Description
Delightfully whimsical Unicorn Cupcakes featuring a colorful French vanilla cake base, topped with vibrant, multi-colored buttercream frosting and sprinkled with playful nonpareils and jimmies. Perfect for celebrations, these cupcakes combine soft, moist cake with a creamy, vividly tinted frosting, and are adorned with fun bubblegum-flavored twist lollipops.
Ingredients
Scale
Cake Ingredients
- 1 box French vanilla cake mix
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
- 1/2 cup softened unsalted butter
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- Teal, pink, purple, and leaf green gel food coloring
Decorations
- 1 pouch of light green, hot pink, and purple nonpareils and sprinkle jimmies
- Twist lollipops: Bubblegum flavored
Buttercream Frosting
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3-5 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
- Teal, pink, purple, and leaf green gel food coloring
Instructions
- Prepare the cake batter: In a large mixing bowl, combine the French vanilla cake mix, eggs, softened butter, whole milk, and vanilla extract. Use a hand mixer or stand mixer to blend until smooth and creamy. Divide the batter evenly into separate bowls to add teal, pink, purple, and leaf green gel food colorings, mixing gently until you have vibrant batters in each color.
- Assemble and bake: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line cupcake pans with paper liners. Spoon the colored batters randomly into the cupcake liners to create a swirl effect. Bake for approximately 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove from oven and let cupcakes cool completely on a wire rack.
- Make the buttercream frosting: Beat the softened butter until creamy and light. Gradually add powdered sugar while mixing on low speed. Add vanilla extract and 3 tablespoons of heavy whipping cream; mix well. Adjust consistency with remaining heavy cream if needed. Divide frosting into separate bowls to add teal, pink, purple, and leaf green gel food coloring, blending well for each color.
- Decorate cupcakes: Using piping bags or spatulas, frost each cooled cupcake with the colorful buttercream using swoops or layered techniques to create a multicolored unicorn effect. Sprinkle the light green, hot pink, and purple nonpareils and sprinkle jimmies over the frosting. Finally, top each cupcake with a bubblegum-flavored twist lollipop for a playful touch.
Notes
- Ensure all ingredients, especially eggs and butter, are at room temperature for the best cake texture.
- Gel food coloring provides more vibrant colors without thinning the batter or frosting.
- Adjust the amount of heavy cream in the frosting to reach your preferred consistency.
- For extra flavor, you can add a teaspoon of almond extract to the frosting.
- Store cupcakes in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days or refrigerate for up to 4 days.
