you get the texture you want. Divide the frosting into two portions: 2/3 for the base and 1/3 for decorating the mane.

Step 3. Stack your cake layers on a cake stand, spreading a layer of frosting in between each one.

Step 4. Frost the outside of the cake using an offset spatula and smooth with an icing scraper.

Step 5. Separate the reserved frosting and tint with drops of the pink, blue, and purple food coloring. Load each into a piping bag fitted with tips 17, 21, or 70.

Step 6. Pipe swirls, stars, and flowers across the top and one side to make a colorful unicorn mane.

Step 7. Place the horn and ears at the top, pressing them in enough so they stay in place.

Step 8. Press the lashes gently onto the side.

Step 9. To finish, pipe a border around the base using Wilton tip 17.

Serve and enjoy!

Storage Instructions

• Fridge: This cake will stay fresh in the fridge for about 3 days. A tall cake carrier works best to keep it protected without smudging the decorations.
• Freezer: You can freeze individual cake layers ahead of time or wrap leftover slices to enjoy later. Just wrap tightly in plastic and foil, then freeze for up to 3 months. For best results, let them defrost in the fridge before serving.

Variations and Add-ins

Want to make it your own? These fun ideas will help you customize your cake to fit your party style or flavor preferences.

• Cake size: This cake is just the right size for a smaller celebration, but if you’re feeding a crowd, you can double the recipe and bake it in 9-inch pans for a taller, 4-layer cake. Just don’t forget to adjust the bake time!
• Color variety: Instead of just three colors, you can add a fourth like mint green or yellow for extra fun. Or you can change up the colors with any combination you prefer.
• Flavor twist: Feel free to change up the flavor with strawberry, cotton candy, or vanilla almond extracts in place of the bubblegum flavor..
• Lashes: Instead of adhesive lashes, you can use black icing to pipe your own.
• Cake mix: Try funfetti or classic vanilla cake mix in place of the French Vanilla flavor.

Tips And Tricks

These simple tips will help ensure your unicorn cake turns out picture-perfect every time.

• Grease and line your cake pans with parchment circles for easy cake removal.
• Mix the batter just until combined to keep your cake light and fluffy.
• Use gel food coloring for more vibrant color without thinning the batter.
• Pipe the mane close together to create that full, swirly unicorn look.

FAQs

More Unicorn Party Fun

• Unicorn Dessert Dip
• Unicorn Charcuterie Board
• Mini Unicorn Cheesecakes
• Unicorn Meringue Kisses
• Unicorn Bookmark (fun party activity and party favor)