Wednesday, January 18, 2023
HomeCakeStraightforward Unicorn Cupcakes Recipe | Life Love & Sugar

Straightforward Unicorn Cupcakes Recipe | Life Love & Sugar


With silver ice cream cone horns and tiny marshmallow ears, these straightforward unicorn cupcakes would be the lifetime of any unicorn-themed social gathering. Piped with small flowers and winged eyes, they’re completely mystical.

Decorated easy unicorn cupcakes.

Straightforward Unicorn Birthday Cupcakes

There are so man choices with regards to unicorn cupcakes – fondant horns, food-related decor, sprinkle-filled facilities. It’s arduous to resolve what to do! What I like about these explicit unicorn cupcakes is that there are a number of choices for the horn. You can also make it as easy or difficult as you need with the mini ice cream cones. The ears are manufactured from marshmallows, in order that’s additionally good and easy. After which the remaining is buttercream. Apart from assembling them, it’s also possible to prep most components forward.

And whereas these cupcakes aren’t crammed with sprinkles within the heart, you might simply add that. Choose sprinkles that mirror the colours you employ in your buttercream and so they’ll be lovely!

The ultimate unicorn cupcakes are good for any enjoyable and kooky gathering! They’re colourful and may be made with any colours you want. They positively have a wow-factor about them and are certain to be a success!

Easy unicorn cupcakes on a white cake stand.

What You’ll Want

For those who’re a fan of unicorns, then this components record is for you. Examine the recipe card on the backside of the put up for precise ingredient quantities.

For the Cupcakes

  • Mini ice cream cones – You possibly can learn extra in regards to the cone choices under. Common mini ice cream cones or Muddy Bites Waffle Cone Snacks make nice choices.
  • Melting white chocolate – There are many choices right here. Ghirardelli melting wafers and almond bark are simply present in grocery shops, however Wilton sweet melts additionally work properly. Simply don’t use white chocolate chips. They gained’t set as properly.
  • Silver luster mud – I usually use the Wilton model, which you’ll be able to normally discover at Michael’s craft retailer. It’s normally accessible on-line as properly, though I can’t find it on Amazon proper now. This Sunflower Sugar Artwork luster mud ought to work properly too. Be happy to make use of gold luster mud too, should you’re going for that look.
  • Pink luster mud – The identical because the silver one above, simply in pink. It could even be known as coloration mud.
  • Mini marshmallows – Make sure to get the mini dimension, or the ears might be too large.
  • Vanilla Cupcakes – I like my Straightforward Do-it-yourself Vanilla Cupcakes Recipe, however use your favourite. You may also swap them for my chocolate cupcakes.

For the Buttercream

  • Unsalted butter – Ensure it’s at room temperature in order that it’ll combine properly.
  • Powdered sugar – That is additionally known as confectioners’ sugar. It’s added the give the buttercream quantity and thicken it.
  • Vanilla extract – For taste. Almond would even be tasty.
  • Heavy cream – Entire milk or half-and-half is an efficient substitute.
  • Gel icing colours – Make sure to use gel colours, reasonably than meals coloring. The gel colours are a lot thicker and gained’t skinny out your frosting an excessive amount of.
Three Muddy Buddies next to three mini ice cream cones as a comparison photo.

Muddy Bites vs Ice Cream Cones

I experimented with a pair choices for the mini ice cream cones. Muddy Bites Waffle Cone Snacks are positively the tastiest choice as a result of they’re crammed with white or milk chocolate. Sadly, they’re comparatively small and are more durable to coat in chocolate as a result of they’re already stuffed and more durable to carry on to. For those who’ve obtained a while and endurance, although, you need to positively give them a go.

However, the mini ice cream cones have a way more plain taste because it’s simply easy wafer cones. They’re not stuffed, however that additionally means it’s simpler to coat them with chocolate. Nevertheless, you’ll need to snip off part of the underside of the cones, not like with the Muddy Bites. You possibly can depart them full-sized however they’d be BIG horns.

The opposite factor to bear in mind as you resolve which cone to go together with is that the common mini ice cream cones take in extra moisture as soon as assembled onto the buttercream on the cupcake. Because of this, the cones can crack if added to the cupcake too quickly. With common mini ice cream cones, you’d need to add the cones to the cupcakes the day you’re serving them. With the Muddy Bites, you don’t have to fret about that taking place. The chocolate filling retains them agency and from cracking.

One different choice you’ve gotten with the mini ice cream cones is just to depart them plain and never add the white chocolate to them. They’ll have a extra “pure” look, however nonetheless look nice and gained’t require as a lot work. The excellent news is – you’ve gotten choices!

Tips on how to Make Unicorn Cupcakes

Baking the cupcakes and making the buttercream prematurely will make the method tremendous easy, supplying you with extra time to embellish when it’s time to assemble them.

Make the Unicorn Horns

  • Trim the horns. Use scissors to rigorously snip off the sharp ice cream cone ideas above the 2 predominant rings. For those who’re utilizing Muddy Bites, you possibly can skip this step. Set them apart.
  • Soften the chocolate. Soften the chocolate in line with your package deal instructions. Most melting goodies, just like the Ghirardelli ones or the Wilton ones soften actually simply within the microwave.
  • Dip the horns. Use your fingers or a fork to softly decrease one horn at a time into the melted chocolate. Use a toothpick to rigorously create a spiral across the horn (that is optionally available). Set them on a parchment-lined baking sheet to chill. Ensure that they’re standing upright.
  • Add shine. As soon as absolutely dried, use a meals paintbrush to brush silver luster mud on the horns. Set them apart in an hermetic container till prepared to make use of. They’ll final properly for a minimum of per week in an air-tight container.

