Unicorn Cupcakes Recipe

These Unicorn Cupcakes are so pretty, delicious, and easy to make in less than 1 hour with my step by step directions. I use simple baking ingredients to make them from scratch, starting with the cupcake base and finishing with colorful frosting. They are perfect for themed parties because they look amazing and taste great, and they are always a hit with both kids and adults.

I have to admit that I am obsessed with the color purple. If you search my blog for the word “purple”, you will find several recipes that use this unique color, like my purple cake, which also happens to be my daughters favorite color, right next to pink of course. She is also a big fan of unicorns, and that is the reason I made my unicorn poke cake recipe in the first place. So here I am again with my Unicorn Cupcakes recipe, and they are almost too cute to eat.

I love that kids can help with the mixing and decorating, and it makes baking them so much fun. Funny story, I made these Unicorn Cupcakes for my daughters birthday party last year and somehow I forgot to post them. I was scrolling through my photos the other day and got so excited when I found them, so I knew I had to share them here. These cupcakes are soft and moist, topped with sweet vanilla buttercream, and the best part is how easy the recipe is to follow. You can also make them in any color you want, which makes them perfect for parties. Now, let me show you how to make them!

Why you will love this recipe

• Kid approved and party ready: I made these Unicorn Cupcakes for my daughters birthday party, and the kids were so excited the second they saw the colorful frosting.
• Easy from scratch steps: I start with simple pantry basics like flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, milk, vegetable oil, vanilla, eggs, and water, so I do not need anything complicated. My batter mixes up quickly, and I bake them for 15 to 20 minutes while I clean up and get the frosting ready.
• Colorful frosting made simple: I whip butter, powdered sugar, vanilla, and milk into a creamy vanilla buttercream, then divide it into bowls and color it with gel food coloring. I use purple, blue, pink, and orange so the swirls look like unicorn colors, and the frosting tastes sweet and rich.
• Great for little helpers: I love making this recipe with kids because they can help stir the batter, pick the gel food colors, and watch the frosting swirl as I pipe it. Decorating with sprinkles or edible glitter is always the part that makes them the happiest.

What you will need

Cupcakes:

• Dry ingredients: I use all purpose flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt to build the cupcake base and help it bake up soft and fluffy.
• Wet ingredients: I mix in milk, vegetable oil, vanilla extract, eggs, and water to make a smooth batter that stays moist after baking.
• Color: I add purple or violet gel food color to give the cupcakes that bright unicorn look.

Frosting:

• Buttercream base: I use room temperature unsalted butter, powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and milk to make a smooth vanilla buttercream that is sweet and easy to pipe.
• Color: I divide the frosting and tint it with purple, blue, pink, and orange gel food colors to create a cute unicorn swirl.

How to make

The cupcakes:

Prep the pan: I preheat the oven to 350 degrees F, then I add cupcake liners to a muffin pan and set it aside.

Mix the batter: I whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. In a mixer bowl, I mix the milk, vegetable oil, vanilla extract, and eggs for about 1 minute on medium speed, then I add the dry ingredients and beat until everything is well combined, stopping once to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl with a spatula.

Add the color: With the mixer on low speed, I add the water and about 10 drops of purple gel food color and mix just until combined, scraping down the sides as needed. If I want a deeper color, I add a little more gel color and stir it in, then I use a pancake dispenser to fill the cupcake liners since the batter is thin and messy, and I fill each liner a little over halfway full.

Bake and cool: I bake the cupcakes for 15 to 20 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs and no raw batter, and I do not open the oven until 15 minutes have passed. If I am making mini cupcakes, I start checking around 9 minutes and they are usually done in 9 to 12 minutes, then I let them cool in the pan for 3 to 5 minutes before moving them to a cooling rack to cool completely.

Making the colorful frosting:

Start the frosting: I mix the butter in a large mixer bowl until smooth, then I add 4 cups of powdered sugar and mix again. After that, I add the vanilla extract and milk and mix until the frosting is smooth.

Color the frosting: I add the remaining 4 cups of powdered sugar and mix until smooth, and if the buttercream is too soft, I add more sugar 1 half cup at a time. Then I divide the buttercream evenly into 4 medium bowls and stir about 7 to 10 drops of purple gel food color into 1 bowl, blue into 1 bowl, orange into 1 bowl, and pink into 1 bowl, then I set them aside.

Assembling the cupcakes

Note: I highly recommend watching my video below for visual instructions since I do not have photos of the entire process. I still explain everything in detail below so it is easy to follow and put together.