Make the Unicorn Ears

  • Snip them. You’ll solely want one mini marshmallow for each unicorn. Lower every marshmallow in half, diagonally. Then minimize one of many pointed ends off. Repeat this for each marshmallow till you’ve gotten two ears for each cupcake.
  • Paint them. Use a meals paintbrush so as to add just a little little bit of pink luster mud within the heart of each ear. Set them apart and retailer them in an hermetic container till prepared to make use of. These can even final for a minimum of per week in an air tight container.

Make the Buttercream

  • Cream the butter. Add the butter to the bowl of a stand mixer and beat till clean and creamy
  • Add Half the Sugar and Flavoring. Add half of the powdered sugar and proceed mixing till properly mixed. After that, add the vanilla extract and heavy cream. Proceed beating till properly mixed and clean.
  • Add Remaining Sugar and Regulate Consistency. Subsequent, add the remaining powdered sugar and beat till clean and properly mixed. Pour in additional heavy cream to regulate the consistency, however it must be thick. Set it apart and retailer it in an hermetic container till prepared to make use of.

Frost the Cupcakes

  • Put together the bag. Snip the nook off a big piping again and match it with an Ateco 809 piping tip (or a equally giant spherical one.) Switch the buttercream to the piping bag.
  • Pipe the frosting. Maintain the piping bag perpendicularly and about 1/2″ above the highest of the cupcake. Squeeze it and permit the frosting to unfold. Preserve the piping tip in place, barely buried within the frosting. Because the frosting spreads outward and reaches the sting, slowly raise the piping bag to let the dome get just a little taller, then launch the strain and raise up. Repeat this for each cupcake.
  • Add the horn. Place the horn the place you launched the strain and lifted the piping bag to cowl that less-than-perfect finish. Then add two unicorn ears, one on either side.

Make the Flowers

  • Coloration the frosting. Squeeze the remaining buttercream out of the piping bag and divide it between three bowls. Add totally different gel icing coloration to every one and blend till properly mixed.
  • Create the swirl. Switch every coloration to its personal sandwich-sized ziplock bag and snip a nook off. Lower about an 8×12″ piece of plastic wrap and lay it on a flat floor. Vertically pipe thick strains of frosting (one for every coloration) side-by-side. Fastidiously roll the plastic wrap right into a log, being cautious to not mush the colours an excessive amount of. Twist one finish of the log to keep away from it from popping out on that facet. Snip off the opposite finish and switch the log to a big piping bag fitted with a Wilton 18 piping tip.
  • Check it. Gently squeeze the piping bag till you get a swirled buttercream with three colours.
  • Beautify it. Pipe rosettes and flowers alongside the edges and prime of the unicorn as desired.

Make the Eyes

  • Combine the buttercream. Whenever you’re executed with the rosettes and flowers, combine all of the leftover buttercream in a bowl and add black gel coloration. Combine it till properly mixed. Snip the nook off a piping bag and match it with a Wilton 2 piping tip. Switch the black frosting inside. Pipe the unicorn eyes.

Ideas for Success

These straightforward unicorn cupcakes are so cute. Use the following pointers to assist recreate them and make them your individual.

  • Add a filling. Carve out the middle of every cupcake and fill it with rainbow sprinkles for a enjoyable shock inside. High the sprinkles with the piece of cupcake you carved out after which add the frosting as common.
  • Use a food-grade paintbrush. Since this brush goes to be touching your cupcakes, make certain it’s a food-grade one. It will forestall any plastics and chemical compounds from stepping into contact along with your meals.
  • Be taught the method. Watch my video on Tips on how to Frost Cupcakes so that you simply’re not guessing the right way to do it with the precise cupcakes.
  • Preserve it easy. The horns look nice with the white chocolate coating and silver end, however if you wish to maintain it easy, simply add them to your cupcakes as-is. They’ll look just a little extra “pure” however nonetheless nice.
Close-up of easy unicorn cupcakes.

Serving Options

These are nice for unicorn and rainbow-themed events! Served with Mini Rainbow Cheesecakes, Rainbow Swirl Cake, Sprinkle Sugar Cookies and Do-it-yourself Funfetti Cupcakes, you’ll have the most effective snack desk your friends have ever seen.

Can These Unicorn Theme Cupcakes Be Made in Advance?

Though these unicorn cupcakes are greatest assembled the identical day, whether or not or not you can also make them prematurely relies on whether or not you used common mini ice cream cones or Muddy Bites for the horns.

The mini ice cream cones will soften and crack inside a number of hours of sitting on the frosting as a result of they’ll take in the moisture. For those who use Muddy Bites, you possibly can positively assemble your cupcakes absolutely prematurely as these gained’t crack or lose their form. Both means, the horns themselves may be made prematurely and saved in an air tight container for a minimum of per week. You simply will need to wait so as to add them to your cupcakes.

The remainder of the elements for this recipe may be made prematurely too. Make the ears and buttercream a minimum of per week forward as properly. Retailer the ears in an air-tight container at room temperature. Retailer the buttercream in an air-tight container and maintain it within the fridge for as much as a month. Simply carry it again to room temperature earlier than utilizing.

The vanilla cupcakes may be made prematurely as properly, however I might advocate making them the day earlier than or the day of the occasion for them to be at their freshest.

Decorated easy unicorn cupcakes.

Tips on how to Retailer

Retailer any leftover cupcakes in an hermetic container for as much as 3-4 days. They could maintain for an additional day or two within the fridge, however carry them to room temperature earlier than serving.

Extra Enjoyable & Straightforward Cupcake Recipes

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Decorated easy unicorn cupcakes.