Prep the piping bag: I fit a piping bag with a large star tip, or any piping tip I like, then I set it aside.

Layer the colors: I cut about 15 inches of plastic wrap and place it on the counter, then I add about 1/3 of the purple buttercream in the middle and spread it into a 6 x 6 inch square. Next, I spread 1/3 of the blue buttercream over the purple, then 1/3 of the orange over the blue, and 1/3 of the pink over the orange.

Roll and fill: I check the size of my piping bag before rolling the buttercream so the roll is not bigger than the bag opening. Then I roll the plastic wrap into a tube, place it inside the piping bag, and pipe a small test amount until the buttercream reaches the tip.

Pipe and chill: I pipe the buttercream onto the cupcakes and decorate with edible glitter, stars, or sprinkles, then I repeat with the remaining cupcakes and buttercream. After that, I refrigerate the cupcakes for at least 1 hour before serving.

Expert tip

Do not overbake cupcakes

I highly recommend not overbaking the cupcake base. I start checking at 15 minutes, and I pull them out as soon as a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs and no wet batter. If I wait too long, the cupcakes dry out fast, so I would rather take them out a little early than leave them in even 2 minutes too long.

More tips to consider:

• For the best cupcakes and for them to rise nicely in the oven, do not overmix the batter. I also make sure the oven is fully preheated and that my ingredients are at room temperature before I start.
• After I put the cupcakes in the oven, I do not open the oven door for 15 minutes. Opening the door too soon can cause the cupcakes to sink.
• When I make the buttercream, I use a lot of powdered sugar so it holds its shape when piped.
• I do not like the taste of shortening, so I only use butter. If you want a stiffer buttercream, you can replace half of the butter with shortening, and the amount of powdered sugar stays the same.
• I am extra careful with gel food coloring because it can stain hands, counters, or carpet, so I cover my surfaces before I start.
• When I layer the frosting colors on the plastic wrap, I try to use the same amount of each color and I do not add too much, since it needs to fit into the piping bag.

Recipe variations and add-ins:

• Vanilla rainbow: I divide the batter into 3 to 4 bowls and tint each one with a few drops of gel food color. I spoon the colors into the liners in layers for a rainbow look which is my daughter’s favorite.
• Almond flavor: I swap the vanilla extract for 1 teaspoon almond extract. The flavor is sweet and a little nutty.
• Blue purple swirl: I color the buttercream with blue and purple gel food color and skip the other shades. It is simple, bright, and perfect for a party table.
• Cherry flavor: I add 1 teaspoon cherry extract to the batter. I usually color the frosting pink and purple to match.
• Sprinkle party: I fold 1 tablespoon rainbow sprinkles into the batter before baking, then I add more sprinkles on top of the frosting. Kids get excited as soon as they see them. So cute!

Serving suggestions:

Serving these Unicorn Cupcakes is always so much fun. I sometimes swap the vanilla buttercream for cream cheese frosting because it is easy to make from scratch and the slight tang balances the sweet cupcakes. For an over the top dessert table, I add caramel sauce and Oreo ice cream so everyone can mix and match their treats.

For drinks, I like pairing these cupcakes with my rainbow smoothie when kids are around, and it always looks so pretty next to the colorful frosting. For adults, I serve a London fog latte or even with my homemade eggnog since it pairs well with the sweet vanilla flavor and makes the party spread look complete.

How to store leftovers:

• Refrigerate: I store the cupcakes in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 to 4 days. I let them sit at room temperature for about 20 to 30 minutes before serving.
• Freezing: I freeze unfrosted cupcakes in a freezer bag for up to 2 months. I thaw them at room temperature, then frost them once they are fully thawed.
• Reheating: I do not reheat these cupcakes. I just let them come to room temperature so the frosting is soft and creamy.

Frequently asked questions

More cupcakes to try:

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 cups sugar
• 3 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs
• 2/3 cup water
• Purple/Violet Gel Food Color

Frosting:

• 2 cups /4 sticks/550grams unsalted butter room temperature
• 8-9 cups powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 3 tablespoons milk
• Purple Gel Food Color
• Blue Gel Food Color
• Pink Gel Food Color
• Orange Gel Food Color

• Preheat oven to 350°F degrees.

• Add cupcake liners to a cupcake/muffin pan. Set aside.

• To a large bowl add dry ingredients: flour, sugar, baking powder and salt, whisk to combine. Set aside.

• Add milk, vegetable oil, vanilla extract and eggs to a mixer bowl and whisk until fully combined, about 1 minute on medium speed.

• Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and beat until well combined. Stop once to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl with a spatula.

• Slowly, with the mixer on low speed, add the water and 10 drops of purple gel food color to the batter and mix just until combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed to make sure everything is well combined. If you want the color more intense, add more gel color, stir to combine, careful not to over-mix.

• The batter is thin, I find it easier to add it to a pancake dispenser, this makes filling the cupcake liners much easier and mess free.

• Fill the cupcake liners just a little over half.

• Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs NOT raw batter. In my oven, the cupcakes were perfectly done at the 20-minute mark. Do NOT open the oven until 15 minutes have passed. Start checking on the cupcakes at the 15-minute mark. If you are baking mini cupcakes, they may be done in 9-12 minutes, start checking after 9 minutes.

• Remove the cupcakes from oven and allow to cool for 3-5 minutes in the pan, then remove to a cooling rack to finish cooling.

Frosting:

• Add butter to a large mixer bowl and mix until smooth.

• Add 4 cups of powdered sugar and mix until smooth.

• Add the vanilla extract and milk, mix until smooth.

• Add the remaining 4 cups of powdered sugar and mix until smooth. If the buttercream is too soft, add more sugar, 1/2 cup at a time.

• Divide buttercream equally into 4 medium bowls.

• Add a few drops of purple gel food color to one of the bowls, about 7-10 drops, and stir with a spatula to fully combine. Set aside.

• Add a few drops of blue gel food color to one of the bowls, about 7-10 drops, and stir with a spatula to fully combine. Set aside.

• Add a few drops of orange gel food color to one of the bowls, about 7-10 drops, and stir with a spatula to fully combine. Set aside.

• Add a few drops of pink gel food color to one of the bowls, about 7-10 drops, and stir with a spatula to fully combine. Set aside.

Assembling:

• Start by preparing your work area, gel food color can easily stain your working surface so cover it with parchment paper or plastic wrap.

• Fix a piping bag with a large star tip, or any other piping tip that you like. Set aside.

• Cut about 15 inches of plastic wrap and place it on the counter. In the middle of the plastic wrap add about 1/3 of the purple buttercream, spread it into a 6x6inches square.

• Top it with 1/3 of the blue buttercream, and carefully, spread it on top of the purple square. Top it with 1/3 of the orange buttercream, and carefully, spread it on top of the blue layer.

• Top it with 1/3 of the pink buttercream, and carefully, spread it on top of the orange layer.

• Before adding the buttercream to the plastic wrap take a look at the piping bag you will be using, some are smaller and some are larger, so make sure the buttercream wrap once rolled is not larger than the piping bag, as it won’t fit.

• Roll the wrap, so it forms a tube, and place the wrapped buttercream inside the piping bag. Do a first, pipe and dump test, to get the buttercream closer to the tip.

• Pipe the buttercream onto the cupcakes and decorate with edible glitter stars or sprinkles.

• Repeat with the rest of the buttercream and cupcakes.

• Refrigerate cupcakes at least one hour before serving.

• Enjoy!

Do not overbake cupcakes

I highly recommend not overbaking the cupcake base. I start checking at 15 minutes, and I pull them out as soon as a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs and no wet batter. If I wait too long, the cupcakes dry out fast, so I would rather take them out a little early than leave them in even 2 minutes too long.

More tips to consider:

• For the best cupcakes and for them to rise nicely in the oven, do not overmix the batter. I also make sure the oven is fully preheated and that my ingredients are at room temperature before I start.
• After I put the cupcakes in the oven, I do not open the oven door for 15 minutes. Opening the door too soon can cause the cupcakes to sink.
• When I make the buttercream, I use a lot of powdered sugar so it holds its shape when piped.
• I do not like the taste of shortening, so I only use butter. If you want a stiffer buttercream, you can replace half of the butter with shortening, and the amount of powdered sugar stays the same.
• I am extra careful with gel food coloring because it can stain hands, counters, or carpet, so I cover my surfaces before I start.
• When I layer the frosting colors on the plastic wrap, I try to use the same amount of each color and I do not add too much, since it needs to fit into the piping bag.

Calories: 680kcal | Carbohydrates: 99g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 31g | Saturated Fat: 20g | Cholesterol: 83mg | Sodium: 167mg | Potassium: 160mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 84g | Vitamin A: 805IU | Calcium: 87mg | Iron: 1.5mg